Water and the Word

Day 3, y’all, was a BIG day! Although Matt says that about every day, it’s always true. We’re slowly overcoming jet lag, which is good because the hikes are quickly getting bigger, and I daresay the lessons are, too. I’m excited to share them with you!

We began the day beside the Salt Sea then hiked up the stronghold of Ein Gedi, one of the places David took refuge as he fled from Saul. There we walked through 1 Samuel 24 when David cut off the corner of Saul’s robe (tallit or prayer shawl), but then repented of taking things into his own hands and showed respect to Saul as God’s anointed. More hiking led us to the Spring of Ein Gedi, a vital source of fresh water (maim chaim or living water) for the region, just as Jesus is the only source of life for us. Our last visit was to Qumran, where the Essenes lived in a monastic community and showed extreme devotion to the Scriptures. They are responsible for meticulously copying the text and preserving the oldest manuscripts of the Bible that we have, what we now call the Dead Sea Scrolls. After a strenuous hike up the mountain, we were challenged to make a commitment to the Word of God, a commitment that will not be any easier than that climb.

Ever since the Spring of Ein Gedi, I’ve had the song “I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me” stuck in my head. Thanks Matt Lantz. But really, the contrast between the Salt Sea and the Spring has been soaking into my heart all day. The waters of the Salt Sea are clear blue and inviting, but drinking an 8 oz. glass will kill you; so fun to float in, but burns like no other if it’s in your eyes. This is the best the world has to offer us – things that look so refreshing but are full of death. Yet climb the narrow path to the Spring gushing forth fresh water, to the never-ending Source of Living Water, and find abundant life. Why would we settle for the Salt Sea when we have everything we need in Christ?

Before we floated in the Salt Sea, Matt spent 10 minutes giving instructions: Don’t go underwater, don’t splash, don’t drink it. When he invited us into the Spring of Ein Gedi, he simply said, “Come,” and we did: we dove, we splashed, we played, and we danced. What an incredible picture of Christ’s invitation to come and experience joy and freedom in him! And what a privilege we have to extend the same invitation to others, because I really do have a River of Life flowing out of me.

Needless to say, today held some powerful lessons and challenges, both physically and spiritually. Please continue praying for our hearts to be teachable as we listen to what the Lord has for us and for rest and physical well-being as we explore the land. Thanks for following along with us!

Shalom
- Ellen Geis

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