Up Close and Personal

Kiwis, Our national bird. An icon. A treasure. Extremely rare. And not something we often get to see. The fact that they are nocturnal making it even the more difficult. My experiences thus far been restricted to squinting through glass in a darkened room for a glimpse of one nestled in the shrubbery or perhaps scavenging for food. On our recent holiday as we walked through the kiwi enclosure we were able to see one close up – right up against the glass wall that separated us. We watched it run, saw it use its beak to search for food. Excited at this close encounter we exited the room, out into the sunshine. How marvellous to have had this experience.

And then the unexpected happened. A Veterinarian stopped us and invited us to watch her and her colleague do a health check on a kiwi. There, out in the open, in broad daylight, without a pane of glass between us, a few of us were able to really get up close and personal with a kiwi. It was an amazing experience and a privilege to see this beautiful bird so close. An encounter after the official encounter.

My previous experiences and encounters have paled in comparison. A new benchmark has been set. It’s the same when we encounter God. Each time we are able to go further and deeper, a new benchmark is set. We are no longer able to be satisfied with an encounter that keeps us at a distance. We hunger for even more.

The best part? That God wants us to come closer. To press in for more. To let Him reveal more of Himself to us.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)

“You called, you cried, you shattered my deafness. You sparkled, you blazed, you drove away my blindness. You shed your fragrance, and I drew in my breath, and I pant for you. I tasted and I now hunger and thirst. You touched me, and I now burn with longing for you.” St Augustine.

That is what an encounter with God is about – He touches our lives in such a way that we long for Him even more. Let God sparkle and blaze His way into your hearts today. As you go about your business, your daily lives – He is there walking alongside you ready for you to see and encounter Him!