Ark of the Covenant:
Exodus 25:10-22 starts off with this phrase, “Have them make an ark…” It then goes on in detail how it is to be built and what it is to look like. In chapter 37:1-9 the ark is built according to God’s design. Finally, in chapter 40, we see the setting up of the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant being placed inside with a curtain around it (vs 3). I love this story and the way God would use the tabernacle or “the tent of meeting.” Verse 34 says, “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” How cool is that! In fact, Moses could not enter the tent because of the glory of the Lord. This was something he used to show all of the Israelites when it was time to move. If the cloud remained then they stayed if the cloud had lifted then it was time to move on. Throughout the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant is mentioned (Joshua) or moved (into the temple). Only certain people could move the Ark and if you touched it you would die (Uzzah- 2 Samuel 6). The history of the Ark is incredible and one I encourage you to read more about. I recently read this quote by Jill Austin,
“We are not filled with the Holy Spirit only when we witness to the lost;
we are modern-day Arks of the Covenant
wherever we go, all the time. “ – Dancing with Destiny
My mind was blown. I mean think about it. We are walking Arks. We are who God meets with. We are surrounded by a cloud. If we choose not to meet with God daily then our cloud will start to disappear. If we choose not to worship God then our cloud will grow lighter. If we choose to neglect God then we miss out on the meeting. The meeting is something wonderful and something to be joyful about. Think about it. You get to meet, sit face to face with our Heavenly Father who loves us beyond compare. SPEECHLESS.
The Journey:
Team SALT is about to commence on a journey inside a journey. The world race in itself is a journey but we are about to tackle the Camino de Santiago. What is the Camino de Santiago?
– Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) is a large network of ancient pilgrim routes stretching across Europe and coming together at the tomb of St. James
in Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain.
– The history of the Camino de Santiago goes back at the beginning of the 9th century (year 814)
moment of the discovery of the tomb of the evangelical apostle of the Iberian Peninsula.
This is such an awesome experience and privilege to be able to walk these routes. We will be walking for at least 10 straight days. The route we chose to do is Le Puy to Conques in France. One of the main reasons we chose this route is because this was the only route we could afford to get to with the other travel we have planned. Upon researching it a bit more, we realized that this route is considered to be intermediate in difficulty. YIKES. It is also the prettiest of all the routes! PRAISE. Another side of this route is that most places to stay are out of our budget. So, we will also be camping along the route! I am so excited to actually be backpacking through the Alps and following the footsteps of thousands of pilgrims who have gone before me.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
Be praying for my team and I as we leave tomorrow to embark on this journey of a lifetime. Today we spent 2 hours in Decathlon (a great outdoor store that Hunter introduced me to) getting the last of our gear. All we have left to do is pack up and head out. Pray for strength, not only for our physical bodies but mentally and spiritually. Pray for wisdom to know when to stop and rest and listen to what our body is telling us. Pray for guidance not only for the day but for the things God has in store for us in the future. And please pray for protection physically and spiritually. Also please keep our feet and lungs in your prayers.
