Sahara Lessons

Spent most of last week in the Sinai Desert ("sahara" in Arabic). The Sinai Desert is also referred to as the Wilderness of Sinai -- and wild it is, and beautiful too, and dangerous.  The wilderness is a harsh, private place.  Just the kind of place where a somewhat harsh and private God might be found looking for someone to find -- someone looking to be found.

We slept under the night skies, incredible sight, and stayed as close as we could to a young Egyptian Coptic Christian who loved the desert, and seemed to find God there.  Actually, I think the thing about the wilderness is not that God is easier to find in the desert, but that it is easier for God to find us there.  Sally said, "Man, you can see for miles, and you can be seen for miles as well."  Our Bedouin driver told us that the reason Bedouin women wear black is so that they can be seen from miles away.  That way, when a man sees a black object moving in the desert, he knows it is a woman and can come to help her.  We thought this being seen from miles away might not always be in a woman's best interest, but we kept our own counsel on the matter.

Some lessons:

1) If you are going to be in the desert, you had better know where to find water.
2) If you don't know where to find water, you'd better know someone who does.
3) If you know someone who knows where to find water, follow that person.

Water is life!

I wonder if Jesus spent any time in the desert.