Two weekends ago, I wrote 2 blogs titled “Chasing” the King. If you haven’t read them, you should check them out before reading this blog. http://shannonroediger.theworldrace.org/post/chasing-the-king-part-2 http://shannonroediger.theworldrace.org/post/chasing-the-king-part-2
It was during this time that I got to see the king of Swaziland. Ever since, I’ve questioned why God wanted me to be part of this experience with my friend Bill. To me, it was random, spontaneous, and adventurous, but this experience had real purpose and meaning. God doesn’t just place something like that on someone’s heart. He had something to teach both Bill and I.
I kept asking myself why. Why did God want me on this journey? Why did he want me to see the king? I’ve been wrestling with these questions for the past two weekends.
I’ve always envisioned the worldrace to be full of these wild experiences that you could never explain to people. This was definetely one of these moments. I felt a little crazy chasing after the king of Swaziland. And I’m pretty sure most people on our squad thought we were crazy as well. I didn’t understand why God was calling me to go with Bill but I knew that he was asking me to be obedient so I decided to follow Bill wherever he went.
So here I am on the worldrace chasing the King of Swaziland. Unsure if we will actually get to see him. Our hopes were to talk with him, but to our disappointment we did not get to do this. Instead, we got to see the King at a local festival. Bill and I locked eyes with him as he walked by us in the parade at the festival. We heard that it is unusual for the King of Swaziland to look directly at people. Usually the people are not supposed to make eye contact or even speak with the King. So it’s pretty crazy we locked eyes with him!
I’ve processed the experience now, and it is clear that the Lord had me exactly where he wanted me to be. Not just to experience Phumelele’s testimony on the back of the truck with my sister in Christ, but to show me his heart and what he wanted from me.
I was chasing the King of Swaziland… but I don’t always chase after the Lord’s heart. I don’t run after his presence in my life. I don’t seek to see his face. And while I want these things, I don’t make them a priority in my life.
If I want to hear from God, I need to start talking to him. How is he suppose to communicate with me if I’m not even talking to him. If I want to know God’s heart for me, I need to seek his word. If I want to hear from him, I need to create that space.
This past month in Swaziland, I’ve been working on learning how to talk to God again. I want to share life with God. I want to talk to him while I’m showering, as we drive in taxi’s, or as I sit in bed at night.
I want to thank him for small (or big) blessings such as getting pineapple at dinner, getting wifi to talk to friends& family at home, or getting warm showers like we do this month in Madagascar.
I want his direction.
I want to hear his voice.
It’s not that I don’t hear him now, but I want to hear him even more in my life.
Coming on the Worldrace, I knew that I was going to grow in my relationship with Christ. But whether or not I am on the worldrace, I have to create space for God to be part of my life. At home I occasionallyspent time with God because I was too busy chasing after other things. I didn’t like silence, and I didn’t communicate with God as a friend.
The past two months have been slow and we had a lot of free time. I’m working on using my free time to seek after the Lords heart for me. Just like I was chasing after the king of Swaziland, I want to chase after God. I want to know him. I want to hear his voice, and I want to experience more advenentures with him.
To all my friends and family at home, I encourage you to think about your own relationship with the Lord. Ask yourself this question: “ Do I create space in my life so that I can communicate with God?”. And also ask yourself “What does my relationship with Christ look like?” Do you seek him in your everyday ordinary life? The Lord will speak to you but you need only be still. The Lord wants to speak with you. He wants you to experience his presence. He simply wants a relationship with you.
