Insurmountable Odds

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After a long day of traveling and a good night’s rest at Neve Ilan we got our wake up call at 6:30. We met everyone for the first time at breakfast. It’s been fascinating meeting everyone and sharing our ministry experiences.

Having the GTI staffers, Rich, our guide, Ronin, and Mayer the bus driver with us has been an amazing blessing. Their guidance, knowledge and leadership are already proving to be an invaluable asset.

We visited Bet Shemish and Joey shared with us the story of Samson and reminded us of all the compromises we make in our lives that can slowly lead us from God’s protection and guidance in our lives. We stood on top of the tel and read together the story of Samson’s dedication to God as a child, his life of compromises that ultimately led to his capture, but God’s ultimate restoration in Samson’s life. Joey pointed out the various points in Samson’s life: where he grew up, the divisions geographically between God’s people and the pagan communities in the land, and the fields where Samson tied the foxes tails and burned them. As Joey spoke, everything was coming to life right in front of us.

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Then we visited Tel Azekah. What an amazing place. We read together the story of David and Goliath and looked out over the valley where the two armies met. Rich reminded us that even though we may seem insignificant to others, God is cultivating in us the very qualities He needs for the moments he needs us. Just as God used the skills of a shepherd boy; skills of leadership, knowledge of the terrain and the skills of tossing rocks to overcome what seemed like to everyone else insurmountable odds.

We ended up exploring the amazing ingenuity of underground cities that are only beginning to be unearthed. These dated back to the time of Herod the Great’s grandfather. Intricate tunnels and rooms and factories all underground – carved 300-400 feet underground. I’m reminded of all the ways throughout time that God has continually made provisions for a remnant of His faithful to remain and prosper. He has always had a people and I’m encouraged that through us He will continue to be faithful, even though we are not always faithful.

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It’s been a full day, an exciting day, and all indications of amazing things yet to come.

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