Watering Camels

This last year of my life has flown by! From graduating college and getting married, to going to Israel and settling in Sioux Falls with a new job, new apartment, new church, etc...Life has been full of surprises to say the least.

Have you ever had a certain picture of exactly the way your life is to be? And then it seems as though God is not holding up His end of the "bargain?" I've been wrestling through this very thing in the last month or so, but God continues to remind me that He is faithful. Through this struggle, I need to choose daily to live in God's promise of faithfulness. 
Part of this choice, is to seek Him no matter what circumstance I find myself in. Similar to when I disagree with my earthly dad, I try not to "fake it" with God. I need to continue talking with God about my issues and seek Him in my frustration. For awhile, I let my frustration with current circumstances pull me away from Him, until one day a friend reminded me it's okay to tell God I'm frustrated. So, I turned back to God and began asking, "Why? Where are you working in this? What does the next step look like?  What is the Big Picture?" It was then that God took a huge weight off my shoulders and suddenly I saw a billion blessings all around me.

What does this have to do with watering camels you ask? Well....As I have been reading in Genesis, I came to the story of Isaac and Rebekah. The beginning of this story just boggles my mind.

Genesis 24:15-27

"Before he (Abraham's servant) had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
“Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.
When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night? ”
She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor. ”And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.”
Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”"

While Tyler and I were in Israel, we learned that a camel can drink up to 40-45 gallons in one sitting!! And Abraham's servant had 10 camels with him! Can you imagine getting water for 10 camels that had just finished a long journey (until they have had enough to drink)?! 

Rebecca didn't know what was about to happen in her life. She didn't know God was bringing her a husband. She didn't know that this husband was in the line that Jesus would come from. She didn't know of the covenant God had made to bless her soon to be husband.  But because she was okay serving in the little ways, she became an answer to Abraham's servant's prayer. As I place myself in the story, I can easily see myself grabbing my own water and giving Abraham's servant the minimum of water he asked for. But Rebekah's heart was ready to give and give and give in any way she could. And God is faithful - He's always faithful.

Peeling an orange

Back in high school, I remember riding to an away basketball game in a van with some teammates and my coach, who was also our science teacher. My cousin (and teammate) asked loudly from the back of the van, "What do you think about when you eat an orange?" I'm sure you can already tell my coach was very pleased with this question. Not! I mean this was game prep time, right? :-) However, everyone in the van could not help but burst out laughing.

She later explained her thought process. We had come straight from our science class and she was thinking about all the complexities and bewildering processes that go into the creation of an orange. My cousin apparently thought our science teacher/coach would think about this every time he ate an orange? ;-)

I have come to love this question. I mean, think about it.... God created the world! He created oranges, apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, trees, dogs, stars, water and us!....It's so complex but yet so simple. It took Him just a few sentences.

This Christmas is Tyler and my first married Christmas together. I kept thinking, "It'll be so fun to start all of our own traditions." But now we are in December and Tyler and I haven't put up any decorations or done any of the "normal" preparations for the special day. I have to admit, part of it has been that we save time and money by not doing all the extras. But it has also been freeing to not have to think about those things and instead just focus on the reason for the day.

 While in Israel, we sat in this sheep cave (with poop all around us, I might add) and read the Christmas story. Our leader told us that this is a stable. This is the type of place Mary and Joseph went to give birth to Jesus. You can even see the black soot on the top of the cave from the shepherds' fires lit during the night. The picture below shows a manger. This is where they put water for the sheep to drink and similar to where Jesus (the living water) was laid that night. Not a complex setting at all, however, quite the opposite.

Christmas decorations, gifts, and parties are not bad. However, when life seems crazy and complicated remember how simple it all really is. God created you and I. We are blessed. He gave us His only Son, Jesus. Jesus told us and showed us that we are to love. Love God and others today and always. It's not complex, it's simple. 

Take time to be amazed at how complex yet simple our God really is. Maybe go eat an orange? :-)

Healing in God's Hands

Tyler and I standing in what used to be a pool. 

The Pool of Bethesda

 John 5:1-10
"Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well."


While in Israel, we visited the pool of Bethesda on the edge of Jerusalem. We first talked about the context. This pool was located next to a pagan temple and was said to have healing powers when the waters were stirred by the Roman god of medicine, Aesculapius.  The waters were actually stirred when stores of water were released from Herod's palace. Due to the belief that you could be healed if you were the first in the water when the water was stirred, many diseased and disabled people stayed day and night around the pool. 


Bethesda means "house of mercy." Jesus came and showed the paralyzed man mercy. He asked him, "Do you want to be well?" Have you ever thought about that question? I have thought about it a lot lately. I want to live in the truth of what God says each day. Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10)." Jesus came to make us well, but we have to want it. We have to pick up our mat and walk. We have to act out our Faith by following what Jesus says - this requires personal responsibility. How often have I settled for less than what Jesus wants for me? How often have I followed along with everyone else to seek healing from another god?


Jesus came and left us with the Holy Spirit to give us life to the full - spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally. LIFE TO THE FULL. Live in God's truth, instead of the world's. How does it look different to live in God's truth? The man at the pool told Jesus he wanted to be well but didn't know how. Jesus told him, I will make you well, not Aesculapius, not the god of medicine. We must take responsibility and seek Jesus' truth in ALL areas of our life - spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. He will make us well, but we have to want it.


I pray that God's gives us all a desire to be well in every area of our life. Much love!

Psalm 23

 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures. 

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.

 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

1 When you picture the green pastures what do you see?

 

 

Yep, the South Dakota farm girl in me probably pictured the same things you did...the flat grassy plains of the Midwest? Yes, please!

However, this is the green pasture:

 

Straight from the Judean Wilderness, this picture shows God's heart for His flock. Israel has about a three month span when they get nice rainfall (none in the desert areas) and during the rest of the year they get very little rain, if any. However, at night there is a dew that settles on the ground and without it any plant life would completely die off. This dew takes the little roots in the ground and allows them to spring up just a little bit over night. 

A good shepherd leads his flock to their needed amount of food each day. He never overgrazes an area. He never leaves his flock starving. He provides. 

What do we really need today? How much do we worry about the things that we don't need until tomorrow?

 

 2 The number one cause of death in the desert is surprisingly drowning. During the rainy season there are many floods.The nearby limestone mountains do not allow rain to soak in quickly so it rushes over the land, carving deep canyons over the years called wadis and wiping out whatever is in its path. The picture above shows the kind of cut I'm talking about. During the rainy season, there might be water pooling here. This is when you need the good shepherd. He knows to take you to the quiet waters where there is no chance of suddenly being swept away. 

3 I learned in Israel that sheep are not smart animals. They would walk right off a cliff while the sheep in front of them. But, they do know their shepherd's voice and follow it. I feel like a sheep sometimes. I do dumb things. Do we know our shepherd's voice?

4 Nights in the desert get really, really dark. But even when we can't see clearly which way to go we know our God's voice. 

A good shepherd would never hit his sheep. He uses his rod to defend sheep from predators and his staff to hook and guide his sheep away from something dangerous. 

5 Hospitality is huge in Israel. They would drop anything to even just give directions for you to travel somewhere. When eating at their house, they fill your plate over and over again. Your cup is filled to overflow. 

Olive oil is very valuable, due to is many usages in Israel. One value is observed when they pour it on your head to keep the bugs away. Kings also have their heads anointed with oil. 

6 Our God is so good. I want to dwell in His house!! 

Palestine/Israel

We have been in Bethlehem for about a week now. It has been a whirlwind of excitement, experiences, adjustments, and learning. We are loving it but also experiencing how our lives are different as a married couple.

Our second night here we went to Shabbot. This was a beautiful yet sobering experience. Shabbot is the Hebrew word for Sabbath and we went to the Western wall (outside the temple) for it’s opening. The women were on one side and the men on the other, but all were celebrating the joy of a day set aside to spend time with God and do nothing else. The joy that we saw would lead you to believe this is a once-a-year celebration but it happens once a week. People were dancing, singing, Torah reading, smiling, crying, laughing and all occurred as a community. It was humbling to remember that we serve the same God but there is one key difference: their lack of belief in Jesus as our Messiah. The passion and excitement they displayed and shared with us was both powerful and convicting. When do we love God like that?

In the next couple days we talked about the context of this culture, explored Bethlehem, and finally began our biblical tour hikes. Our favorite of the first day was at Tel Gezer where Solomon once ruled. It was here that we had a faith lesson about Standing Stones. When a god did something ancient communities would erect a stone. Then when visitors arrived at the city and saw the stones, they would ask what their god did. This was something Tyler and I talked about a lot after my trip last year and we loved talking about the importance of remembering what our God does. John (our Tour leader) encouraged us to keep a journal of prayer requests and go back to see all the ways, no matter His timing, that prayers were answered. This gives us confidence to continue in faith in the future. What has God done in your life? What are your standing stones?

Adullum was another place we visited earlier this week. This is a cave where many think that David wrote Psalm 142. Look it up :-) This is a psalm written while David is running from Saul and has nowhere to turn. Our English translations tell us that David "cries out" to the LORD. The Hebrew word for this is "ZEDEKAH!!!" This is a cry from your innermost parts and can't be fully translated in English. However, in the bible when people cry out saying "zedekah" God answers their prayers. God loves community. Therefore, not only are we to cry out to God in our time of need but we also need to look for those who are crying out and be proactive to let the Holy Spirit comfort them through us. In what area of your life do you need to give up to God? Who are those around you that need help and have nowhere to turn?

There is no way to fully share all that we are learning here but we hope you are blessed by our little nuggets. Keep praying for God's work through us! We love you all!

Tyler & Kristin (Tytin)

I am....

John 6:35 "Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."

John 8:12 "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 10:7-10 "Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.""

John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
John 10:14-15 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-just as the Father knows me and i know the Father-and I lay down my life for the sheep."

John 11:25 "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?""

John 14:6-7 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.""

John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener."
John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart form me you can do nothing."


The past half a year, I just can't get enough of the pictures God paints for us in the bible. Our God is tangible and real in so many ways. Our God cares about all areas of our lives the physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional...Listen to Him... Listen for His voice... Which of these pictures of Jesus is most real to you right now?
Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

What brings a mosaic together?

As I continue to move forward in my life after Israel, its impact continues to resound in my life. Sometimes I think it is slowly magnifying day by day, but ultimately that it not the main issue I want to share with you all today.

Psalm 67: 3-7

"May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him."
As I sat in class this week, my professor shared a song with us in which the lyrics were simply Psalm 67. I loved it of course and have listened to it over and over. Yes, I'm one of those people that just kill a song when I like it. God's heart for all peoples is something that is continually being revealed to me more and more. When asked for a short answer about Israel I gave them the word culture and a short explanation. I realized the depth that comes in studying Christ's Jewish roots, His culture but I also saw the importance of understanding my own. Which left me with the struggle of loving those around me for Christ without becoming completely immersed in the culture and simply being of this world.

The beauty of God's people going to the end of the earth leaves me in awe of our multifaceted God. Christ has called us to proclaim His good news to the end of the earth, yet He calls us to love our neighbors. To walk with Him (AKA living our life with God) not worrying about tomorrow but living in the present, giving ourselves to Him and those we can serve and love around us. The tapestry God paints is full and magnificent in the entire world but with a closer look is a "mosaic of local beliefs and practices in creative tension with a universal framework shaped by belief in the God of the Bible, as handed down through Jesus and His followers (Robert, Christian Mission)."
Ephesians 2:19 "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone."
While in Israel, we got the chance to see the wall that now encloses the area of the Dome of the Rock (once was the Temple). The picture above is a cornerstone. You can't see it wrap around the corner but it does. Looking at the stones you can see how each is perfectly formed to fit this wall. It has stood here for countless years with no cement to bind it together (fun fact that wall runs much, much deeper into the ground-the ground has been built up over the years). Jesus is a tecton, translated in our bible as a carpenter. A tecton is actually more generally a worker skilled in making buildings, whether with wood or stone. While in the Galilee you see very few tress and the trees that are there are not native to the area. Now combine this picture, verse, and expanded meaning of Jesus' occupation. Jesus is chiseling us, "cutting off the branches that bear no fruit" and pruning us so we will be more fruitful (John 15). He does this to form us to the perfect fit within not just a local body of believers but the worldwide body and He himself binds us together, making sure that we will not crumble.
How have you seen God worshiped in other cultures, either in the US or another nation? This summer I went to a talent show in Kansas where a group called Divine Intervention offered there many talents of rapping, dancing, humor, and gospel singing to the Lord, to glorify Him. I wasn't necessarily always comfortable but praise Jesus for the heart they have for Him. It was beautiful. Feel free to share any of your experiences to give others of an idea of the Lord's masterpiece mosaic painted as His Spirit works in us.

Attack!!!

The large cave you see is actually where water used to run out into the stream. However, in 1837 there was an earthquake and now the spring runs out at a different spot. So imagine tons of water running out of the mouth of the cave, resulting in all the beautiful green of the area that is not typical for most of the landscape in Israel. People worshipped fertility gods and therefore this became a very religious area because of the fertility of the land. The life was brought through water, and life comes from god, so where the water is must be where the god is.

This place had idols dedicated to worship, pan, the god of fertility. So how do you worship a god of fertility? I don't know details but don't necessarily want to know. I learned that they would have orgies in front of the idols and I don't care to know more.

During Jesus' day, he spent 70% of his ministry in the religious triangle of Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida. Now read Matthew 16:13-15. He's ready to complete his ministry and talks to the disciples here before he dies. Weird, huh?

I'd like to challenge you to rethink what rock Jesus told Peter he would build his church on. Imagine Jesus teaching his disciples on the mountainside that I took this picture and saying "on this rock." I know what rock I would have been thinking of when he said that (most people believe the rock he's talking about to be Peter's works or his confession). I now think Jesus is saying "this rock" meaning the rock where the gods are, representing the paganism of their culture, all of the ungodly, nasty sin. This is where he will build his church.

A deeper message of this place comes with the knowledge that this opening is called the Gate of Hades. They called it this because fertility gods would go into the underworld, or Hades, during the winter (this is why there was not rain) and if worshipped right they would return in the spring bringing fertility, or rain, to the land.

Jesus says, "I will build my church on this rock. And the gates of hell will not stand against it." We know that gates are built to protect things. Jesus is calling us as a church to not be immersed in the culture, but take Jesus amidst it all (movies, sports, food, etc) and attack the gates of the paganism of our culture.

I have been rethinking the way I live my life. Am I living offensively to attack my culture or to form a bubble that I find myself helpless to love those outside of my bubble. My prayer is that as a church we may work to offensively attack the gates of Hades in our culture!