Growth (The One About the Deer)

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I was driving back to my office down Centre Avenue from a site this morning, praying God would teach me about His throne, and praying that He would give me clean hands and a pure heart, and help me not “lift my soul” to anyone other than Him, so I could ascend His Holy Mountain (know more about where He dwells). As I was praying, I caught a glimpse of a whitetail buck. It caught my eye as it jolted away from the road, and I noticed it was already growing very large horns that were covered in thick velvet. It struck me that his horns were immature and already massive. He is going to be a big buck in the fall with a massive rack!


As I was thinking about the buck, God spoke right into my heart. He told me the horns were the deer’s strength. His horns are soft and immature right now. The immaturity is a necessary starting place for his horns to grow. A deer’s horns only grow when they are soft.


God told me there is a blessedness for me to recognize my immaturity and not pretend to be something I am not. It keeps my heart soft, so God can grow my strength. My horn…what grows out of Tom Stolz’s head…is knowledge of, and agreement with, God and His ways. Seeing a vision of my life that agrees with His vision of what is possible for me, and then growing into that is a recipe for real strength. Recognizing and admitting my immaturity is key to this happening…keeping my heart soft.


In the fall, when the buck’s horns are hardened and mature…when the time is right…that deer will rub off the velvet to reveal a trophy rack…trophy strength. In the wisdom God has naturally given him, the deer isn’t rubbing the velvet off his horns right now, pretending they are mature. That would actually damage their growth. At the right time, they will be mature for the fight. With a large rack, a buck can dominate a large territory.


Right now, I want to recognize my immaturity…my spiritual poverty. I want to spend time dreaming of what is available to me in terms of consecration and holiness, and talk to Jesus about growing me into those areas completely. Then I will come into a time when my horn will be exalted and I will be mature for the fight!

Psalms 112:1-10 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. (2) His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. (3) Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever. (4) Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. (5) A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion. (6) Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. (7) He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. (8) His heart is established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies. (9) He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor. (10) The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish.

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