Flourishing in the Desert

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By Matt Lantz
Shalom from Israel! What a BIG day we had today! We awoke this morning in the small town of Mitzpe Ramon in the South of Israel. After a delightful breakfast, we made our way to Makhtesh Ramon for our first hike of the day. The overlook was breathtaking! We spent the morning hiking through the very same kind of wilderness that the Israelites walked through during the Exodus.

During our hike, Matt, Cierra, and Sarah helped us understand the importance of God’s presence and trusting him to the point of obedience – even when circumstances are extreme. It was a refreshing opportunity to put ourselves in the shoes of the Israelites and consider how some of the same lessons can apply in our lives today as well.

Lunch today was incredible! Imagine a fresh pita bread sandwich filled with turkey, fresh veggies, hummus, and cheese. It was like manna! During lunch, Andrew taught us about hospitality and how important it is to survival in the desert. Being hospitable to others is a way we can reflect our understanding of the Gospel.

We finished our day at Masada, the ancient ruins of the Jewish fortress from the first century. There we listened to our guide, Ronen, tell us about Herod the Great, the Jewish Revolt against Rome, and the importance of the economy in the ancient Near East.

As if that day wasn’t BIG enough, we finished our 10 miles of hiking with a soothing float in the Salt Sea (the lowest place on Earth)! It was such an unusual feeling to be able to float in water without any effort.

So, tonight we are staying on the southwestern shore of the Salt Sea looking forward to whatever the Lord has for us tomorrow.

We are all doing well! Thank you for praying! Everyone is healthy and having a great time. Please pray for good weather and continued eyes to see all the Lord has in store for us.
Shalom!

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