Happy New Year! The
passing of 2009 into 2010 was celebrated with much fellowship, reflection,
sparklers, worship, communion, and prayer by all of our World Race squad in
Nairobi, Kenya. We ushered in the
New Year together praising God for who He is, who He created us to be, and what
He is doing in and through us.
While many of us have made new years resolutions – physical health,
spiritual growth etc. I know that although I had the best of intentions, I have
rarely actually kept my resolutions past oh… February. So I’ve resolved this year not to set
myself up for failure again.
However, this evening’s worship reminded me of God’s faithfulness
and love for me. I was watching
the Kenyan moon while singing praises to Him who created the moon. I watched when it was luminous, full,
and bright. I watched as clouds
slowly crept in and created shadows across the moon. I watched as those clouds were joined by others and soon I
couldn’t see the moon anymore. I
continued to watch and wait, believing that although I could no longer see the
moon, it was still there and trusting that when the clouds parted I would see
the moon again. Sure enough in
time, the clouds parted and again I saw the moon. In the same way, even when I go through cloudy days and I
cannot see God at work, I know that He is still there and still I will praise
Him. Just because I cannot see Him
in the moment, does not mean He is not there. He is always there.
He promised “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” As the clouds pass, I will again see
the light again.
Sometimes we forget to praise Him in cloudy times and we may not
feel our excitement for God. I was
reminded tonight that sometimes we aren’t excited about something because we
haven’t tasted it recently and we’ve forgotten just how good it really is. But when we get just a taste of it, we
will be renewed in our excitement and hunger. I am hungry to “taste and see that Lord is good.” Yet, in those times when my excitement
has fizzled like the new years sparklers, I will remember how I have tasted and
seen the goodness of the Lord in the past and still I will praise Him. Still I will praise Him.
