A nearby business makes expedition vehicles that look amazing. EarthRoamer not only provide vehicles that will traverse the difficult terrain of our world, but you can do so in luxury. While I’ve never seen one on the inside, I have seen several on the road and they show pictures on their website.

These types of vehicles bring out the adventurer in me. Not that I am mind you, but they make me want to be. And to be honest, the whole camping thing really isn’t my thing either. So I guess I could possibly cut out this whole paragraph. I just talked myself out of any adventure I might have today.

For those adventurous folks in my world, a vehicle like any of the ones produced by EarthRoamer would really excite them. They could fulfill their wild side while still being comfortable as well as stylish.

One vehicle that grabbed my attention was the one seen in the picture here. It was a truck. Looked like an ordinary pick-up truck, but there was a tent on top of it and it extended out. And there was a ladder that led up to the tent! Again, I’m feeling adventurous, but not really.

I thought of a few biblical characters who might have enjoyed one of these vehicles, but especially the one with the bed up off the ground. Let’s see who they are.

I might mention that the Old Testament nomadic people had some protection against the weather elements. Their tents would have provided a place to escape the sun or rain or even provide warmth. But the people we’ll look at today didn’t even have a tent.

We’ll start with Jacob (Genesis 27-28). After deceiving his father and receiving the blessing intended for another, Jacob escaped Esau’s fury and ran for his life. On his journey, he stopped to rest when the sun set.

Genesis 28:11b (NIV) says, “Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.” Jacob, all alone, with not even a pillow. But the blessing he did receive was worth it.

You see, Jacob had a dream that night and God spoke to him through the dream. “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:13-15 – NIV)

I believe Jacob got a good night’s sleep on that stone.

The second biblical character I’d like to share with you is Elijah. The Bible is filled with quite a few stories of Elijah, but the one I’ve chosen also involves his running for safety.

This incident occurred after the priests of Baal could not produce fire on the altar (1 Kings 18:16-40). However, Elijah’s God not only provided the fire, but burned everything up on or near the altar.

When Jezebel heard of this, she was furious and demanded that Elijah be killed. Elijah was afraid and he ran. He ran into the desert and sat down by a broom tree (1 Kings 19:1-9). There he begged God to take his life and then fell asleep. His only protection in this vast desert was the broom tree.

However, God was not finished with Elijah. God sent an angel to care for Elijah until he was fit for the journey set before him. Elijah traveled 40 days and 40 nights to the mountain of God. There, he spent the night in a cave.

In the next section of Scripture, we see God assuring Elijah that he was not alone.

First and foremost, God was with him. But there were still 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed their knees to Baal. Together they would be able to stand against the idol worshipers and proclaim God to be the true God (1 Kings 19:9b-18).

Although Elijah didn’t have the comforts of an EarthRoamer, he was comforted by God, and that was definitely worth the journey.

Finally, we’ll look at Jesus’ words to His followers. In Matthew 8, Jesus had been very busy. He healed a man with leprosy. He welcomed the faith of a Centurion and healed his servant. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law. In the evening he drove out the spirits of the demon-possessed. He healed all the sick who were brought to Him. Yes, Jesus was busy.

But Jesus also knew when it was time to move along. So he gave word to His disciples to take Him to the other side of the lake. As they were leaving, a teacher of the law said to Jesus, “Teacher, I will follow you where you go.” (Matthew 8:19 – NIV)

This was Jesus’ reply. “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20 – NIV) Jesus’ mission was not to find comfort in this world. His mission was to seek and save the lost. That mission took Him into uncomfortable situations and places.

If you read on into the 8^th chapter of Matthew, we find Jesus sleeping in the back of a boat in the middle of a violent storm. Again, no comfort there.

But what we can understand is that Jesus is comfort. He calmed this particular storm and eased the minds of His disciples. He healed those with infirmities and brought comfort to their physical bodies. He released spirits from deep within and brought comfort to their souls.

Jesus can do the same for each of us.

We can find comfort in the Son of God. The ultimate comfort. Comfort for our souls, our bodies, and our minds. He will provide it as we ask for it and allow Him to sit on the throne of our hearts.

These three biblical characters were definitely earth roamers. And although they didn’t have the creature comforts we might require, they did receive comfort from God. And isn’t that much greater comfort than this world could possibly offer?

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna