Safari - A journey or trip, especially one for exploring or hunting in East Africa.
As we were driving endlessly on through the Mikumi National Game Park, at times I would feel drowsy in the heat, the bumpy ride lulling me to sleep....so, I began to think and pray...about my life and how it equates to a safari. How often do we walk along and not know what we're seeing? How many times have I questioned my purpose in life and wondered why I am, where I am? Just like in a safari, it isn't always obvious what we're seeing or why we're here. We need a guide, a mentor, Jesus to show us the way and to point out the memorable moments. We often trudge along in our daily existence, or drive for 45 minutes without seeing anything special, and then BAM...a highlight moment! We see a baobab tree, a leopard, a lion! How many people get to see those things, really?
Honestly, sometimes these things are right in front of us; but, without a guide, that has experience, we don't see them!!!
Oh, how many times on our trip did we praise our guide, Renatus, for his "eagle-eyed", amazing vision. Who could have seen those lions, hundreds of yards off the road? Who could have seen that leopard hiding up in the tree? We certainly didn't! Renatus told us that he sees maybe 1 leopard a year! He said he goes days without seeing lions. What about those people that come all the way to East Africa for a safari, have such high hopes and the day they go out, is the day that they don't see lions or leopards... what if their guide isn't as competent...what if he isn't Jesus?
We had an excellent guide on our safari. Do I praise and honor and worship Jesus as often as I praised our guide on safari? Do I make a point of telling Jesus how much I appreciate his mentoring me through my life, pointing out the highlight moments and letting me see how much I am blessed! OR, do I fall asleep on the trek and miss those moments, OR, do I get so used to seeing impala and giraffes and zebras that after the first few times the joy wears off and it just become status quo and I'm not excited anymore about the amazing creatures right in front of my face?
I think about the newness of dating and marriage, finding "The One"... it was all so new and amazing, I was thankful...is it all just "normal" now, am I still thankful for the one that the Lord gave me? What about when we're first pregnant, the newness wears off, doesn't it; but that first time, WOW, we're excited. What about new babies...we're so in love, but by the time they are 2, we're worn out and just want them to take a nice long nap?
I certainly felt convicted about how I view my life, a journey through an unknown land, in the context of the safari. I want to be grateful and joyous at every turn, at every blessing the Lord provides. I may not always be sure about why I'm here or what God's plan is for us in the long run. I have my own hopes and dreams and though I want to be in God's will, I find myself praying that the two will coincide, at some point, in the near future. I know that 'every good and perfect gift is from above' James 1:17. I also remember that the Lord will 'equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight' Hebrews 13:21.
Thank you Lord for an amazing trip so far! I have a husband that is amazing, three healthy and wonderful children, we're fed, have a home, have a ministry...how many other people, on their safari, have all those things? Thank you for those highlight moments, and help me to be more intentional to look for them through my daily trek. I pray I don't take them for granted and that the thousandth time I see my husband can be closer to the first time, when I gasp in amazement and say "Wow, will you look at that!"
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