The Lord Is Good

(I wrote this blog three weeks ago after we were back in Durban from our safari at Kruger Park...before I could post it my computer got a virus (sigh...first time in 20 years to get a computer virus).  I wanted to "wrap up" our trip, and this seems to do a good job, so I'm going to go ahead and post it with an apology for the delay.
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Romans 1:20  “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”

I stared at the stars this morning as we left the house shortly after 5:00 a.m.  Their brightness was incredible…it seemed I could reach out and touch them.  As a very chilly wind blew around us in our open-air vehicle, I watched the sun rise over the eastern side of South Africa.  I had a Monday like I’d never had in my life.  I don’t often see birds the colors of birds in South Africa.  I KNOW I’ve never said, “Look!  There’s a giraffe in the road,” on a Monday morning in the United States.  The topography of the park was incredible…vistas for miles…rock formations…mountains... “watering holes” … upside-down trees (thanks to elephants that not only eat from them but uproot them…knock them over…rub the bark off…sleep leaning against them)…over 40 different animals and birds sighted today and almost all captured on camera… a warm (read that VERY warm) sun after a breezy, chilly morning (well…that CAN happen in Salamanca).  The scenery was breath-taking.  The animal and bird life was extraordinary. 

And all I could think about almost all day long was, “How in the world can anyone believe this all started from a single cell somewhere that ‘evolved’ into this vast, incredible display of life?”  You have to have a lot more faith in evolution than I have in God to believe that.  It’s just not possible!  And how arrogant for human beings to think it’s okay to choose to believe that lie!  There is no way this all happened without a Creator.  Everything about it screams that Someone, somewhere, had something to do with this.  Everything in life decays and dies.  Why in the world…how in the world…can anyone believe in evolution? – that somehow that man evolved from a cell that got better and better and bigger and bigger and went through stages of amoebas and single-celled things to the incredible workings of a human being???

Today I REJOICED that I know the Creator of this universe.  I was awed by the truth that the One Who created all of this created me too…and not only created me but wanted to have a relationship with me.  He wants to be loved by me.  But greater than that…He loved me before I ever loved Him.  He loved me enough to die for my sins so that I could remain in relationship with Him.  He’s holy…everything about today reminded me He’s holy.  He’s creative…’nuff said.  Tonight I write these words overwhelmed…and very, very sad that I cannot say the right thing about the feelings flowing from my heart.

I want to tell you about two extraordinary moments today.  The first happened about 3:00 this afternoon.  We’d already been blessed to see so many animals and so much beauty.  But then God sent a hug.  I don’t believe our relatives go to heaven and send us signs … but I do believe God sends us blessings.  And my blessing came at 3:00 when I was trying to take a picture of an impala, down in a glade…and as I snapped the camera, a huge bird flew across the page.  We watched it land on a tree and realized it was an EAGLE.  Anyone that knows my parents knows how much dad loved eagles and how mom had learned about them and done presentations on them.  I can remember them taking my Andy when he was 8-years-old to hunt for eagles at Reel Foot Lake (I think in Tennessee).  And now…here in front of me…about 30 feet from the car…is an eagle sitting on a branch.  I started snapping pictures, my heart racing just a little and wishing that I could share the picture with my parents.  Then I decided to video because he had started flapping his huge wings.  That’s when I realized he had a large fish in his talons!  He’d brought the fish and found a place to dine on his lunch!  Just 30 feet away from me!  If the trip had ended then, I would have been so incredibly happy. 

But God had an even better surprise in store.  I had hoped to see elephants and giraffes on this trip.  When I’d visited Tala Park four years ago, I’d not seen them.  But Dan and the others were really hoping for a “cat” sighting…either a lion or leopard.  Thirty minutes before we exited the park at closing time, we found a cluster of five cars stopped on the road in front of us.  We asked what everyone was looking at, and they pointed out the beautiful leopard lounging on a tree branch about 30 yards up the hillside.  Yes…we were able to film the beautiful cat!

You have to imagine this with us.  The park has HUNDREDS of miles of roads to explore.  We only got to see about 1/3 of the park today.  But we found a cat…or at least someone else did… somewhere on those thousands and thousands of acres.  EVERYONE WAS HAPPY!

So we’re back at our beautiful Bed & Breakfast…getting ready for another full night of sleep.  We’ve had lots of sun and fresh air today so I’m hoping to fall asleep quickly.  The only thing that could have made this trip better is if we’d not had the accident on the way to the park.  Please continue to pray for Lynda, our driver.  She returns back to Durban with a lot of work ahead of her to replace her vehicle.  Please pray for Marcie.  She’ll be handling a lot of extra work as three of the missionaries return home in December for furlough and support-raising.  And please pray for Dan and I.  We return to Durban to wash clothes, pack and then fly for 22 hours to get home to our family.

God has been so incredibly close this summer.  We’ve seen Him in the beautiful faces and places of South Africa.  We are in awe of how big and awesome and worthy of our praise He is.  He has given us the “abundant life” promised in the Scriptures.  We have new friends, new memories…and best of all a new relationship with the Lord.  Every day has become something new with Him.  I look forward to returning to New York to continue that new-every-day relationship.

Lamentations 3:21-25 says, “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”

This summer I’ve learned more about God and His goodness and greatness.  I’ve learned about His compassion.  I’ve learned that His faithfulness…the same faithfulness I’ve known all my life…is still perfect.  He truly is my portion and my hope!  He promised good to those who waited…and my waiting is over!  HE is the “good” in my life.  To God be the glory!