Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike! Guess What Day It Is?

Hello from Israel! Today was definitely an exciting and FUN day. Not only did we get to visit the oldest city found in Israel, but we got.to.ride.a.camel. We visited the massive Masada fortress built by Herod the Great and we floated in the Dead Sea.

Unlike my own personal expectations, the camel ride was an easy, almost semi-relaxing experience. There was ZERO camel spit and the camel coats were pretty clean. They also seemed to have no problem carrying two adult-sized human beings around the Bedouin campsite. Not to overhype the camel, but these creatures are very unique in that they are perfectly suited to live, survive and thrive (at least the ones I polled - “Hi camel, do you consider yourself currently thriving or just surviving?”) in the desert.

Camels are built to house water for upwards of fourteen days. They will cut off blood circulation from their knees to survive in the desert heat for an additional five days. Did you know they have three types of eyelashes designed to protect their eyes from wind and sand? They are long and pretty and far surpass any Lash Boost lash I’ve ever seen. They also can close their nostrils entirely to protect from the sand and wind. Their upper lip is split in two so they can eat the thorny plants native to the region. (Shout out to Paul and Nathan for their expert ability to recollect facts specifically related to the Bedouin camel). All I’m saying, it seems to me God specifically and uniquely designed the camel to survive in the deserts. And it seems to me God specifically and uniquely provided the camel to the Bedouin people so they too could survive. Another reminder that God can specifically and uniquely provide us exactly what we need.

I could probably go on for a couple more paragraphs telling you about the camels but I think it would be more fun to see people riding the camels and having a good time!

http://gtitours.smugmug.com/2018-Tour-Journals/Feix-180220/Day-02-Mon-Feb-19/i-9NDhLcv/A

http://gtitours.smugmug.com/2018-Tour-Journals/Feix-180220/Day-02-Mon-Feb-19/i-Kv6zCCF/A

You’re probably wanting to know what we learned today? (Or maybe the camel pictures suffice? I’ll keep going just in case!)

We learned a lot of interesting Biblical history in Masada, where Terry taught us about Herod the Great, a leader so motivated by paranoia and ego that he created a ridiculously large fortress on top of a mountain to protect his power. It was fascinating to learn about this crazy man because he was a part of the historical and political context of Jesus’s entrance into the world.

We visited a Bedouin camp and got to see how the early Patriarchs of the Old Testament lived - nomadic, simple and without a home. God used this context to build a narrative about our spiritual wandering - until we know Christ and eventually find our eternal homeland in His forever kingdom.

Finally, we visited Tel Arad - the oldest known city ever found in Israel - which was later the location of one of Solomon’s fortresses. You can’t really beat having over 6,000 years of history, can you?

Finally, I want to end with the beginning. We began the morning with a devotional by the Dead Sea. Terry used this giant, salty body of water - where freshwater comes in but nothing comes out - as a visual backdrop to remind us to not grow stagnant in our faith, on both a corporate and personal level. Faith that only consumes is nowhere as life-giving as one that is centered on others. Paul himself said, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2nd Timothy 4:6)

The Dead Sea is the right place to mine salt crystals, float on water (which is CRAZY but FUN), and be totally confused by science. But as an example for our faith - water that pours out is where it’s at.