Wednesday, February 13, 2008

A Late Night

My work at the Police Department is not usually the cause of great moments in my faith, but last week I found that my shift produced an interesting moment.

My current work schedule has me coming home at 3:00 am four nights a week. Now after a ten hour day, I find it hard to fall asleep quickly. It usually takes me a while to relax enough to get to sleep.

Last week I found it expecially hard to unwind after my shift. I decided to read my Bible to help calm my nerves after this particularly hard evening at work. At the time I was reading through Exodus. Now I must confess, this particular night I thought, "well, I'm in the middle of reading about the construction of the tabernacle. If anything, this might help me fall asleep sooner." Not a great attitude to have when reading the Word of God!

I started off by praying, and my heart was really turned to praying about Kenya. I had been recieving a lot of flak about the idea of taking my family to a country in the midst of a near civil war, and began praying for God to guide us. I prayed that God would keep us here if it wasn't truly His will for us to go. Basically, I was asking God to keep us from going if it was just our emotions leading us.

I began my reading that night in Exodus 33. When I read vs 13-17, I caught my breath:
Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” So the LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”

Here was my answer! God would go with us! It was truly a comfort to know that God would answer my prayer so quickly. I was floored, and began to thank God for the answer. What a confirmation of our calling.

I continued reading on into Exodus 34, where I came across v. 10:
And He said: “Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

Praise the Lord God Almighty! I find so much comfort in a God that answers our prayers, that promises to go with us. I find great peace in knowing that our passion is not in vain. God will grant us the desires of our hearts, and I can't wait to see the "awesome things" that God is going to do in Nairobi!

Mungu Bariki, (God Bless)
Jonathan