When Kerry and I first moved to Kenya we couldn't understand why the stars weren't visible at night from our porch in Nakuru. We thought being in "Africa Dark" (its not like US Dark believe me) would bring out a canopy of lights we'd never seen before. What memorized us even more was when we picked up and moved to a city of 6 million people that the stars then came out in force.
Last night I was playing washers with a couple of friends here in Nairobi and the stars were out in force. Orion's Belt was so clear I felt like I could reach up and touch it. I almost got hit in the head a few times as I lost track of the game because my eyes were focused on what was above me.
It made me realize.... God knows the desires of my heart, but I think sometimes I have to get into His plan for me to realize some of desires. Stars is tiny thing, a silly thing really. I think Kerry and I both could of gone without seeing the stars, but isn't our God big enough to give us the silliest of things? I don't think this falls into the health and wealth gospel that is preached around the world. I think its that I've realized that God has a plan for my life and when I'm in it He reminds me in the subtlest of ways. I know that most of you could tell me why I couldn't see stars in Nakuru and why they were visible in Nairobi. There's a good scientific/geographical explanation. Its still God; he created that explanation when he formed the earth.
Have you ever really seen God give you, grant you, confirm you in the smallest of ways? I pray you have or you begin to look a little harder. Don't we all just want to be in His will, walking in His plan for our lives?
Here's a can of worms that I'd not want to open in the discussion of how God speaks to us or not. Some might say He'd just tell you, instead of show you. Or the stars are just your way of comforting yourself in a makeshift gospel that you've created. That "someone" who's worried about deep theology can go on about explaining faith and I commend you. You know me (or if you don't), I stick to Jesus died on the cross, He's the only way to eternal life, TOSHA (swahilli=enough). Everything after that is a discussion that we will all be right and wrong on when we get to heaven. Allow me to have a simple faith please, I promise I will allow you to continue to dig and explain.
My hope is that you've seen little signs that you're in the right place in your relationship/mission with our Savior.
What I'm excited about is that when I get home to Little Rock in a few days and walk out into my back yard a canopy of Stars will stretch from horizon to horizon....
As my father used to say, "trust God and do the next thing".... a canopy of stars might be waiting for you.
