Friday, May 22, 2015

DEVOTION: Crown of Africa ~ by Shirley Corder




Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 
James 1:12 NIV

“Look out the window, Shirley,” my mother urged. “See that mountain? It’s Mt. Kilimanjaro.”

Even at my sceptical age of 12, I caught my breath. Rising serenely through the carpet of clouds on the left of our plane, was a majestic mountain peak, the first real mountain I had ever seen. The snow on its surface caught the rays of the sun and glittered, resembling jewels on the face of a royal crown.

It was one of those “Ah-hah!” moments in my life which I’ve never forgotten. To this day, I can remember the view as if the photograph was projected on the back of my eye forever.

Only many years later did I learn that Mt. Kilmanjaro, situated in Tanzania, East Africa, is often referred to as the Crown of Africa. It is the highest mountain in Africa as well as the highest freestanding mountain in the world (5,895 metres or 19,341 ft above sea level).

Writer and speaker, Daniel Noll, when writing about his climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro makes some excellent suggestions for those preparing to climb. One is: “Keep your head down if you need to, but don’t forget to look up.”

Doesn’t that apply wonderfully to our day-to-day walk? How easy it is to get caught up with "life" we forget to look up! To look to God.


Can you think of an "Ah-hah!" moment in your life? Please share it briefly below.


PRAYER: Lord God, thank you for the amazing world you have given us. Help me to remember to look up and to keep my eyes on you. Amen. 

SHIRLEY CORDER lives on the coast in South Africa with her husband, Rob. Her book, Strength Renewed: Meditations for your Journey through Breast Cancer contains 90 meditations based on her time in the cancer valley.

Sign up here to receiva short devotional message from Shirley in your inbox once a week.

Please visit Shirley through ShirleyCorder.com, where she encourages writers, or at  RiseAndSoar.com, where she encourages those in the cancer valley. You can also meet with her on Twitter or FaceBook 

1 comment:

  1. Only by looking up can we see where we're going.

    As a kid, I used to walk on the rails of the railroad track - sidings only - not the main line. When I watched my feet, I fell off time and again. When I learned to look down the track a ways, I could walk the entire length of the siding without falling off.

    Thank you, Shirley, for this pertinent reminder of the importance of focus.

    ReplyDelete