Desert Sky… In God’s Country…

Hey everybody. Thought I’d go ahead and post before the weekend since I don’t think I’ll have any internet over the next few days. It’s nice, but frustrating. The Internet. So helpful, so time consuming, so useful, so wasteful. Anyway, here’s some pictures from the trip I took over the weekend to the desert. Yes, this is the edge of the Sahara desert. My first camel ride ever took me two hours into the sands of this barren land. Not bad. We were welcomed to a Bedouin camp, tried to climb a sand dune, ate a filling dinner, enjoyed an impromptu astronomy lecture and partook in Berber percussion late into the night, waking up just in time to see the sun rise over the camp. Don’t worry, none of this is lost on me. As I was moving my belongings from La Coruña to Barcelona, I thought about the countless road trips I’d taken in the States, namely the three or four trips I’d make a year between Kansas and Texas. I thought about how well I knew those roads and how little I knew the highways spanning the country I’m beginning to call home. I never would have thought two years ago that I’d be road-tripping (actually moving, but road-tripping sounds like a better time, which it was) in a van through Spain. I also wouldn’t have thought two years ago I’d have the chance to ride a camel two hours into the Sahara desert, sleep in Bedouin tents and see more stars than I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s exciting and a real humbling feeling all at the same time.


I spent a lot of time thinking about the stars on this trip. I knew there would be a lot, though I really was unprepared for the combination of stars and desert. It was something I’ll not soon forget. Perhaps because this experience came coupled with a series on the call of Abraham the pastor of the international church is giving here. We’ve spent the last two weeks in chapters fifteen and seventeen of the book of Genesis. Here, Abraham’s story (and ours) is continuing to take shape. Abraham’s back in the desert after the shenanigans he pulled in Egypt and his encounter with Melchizedek, still waiting. In verse five of the fifteenth chapter, the LORD takes Abraham (then Abram) out of his tent, shows him the night sky and says, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them… So shall your offspring be.” And then, Abraham believes him, and it’s credited to him as righteousness.

I think a lot about that here, as three major religions claim to be descendents of Abraham, two biologically, and a third through adoption. There are so many of us. Back in the twelfth chapter of Genesis, verses two and three, the LORD says to Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great… and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” As I looked up at those stars, I thought how much we break Christ’s heart, Abraham’s heart, maybe even Isaac and Ishmael’s heart. Are we as descendents of Abraham, either biological or adopted, blessing the nations? Yes, this is a reference to Jesus, the Messiah, and his redeeming and reconciling work on the cross, but what about us as descendents? Do we love our neighbors? Let’s look in the family: other Christians? How about the extended family: Muslims and Jews? It was really easy to ask these questions and think about all this looking up at the stars in the desert, but now where do I/we go?

I think go back to Jesus Christ, and I seek His Kingdom and His Righteousness. Thoughts?

Anyway, I’d like to ask for prayer. I’m feeling the desert experience now. It’s good, but this is a solitary place, and it’s hard, rocky, and at times seems to seek my demise. I’m learning a lot about solitude and seeking the Kingdom, but not without the expense of loneliness and feeling disconnected from everyone. Please pray for this time. Also, pray that this weekend I’ll be able to rest, as it’s been pretty non-stop for the last three weeks and that I’ll take some time to review the fifteen chapters we’ve covered and get ready for the next three weeks. Also, for continued good health and hydration:-). I’m meeting a lot of great people here, and have some really great conversations with some focus people. Oh, pray for my host family here: Badr and his family. They have been so awesome and hospitable and feed me this amazing food until I bust. Pray the LORD would bless them and provide for them abundantly. In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Grace and Peace,
Nate