Day 05 - Al Mdawara Border Crossing, Wadi Rum, Wadi Rum Jeep Tour

A needed shower, good night’s sleep, and room service breakfast was my recharge from God! My head and heart are so full from experiencing the Saudi Desert from a biblical perspective. As we got on the bus to head to the border I felt a tug on my heart for the Muslim people. I can see their devotion to Ramadan and I pray they can see my devotion to Jesus. I want to bring the loaves and fishes. 

Rich L. devotion was from Psalm 81 which is another recap of the Exodus story that tells of God’s love for His people. It tells of a festival that is “required” of His people. “Sing a song, play the tambourine, the pleasant sounding harp and the ten stringed instrument.” Praise is music to His ears and an outpouring of our thanks for His faithfulness. 

What was the purpose for the wandering and trials the Israelites experienced in the wilderness. He got His people out of Egypt but He wanted to get Egypt out of His people. He wanted to know them intimately and them to know Him intimately. This time in the desert can be viewed as a marriage and the honeymoon. Have you considered the lesson for your marriage?

Moses stood in the gap for them time after time. He could have been the new Adam but he chose the grumbling Israelites and pleaded for their survival. God didn’t just give them survival He gave them redemption. Jesus pleaded for us on the cross…”God forgive them for they know not what they do.” I don’t have to wander or wonder. I am headed to the Promised Land. 

We arrived at the Al Mudawarah border crossing where it took over four hours to leave Saudi and re-enter Jordan. During that four hours we talked to one another about everything past, present and future. It really was a great time of community!

God calls us into community. 

Lunch was ready for us when we arrived at Sun City Camp in Wadi Rum. We all got an upgraded Martian tent with extraordinary views of the desert. 

We laughed and whooped it up on our jeep ride in the desert for sunset. We may actually be in the Wilderness of Paran where the Israelites travelled after being denied passage through Edom. Rich L. Taught from his heart beginning with passages from Genesis 14 and 21. He talked about the many different wildernesses named in the Bible. We learned about the midbar, arabah, tzyyhi, yeshimon, yabasha, tzekhkha, yeshimon, sharov and tzimaon (I wish spell check could help me here!). We listened with ears to hear and our hearts were moved as he read passages from Isaiah 35, Deut. 33, Judges 5, and Psalm 68. We have a God who came out of the desert to meet with his people, a Bedouin God that travels with us. 

Psalm 68 is another reminder of how great our God is and calls us to pause and sing praises to our God. Sing praises like Miriam sang when they crossed the Red Sea. Sing praises like Deborah and Barack sang after winning the battle with the Canaanites. Sing praises of our God in the desert. 

Our chefs have prepared a wonderful meal cooked in an underground “oven”. The lamb is the best I have ever had! Sing praises for the food he has prepared in the wilderness. 

We ended our day with reflection and prayer. No words can describe the deep meaning the desert has for us and the things God is revealing. The one thing I know is that the God of the desert goes with me and I sing praises.