June 16: All Creatures of Our God and King.
I got a somewhat unexpected late start to the morning, due to lack of setting my cell phone alarm. Note to self: always ensure I double check AM/PM when setting the alarm ;). I, along with some other running late friends, grabbed a super quick breakfast at the lodge. It was a spectacular morning: eating freshly made steaming pancakes, complete with mango juice, overlooking Ngorongoro Crater. My heart was eager at seeing the landscape that lay before us, to make our way down into the crater. Our group was loaded up and ready to begin our second safari day by 7:00.
Our jeep (with the same people plus another best friend: Whitney), descended into the crater. The cool wind swept over my face and brushed through my hair. It was truly an amazing feeling: to know you are deeply loved and valued by the same God who created this crater, created the vast myriad of animal species, and lush landscape before your eyes. On that ride, I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit powerfully in my heart. The morning clouds lay over the rim of the crater like fingers curling over an armrest. It was a beautiful view in the valley, as beams of sunlight shown through the clouds.
I've never seen so may herds of different species in one landscape, in my life: lions and their cubs, wildebeest, cape buffalo, kudu, eland, elephants, zebras, flamingos, hippos, hyenas, rhinos, and my favorite: the cheetah. The Lord's blessing was definitely on our safari. People who'd been on the same trip previously explained they'd never before seen this many animals at one time. All I could think of was how loving our God was: He didn't have to bless us by seeing this many animals in such a beautiful landscape, but because of His great love, He did. How amazing. I pray I never forget that. The landscape was so diverse: open plains met a large lake which was lined with flamingos, which met a lush jungle filled with tall acacia trees and monkeys. God blessed me with such an amazing morning of complete worship and joy. It's truly an amazing experience to be most satisfied in Him, for His glory. At one point, David Crowder's "All Creatures of our God and King" came on my iPod, followed by Balmorhea's "Settler". I instantly jumped up, stuck my head out of the roof, raised my hands to the sky, and worshipped Abba. What an amazing moment I will treasure and reflect upon when I'm back in the states. What a gem of a memory.
Later, after our amazing day in the crater was complete, we headed back to Arusha, TZ. I was listening to a song I'd downloaded years before by Paul Colman Trio, "Africa". There has always been a part in the song which I've never quite understood what the exact words were, so like many, I've "hummed" my way through that line. As the familiar part of the song played, for the first time ever, I finally understood the words (thanks to learning a little Swahili since I'd been in Africa). The line is: "mimi naku penda", which translates into English: "I love you." The band was saying in their song, "I love you," in Swahili. It was so amazing, to have heard this song for years, but now for the first time God opened my mind to hear it fully, when I was in the exact location my heart had longed to be for years. What a humbling and beautiful moment. Later at dinner, I shared that story with Whitney. She simply replied, "God was saying to you, 'I love you.'" My eyes filled with tears (again ;) ), in awe of His mighty love for us.
Naku penda, Abba.
Currently Playing: Settler - Balmorhea
Psalm 104
1Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
2Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak,
Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.
3He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters;
He makes the clouds His chariot;
He walks upon the wings of the wind;
4He makes the winds His messengers,
Flaming fire His ministers.
5He established the earth upon its foundations,
So that it will not totter forever and ever.
6You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
The waters were standing above the mountains.
7At Your rebuke they fled,
At the sound of Your thunder they hurried away.
8The mountains rose; the valleys sank down
To the place which You established for them.
9You set a boundary that they may not pass over,
So that they will not return to cover the earth.
10He sends forth springs in the valleys;
They flow between the mountains;
11They give drink to every beast of the field;
The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
They lift up their voices among the branches.
13He waters the mountains from His upper chambers;
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.
14He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
And vegetation for the labor of man,
So that he may bring forth food from the earth,
15And wine which makes man's heart glad,
So that he may make his face glisten with oil,
And food which sustains man's heart.
16The trees of the LORD drink their fill,
The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
17Where the birds build their nests,
And the stork, whose home is the fir trees.
18The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The cliffs are a refuge for the shephanim.
19He made the moon for the seasons;
The sun knows the place of its setting.
20You appoint darkness and it becomes night,
In which all the beasts of the forest prowl about.
21The young lions roar after their prey
And seek their food from God.
22When the sun rises they withdraw
And lie down in their dens.
23Man goes forth to his work
And to his labor until evening.
24O LORD, how many are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your possessions.
25There is the sea, great and broad,
In which are swarms without number,
Animals both small and great.
26There the ships move along,
And Leviathan, which You have formed to sport in it.
27They all wait for You
To give them their food in due season.
28You give to them, they gather it up;
You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.
29You hide Your face, they are dismayed;
You take away their spirit, they expire
And return to their dust.
30You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the ground.
31Let the glory of the LORD endure forever;
Let the LORD be glad in His works;
32He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
34Let my meditation be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.
35Let sinners be consumed from the earth
And let the wicked be no more
Bless the LORD, O my soul
Praise the LORD!
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