Finding Water in the Desert

We began the day on the shore of the Dead Sea. Little did we know that by the end of the day, we would taste living water and watch the sun set over a very different sea. The heat met us at the first site in the morning and reminded us of our need for God’s provision. Every moment of shade and occasional breeze led our hearts to remember who God is. He is our shade and the wind, the same Hebrew word as Spirit, spoke with wordless comfort. We pressed deep into the wilderness following the steps of David fleeing from the pursing Saul. His strong obedience reminded us that God’s ways are always best though not necessarily the easiest or shortest path. Finally, we immersed in living water, committing to leave the cistern filth behind.

Next we followed the Dead Sea until arriving at one of the most amazing sites, Qumran. In 1947, shepherds happened upon jars containing the oldest copies of most of the Old Testament. The Dead Sea scrolls validated the accuracy of God’s Word demonstrating that God preserves His Text. Beyond the archeology, we learned of the Essenes and their commitment to purity. God used this separatist group to accomplish His purposes and preserve His Word. As a result, we were able to see a beautiful picture of holiness and commitment to the Text.

The final hike left us breathing deeply and drinking often and the reward was worth the effort. A lengthy bus ride later and we found ourselves on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The evening breeze refreshed our souls and the momentary rest revealed the soreness in muscles we’ve forgotten we even had. It was a great day. Everyone is doing well and ready for sleep and the next adventure tomorrow.

Shabbat Shalom!