Dear Ones,
A while back, I realized a lifelong dream—the adventure of an African safari. Each day we saw many animals, and we even saw my favorite—the elusive leopard. She was the most magnificent creature I had ever seen, and being in her presence seemed surreal. But she was also shy, and having three cubs to protect and nurture made her even more secretive.
Every day’s agenda was the same: find the leopard. We didn’t just hope we might accidently stumble upon her; we began looking where we had last seen her. From there we would slowly walk or ride, looking for signs—a broken twig, a footprint, the roughed-up bark of a tree—that we might be getting closer. We were always looking up—leopards spend a lot of time in trees. And each day our diligence was rewarded. We knew her territory, and we followed the signs to find her.
At night, looking at the brilliant stars, I reflected on my other pursuit—spending time with God. I thought about how I search for God and how I want His presence in my life. I realized that to find Him, I need to tune in to the signs that will lead me to Him: spiritual study, reflection, quiet time waiting for Him, and always looking up. If I begin looking where I last found Him, I can follow the signs that will bring us together.
If, like me, you sometimes feel far from God, try a different approach. Look where you last found Him and begin there. Put yourself on His agenda, follow His signs, and He will lead you into His presence.
God bless every one of you,
Sharon
