Day 01 - Caesarea Maritima & Mount Carmel

We started our morning on the Mediterranean Sea, getting our boots a bit sandy and damp from the incoming tide. The wind had whipped the waves up into a whitecapped frenzy and we raised our voices to recite the Shema together over the sound. Pulling from our surroundings (being in Israel is like being in an interactive faith workshop!), George taught us about a couple elemental pictures of our faith: wind and water.

The word for wind and breath and spirit are all the same in Hebrew: ruach. The very wind on our faces, running its tendrils through our hair, and nearly stealing a participant’s hat, is a reminder of the ever-present Spirit of God. He is with us and he loves us. Another gust would rush through our gathered huddle on the shoreline and you could see the recognition brighten each participant’s face. We need these pictures, these reminders that we are surrounded by the loving presence of God in case we may be tempted to forget, or to look elsewhere for the affirmation we crave. How simple and sweet that a salty sea breeze could carry such good news.

The wind carried away the early clouds of the morning, but our first day was saturated with water from start to finish! From the beach at Tel Aviv we made our way north up the coast past Caesarea Maritima to a Roman aqueduct constructed by the will of Herod the Great as a water source for his impressive oceanfront property. No city could flourish without fresh water, and neither can we. This life-giving fresh water in Hebrew is mayim chaim. Literally, living waters. George taught us that this is the water that is moved by the hand of God: falling from the sky as snow or rain, bubbling up from a spring, drawn up from a well, flowing down a river. Water of which God himself is the source and mover. Jesus teaches that from those who believe in him streams of living water will flow from their inmost being. We are walking, talking springs of living water given to a thirsty world. We felt this living water in drops on our faces as we hiked our way to a secluded vista of Mount Carmel. It poured down upon us (mercifully) right as we scurried back onto the bus after our teaching time about Elijah and the prophets of Baal. And some of the bravest among us even ended the night with a sunset dip into the Sea of Galilee!

What beautiful pictures God paints for us in his word and world! We’re excited for all he has in store for us as we go beyond the words on the page and experience the stories of scripture as familiar landscapes, walking and feeling our way into new stories of our own. We appreciate your continued prayers, and look forward to sharing more of this special trip in the days to come!