5 Minute Read
Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
1 Samuel 24:1-3 (CSB): “When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, ‘David is in the wilderness near En-gedi.’ So Saul took three thousand of Israel’s fit young men and went to look for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. When Saul came to the sheep pens along the road, a cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself. David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave,”
Reflecting on God’s Word
When I was in school, I loved it when my teachers would say something like, “We’re going on a field trip.” It was the language of adventure, of going somewhere else and learning.
In today’s article, “We’re going on a field trip.” In the verses that I have chosen for today, we read about a place named En-Gedi. David was hiding from Saul in that place. Saul went there, and David cut off a section of Saul’s robe when the king thought he was alone in a cave.
Some very generous church members paid for Kim and me to visit Israel in 2018. It was the trip of a lifetime(!), and I would absolutely LOVE to go again!
As our weeklong trip was coming to an end, we made our way from Jerusalem to Masada on a Saturday (Sabbath). En route, our bus driver stopped at En-Gedi, and our tour guide explained the significance of this location in Israel’s history. As I took in the landscape, I could almost envision the biblical scenes that played out here about 3,000 years ago as King Saul was chasing David, and David was able to secretly cut off a section of Saul’s robe but spared his life.
Here are some of the pictures and videos I took in that place.
First, a map. The red pin is where En Gedi (Ein Gedi) is thought to be located.
Here are a couple of pictures I took at En Gedi:
I knew that pictures simply couldn’t capture what it felt like to be here. So, I took a couple of videos. Here they are.
In this first one, I zoom in so you can see one of the many caves in this region. Then, I pan around so you can see the Dead Sea on the other side of the parking lot.
In this next video, you can see many ibex (mainly in the bushes) at the base of the mountains at En-Gedi. I probably got a bit too close, but I wanted to get a good shot of these unique animals that have been in this region for thousands of years.
Spend Time in Prayer
- What is on your heart right now? Turn it into a prayer to our Heavenly Father.
Going Deeper
If you want to dig a little deeper into En Gedi, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:
“What is the significance of En Gedi in the Bible?”
Sharing
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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)
Matt’s Musings 