Friday, December 12, 2014

5 -8 February, 2015---Exodus In The Piney Woods

Exodus In The Piney Woods

Perhaps the book of the Bible that best displays God's use of the Wilderness as a school for His people is Exodus.  The story of the Israelites 40 year wandering through the Wilderness is one of God's instruction and provision and the way he transformed them into a cohesive society built around the idea and practice of Worship.

The Wilderness Ministry is built around the idea that this instruction continues today, if we only pursue it through our trips into His Creation and open our hearts and our minds to the lessons He has for us there.

In the upcoming weeks, we will be exposed to popular culture's rendition of the Exodus Narrative, replete with special effects and dubious interpretations of scripture. Hollywood seems to be of the opinion that they can use the story of Pharaoh and the Israelites to further their greater glory and line their pockets.

But this is what Scripture tells us about that story: 

Romans 9:17New International Version (NIV)17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
On the weekend of 6 -8 February, we will attempt to follow God's interpretation of what he was doing during Exodus.

The locations and general hiking plan will be the same as was attempted at our second trip shown here.

We will focus on Exodus 15.

There will be a Fellowship Pot Luck Friday night at LSHT Parking Lot #8, followed by a hike to Neiderhoffer Lake. This time I have gotten confirmation from the Forest Service that we have the site reserved for the weekend. There is a limit of 20 people allowed at the site, so email me at sargevining at yahoo, PM me at Hammock Forums, or post on the Wilderness Ministry Facebook Page.


Now, I'm going to ask attendees to do something a little strange, take a Leap of Faith if you will, to help us understand a bit of what the Exodus Narrative is telling us: leave camp Saturday morning with empty water bottles. Those of us who own water filtration devices should carry them.

Exodus 15-27 tells us:


22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.[f]) 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.
When we cross one of the several creeks that cross the trail between Parking Lot #8 and Neiderhoffer Lake, we'll filter the bitter water. When we arrive at Neiderhoffer we will enjoy the spring fed waters to be found there. There will also be a supply of bottled water and some snack food staged there.

We need a couple of volunteers to show up Thursday to help with set up at Neiderhoffer and shuttle people back to parking Lot #8 on Sunday morning. I will be going directly to Neiderhoffer on Thursday and will hike to Parking Lot #8 on Friday morning to meet folks arriving for the weekend.

This can be considered a beginners to mid level experience hike. The terrain is mostly flat, the distance is 4.2 miles. Friday night will be car camping, but on Saturday you'll need to pack everything you need (except water) for lunch and dinner Saturday and breakfast Sunday morning.

UPDATE:

Yesterday's mail brought the final paperwork.  Its official now.