I recently saw this image of Los Flamencos National Reserve in Chile. And as someone who doesn’t necessarily excel in my own home country’s geography, let alone the world’s, I had to dive into a bit of research:
Deep within the arid expanse of northern Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, lies a natural oasis so captivating and diverse that it seems plucked from another world entirely. Here is Los Flamencos National Reserve, a protected wonderland spanning 182,823 acres and encompassing a kaleidoscope of landscapes and ecosystems that defy the harsh conditions of the surrounding desert. From shimmering salt flats and vibrant lagoons to ancient lava fields, towering volcanoes, and lush vegetation, this reserve is a true marvel, offering an unparalleled glimpse into life's incredible resilience and adaptability in even the most extreme environments.
The stunning imagery inspired me to consider this upcoming weekend for us at Divinity, as we offer our next collection of healing services. After all, when some hit a rough patch on their journey of faith, they almost wonder if they’ve entered a space not just of sadness and despair, but even a feeling of nothingness, ranging from nothing being able to lift their spirits to questioning if they have any worth at all in this world. And yet, amidst this particular desert in Chile (evidently, “one of the driest places on earth”), can emerge breath-taking beauty, relentless hope, even bounteous life; almost Creation’s own proclamation of the Resurrection Gospel.
Granted, most children of God tend to focus on healing in the physical sense, which hopefully the church and spiritual everything can work alongside with modern medicine and medical professionals and exercise and healthier eating habits and on and on to best tend to our bodies as gifts from God and all. But we also are well aware of the need for soul-healing, too (and yes, sometimes the church needs help from counselors and therapists and psychologists and psychiatrists and the like here as well).
We are well aware that too many children God are convinced they are in state of arid spiritual health, wondering if there is any God dwelling in their personal terrain. And the church is here to say in the most emphatic terms: yes, there is; there has been the lushest hope and the true marvel of grace dwelling within them and all of us. And no matter how much we believe we’re stuck in the desert, almost feeling deserted by the Divine, the truth is Christ rose from the dead to not enact an other-worldly defeat of sin and death, but to plant the most incredible resilience of life within you, and the unparalleled glimpse into the very paradise of God; not reserved for some distant eternity, but for us right here, right now in Jesus Christ our still-Risen Lord. Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Pastor Brad
Los Flamencos National Reserve: An Otherworldly Oasis | LAC Geo