3 things all nomads know about GOD.

Most of the world's nomadic people groups are untouched by the Gospel of Jesus, and out of reach of our Christian churches. But that does not mean that they know nothing of God. In fact, their lifestyle keeps their feet on the ground, their eyes on the sky and their hands on the heads of animals every day. And this is exactly why they know the character of God, sometimes better than our urban lives allow us.

Romans 1:19-20

what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

This is what is sometimes called "General Revelation". I contend that nomadic people know a great deal about the nature and character of God because of the time they spend in his creation.

So, what is it they already know?

1. He is POWERFUL. This one is explicit in the verse and it is the most obvious from any glimpse at creation. Waves, wind, earthquakes. Storms that would make any of us feel small. Every nomad knows that someone with more authority than himself controls factors that humans can not. Most nomads have a religious system based on appeasing the high God or local spirits to earn favour. Just as they say there are no atheists in foxholes there are probably aren’t any nomadic ones either. When you live dependant on changes and consistencies of seasons and climates than you always consider the Deity in control of it. 

2. He is GOOD. Have you ever noticed that anything made with human hands starts to deteriorate as soon as it is complete? This is true from basic shelters, paths and tools, to overpasses and high-rises. Maintenance is a constant battle. But, the opposite is true of the things God has made. His creation, given time, continues to improve. Forests grow, wounds heal, animals multiply. Any nomad who's paying attention can see that this trajectory is because of the nature of God. And they see it more than we do. We tend to see nature as battling against us like weeds between the cracks in our sidewalks. The nomad has built his life not in opposition but it co-operation with this improving system. Herding, hunting and gathering are all made possible by regeneration.

3. He is SOVEREIGN. If you take the first two together, and you add on top the fact that not everything always works out the way you would have liked you land on the concept of God's sovereignty. There must be a reason that sometimes a baby calf is born dead, and sometimes the water runs dry. If He is all powerful and good, than there must be something bigger going on that we can't see. One of the misconceptions about the nomadic life is that their movements appear to be random. Nothing could be further from the truth. All nomadic routes have a purpose and a time frame. God’s actions are also not random, though they might appear so from a limited vantage point. 

No one approaches God with no knowledge of him. We are all created in his image. I believe that Jesus gave his church the task of bringing the good news to all of the nations. I also believe that without it people are perishing and this should give us urgency. But it would be a mistake to go into any ministry thinking that we are the first thing they are hearing from God. Nomadic nations know a lot about the character of God. I think we do a disservice to God and to the many nations he loves when we underestimate the value of what can be known about God from his creation. The above Romans passage says that it is enough knowledge that anyone who rejects it is without excuse.  

We won't get very far in a presentation of the Gospel (Biblical Revelation) if we don't chose to acknowledge the starting point. If we do that first the rest of the story of Jesus will fit nicely on this firm foundation. 

Creation, given time, continues to improve. Forests grow, wounds heal, animals multiply.