closer than my skin

the sky feels closer in kenya. it is as though you barely have to incline your neck see it. its almost reachable. it hangs like an open umbrella. blue seems to overtake the territory of the sun. the radiance of our light maker wraps tightly around me. on clear nights the stars are perfectly aligned, slightly illuminating the darkness below. clouds are toppled together above our heads, their heavy bottoms almost scraping the earth.  i could stand on tip toes, stretch my hands upward, and rake my hands along the edge of the atmosphere, almost touching it. close. i stand in utter awe. so amazingly close, astounding. i love when i feel Lord that close to me. honestly, i know He is always right next to us, but there are times when we are blind to it. our spiritual vision is often times nearsighted. sometimes i think He is as far off as Jupiter. it is so easy to follow and trust when He is intoxicatingly close. its easy to know that He is guiding, and know that He is making a way. because we feel Him right next to us, so close. what could go wrong when you have the King of the entire universe that close by? those moments are ones of strength and peace. times of swift obedience…but what about those times when we don’t feel Him? when we feel lonely and hopeless? this is the true test. do we burn for Him even when we can’t feel Him? our ache for Him should be so immensely huge, so powerful. like a man thirsting for water in the middle of the desert. if we stop feeling Him so near we should increase our need to be near. tune the eyes to see far and near. continue even if you feel nothing, even when your energy level is low. worship. lift your hands and praise anyway! bare your soul to the Lord,  He hears the cry of His people. psalm 105:2-4

²Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
Speak of all His wonders.
³Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
⁴Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face continually.

our worship will not be in vain. He is near, whether we feel it or not. “He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you.” (isaiah 30:19) and His nearness if life. the more you worship, the more you satify your soul in Him, the more life will be poured out. God is near. no matter what. no way would He ever leave His kids hopeless. “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” matthew 28:20……..