Israel: Wilderness Rains

Some experiences in my life remind me of just how small I am in the grand scheme of my surroundings. Some experiences remind me of the vastness of this world, the history of people who have walked before me, and the feebleness of my own humanity. Today, standing atop a high ridge and overlooking Jericho, the thin Wadi Quilt, and the true desolation surrounding the high place on which I stood brought me face to face with issues of survival. Standing up there I could not help but imagine the parched throats and trudging steps of so many people who forced their way back and forth across these wilderness ridge routes. I could not imagine surviving in such a place and I know that despair could come so easily in such a harsh environment. There is no water. There is no shade. There is no food. There is…silence. Sitting atop of that ridge and listening to the worlds of Psalm 139 and then picturing Jesus walking through temptations in these same places brought so much into perspective. This morning forced me to ask myself, “Would I be able to praise the Lord as the psalmist does? Would I stand firm under temptation in such dire circumstances?” I am still not certain of my answer. Standing there it was easy to sense the anguish of so many, and yet as soon as I began to sink into dark thoughts of suffering the rains came. That slight sprinkling we encountered on that ridge top reminded me that life is possible; that even in our humanity we can conquer great odds and stand firm. It reminded me that we all have times of wilderness and that even when we are seeking for freedom from the bounds of the wild -even when we are waiting impatiently for the end of our testing- eventually the rain will come again. It may only be a slight sprinkling, but that sprinkling is an offering of hope. The rain came today. The rain came today in a wilderness that should not have seen rain until next February. Eventually the rain does come, whether it is in season or out of season.