Israel
How do you describe the simplicity and yet amazing feeling of
walking a path that Jesus walked. The feel of the cold stone of the Western
Wall, listening to the people around you praying and singing. Watching as
people slide their prayer requests into a tight space in the wall. I wanted to
take one out and read the earnest prayer
of a Jewish worshiper. I wondered how different their prayers are then mine. I watched as the Jewish women walked
backward away from the wall, as a symbol of not turning their back to God. Do I have as much reverence and respect for
God in my life?
How do you describe looking out over Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Seeing
the paths that Jesus walked the night he was betrayed. Walking the streets of the Old City Jerusalem.
David Street and Delarosa. Seeing the
remains of the pool of Siloam, where the blind man in faith did what Jesus told
him to do and washed his eyes in the pool, which restored his site. Standing inside
an olive press, hearing how Jesus stayed in a place called Gethsemane the night of his betrayel–an olive
press. Walking beside, swimming in, and sitting out on a boat, at the Sea of
Galilee, imagining what it would have been like to hear Jesus teach. Looking out over the wilderness where
Jesus spent 40 days fasting and praying.
How do you describe seeing the detail and care that went into the
writing of the Dead Sea Scrolls? Each piece written with such precision and
care that the lines drawn on the page to keep the writing straight were also
done with exact measurements. Each writing was penned with perfection and accuracy. Not only did the people just right them, they studied and believed
in what they were writing, and knew the significance of preserving it. Do I, in
my own life have such dedication and perseverance in my walk with God on a
daily basis?
There is so much more I can say about each place. It would very quickly become an
endless list of all the incredible things we saw and learned while here. It was
an amazing trip filled with the places of the Bible and challenging lessons
from the lives of the people who walked the paths before us.
I’m not sure I could
do any of it justice when putting my thoughts from the trip into words. So here are some pictures that will hopefully help you to see some of what I saw!
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The Western Wall |
Olive Press much like the one Jesus stayed at the night of his betrayal.
A garden tomb
David Street
The Pool of Siloam
Mount of Olives Overlooking Jerusalem
David Street Markets
The wilderness that Jesus spent 40 days in fasting and prayer
The caves and mountains of Kidron Valley where they found the Dead Sea Scrolls
The Sea of Galilee
Morning Devotions on the Sea of Galilee
Shalom
Rose
Stay tuned to hear about Jordan and Egypt!
