August 9 –August 11, 2009

Prior to leaving my home in New Jersey, my family and additional friends (who are like family) sat for dinner and conversation.  Near the close, my father shared a number of verses from 1Kings 17.  Elijah the Tishbite said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” A famine was upon the land, blanketing the people in a state of depravity.  The people under King Ahab’s dominion were without fulfillment.  Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, ”…You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.” 

 

It would only behoove me to properly introduce this blog in the spirit of thanks to God first for such an opportunity as traveling to study at the University of Ghana.  So much has been afforded to me by grace alone, but not to frivolously wander; His purpose is truly at work.

 

To my mother, father and brothers I send my love and appreciation. Dad cried about three times (to represent resurrection lol) and paced up and down the escalator like seven times (to represent completion lol).  Mother couldn’t stop waving, probably trying to get my attention.  Cory went about it the old fashion way. I received four calls from him in the span of nearly ten minutes.  He blamed three of them on Dad.  Keith kept his cool as he often does.

 

Once the plane arrived I turned on my New York ‘I’m not lost, I know where I’m going’ swag.  The flight was delayed, but this was just the beginning of a commonly accepted occurrence. 

 

Take note: Waiting is as a tradition in Ghana. One's patience is constantly refined.*  [Considering waiting & patience, I have about 5 videos prepared & ready, it just takes a large amount of time to upload them. I'm not in America anymore]

During my flight to London, I treated myself to the film, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which drew me to examine the issues of unsuitable desires.  Let me quickly say that I do not intellectualize everything (some would say otherwise), but this particular movie caused me to recall problems of our present day. The introduction includes a scene where Smigle is fishing with a friend, but soon after murders the friend over the powerful ring (‘my preeee-shhaas’). 

 

Smigle narrates the following portion where he admits to having been so occupied by the power of the ring that he is now consumed, forgetting the taste of bread, the sound of trees and even his own name.   Even so when Smigle looks into the river he is met with a deformed countenance and bed of confusion.  The Smigle former introduced to the viewer is incomparable to the one we now see; his bones bare little meat and what is left of his flesh has paled to a milky-gray. He has bartered with his life for the sake of his greatest desire.  When he looks on the river to reflect, the image that returns bids him to kill Frodo for the ring.  Smigle is tossed between two opinions as 1Kings 18:21 describes. 

 

Smigle was simply living in pursuit of his own desire nourished solely by his own will and become the product of self-imposed fatigue.  This weariness knew no end, for even when he once held the ring, the only words he could recite were ‘my preeee-shhaas, my preeee-shhaas.’  His purpose in life carried no fulfillment.

 

We are no different. For whatever is our greatest desire we would do anything.  A young man looks on his love, considers the cost, and if she is his greatest desire, finds the payment. A teenager, knowing the penalty of disobedience, considers the height of the plunge and takes the risk.  We are owned by our greatest desire.  We are managed by it; we live for it.

 

In all things I seek to elevate the pursuit of God [consider AW Tozer’s Pursuit of God] as my utmost desire and in turn do His will; just as the title of Oswald Chamber’s devotion reveals [My Utmost for His Highest].

 

I turned toward the window in seat 35K on flight BA081 from London to Ghana, witnessing the plane above the clouds and beneath ranging sky; seemingly suspended.  Even then I could not withhold my thoughts about the glory of God on which my entire trip rests.   As I traveled to Ghana, I considered what I was purposed to do [studying education & public policy] and the various provisions made to assist my journey and my stay.  

 

Although I will not go about naming the multiple individuals, I want to extend my thanks to all who have been an encouragement and support.  You have been like brook before Jordan where Elijah dwelled and the ravens that came in a season of lack.