Climbing and Seeing

I had always wanted to see the ancient archaeological site of Machu Picchu in Peru, and when a friend asked if I wanted to join him on a trip there, I jumped at the chance. When he suggested that we walk the Inca Trail to get to the site, I said yes, not knowing how difficult it would be to hike even short distances at that altitude.

When we got to the mountain just above Machu Picchu, we camped for the night. It was very cold, and we had to wear all the clothes we had with us just to stay warm. Enduring the cold was worth it, though, because we got to see amazing stars — including the Milky Way and the Southern Cross.

Seeing the Southern Cross for the first time reminded me that God is always present. Though the stars had always been there, until that night I was not able to fully appreciate their magnificence.

We serve an amazing God who is always present with us, even when we are unaware of God’s presence. May we continue to believe without a need to see.