When I first became a Christian, it was 3 little words that were my aha. It's a God thing, spoken by a Messianic Rabbi. At the time, I was very comfortable with God. Jesus was still a bit of a mystery. God as man. God walking on earth. God's son dying for my sins. A bit confusing.
Ah but the stories. The teachings about Jesus. The stories of his ministry, the lessons we learn, or hopefully learn, on the weekend. It brings Jesus to life, builds the relationship, gives you reason to follow. But after the stories, after giving your life, after obedience, is there one more step? After today I'd say yes. The step, or question is, what makes Jesus real in your life? Real! Living, breathing real. The breadth of God in us.
We began our day at 6am, listening to Pastor Paul bring a message standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. We sang Amazing Grace caring our voices across the waves of what seems like sacred water, after all it is where Jesus walked. Early morning we headed to Mt. Arbel which stands 700 feet above the Sea of Galilee. Called prayer mountain by locals, the cliffs of Arbel provide a panoramic view stretching from the Golan Heights to the Jordan River valley. Often in the bible we read of Jesus going to a high mountain to pray and for solitude. From Mt. Arbel, he could watch over his disciples, the fisherman as well as know when he storm came. So this is where we sat today in silence, in prayer.
Sitting at the top of Mt. Arbel, we had a teaching time but then just took quiet time with God. Part of our teaching was the hebrew phrase for "Strength, strength together we are strong." Although the intent of this phrase is community with each other, my solitude time took me in another direction. I watch two jet skies, 700 feet below, creating white water trails on Galilee. They would run in perfect unison, then one would fall behind or vier off, one would move ahead and then they would reconnect in perfect unison. For me it was such a visual picture of how we stray from God and then he tugs us back in line, then we stray and he tugs. If we could just stay alongside him, letting him guide us, He'll bring us all the way to shore.
Anyway, from there the day was almost too much to comprehend. 90% of Jesus miracles happened right here off the shore of Galilee. Today, we walked where he walked, possibly stood where he stood, saw what he saw. We went to the ancient city of Magdal at the foot Arbel. Magdal is where Mary of Magdalene is from. Magdalene being a plural form of Magdal. It was discovered just one level down about 5 years ago as a shopping center was being developed. It is now an excavation site that we were able to see. They have found the synagogue, three mikvahs (ritual baths) - all dated to the 1st century. The town was probably destroyed in the major earthquake of 749, which devastated much of the region.
Just a short distance later was Tabgha, an area on the north-western shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is the site of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and the final resurrection appearance of Jesus. We sat right on the shoreline, ten feet from the lapping water. This is where Jesus stood and told Peter, Andrew, James, and John where to cast their nets and ultimately to follow him. From this spot, from this very stretch of beach which is so very small compared to our California beaches, it all began. Jesus called his disciples and his ministry began. This was also the final site where he appeared to the disciples the last time. So on this site it also ended.
And, Capernaum. A 20 minute walk from the beach. Capernaum, hometown of Peter and where Jesus lived. More stories, more miracles happened here than anywhere else. One after another, healing royal officials son, healing Peters mother-in-law, healing paralytic, withered hand, the Bleeding women, raising Jairus\' daughter, healing blind man, etc etc. This is also where he healed the possessed man and the demons filled the pigs who jumped off the cliff into Galilee. We stood in the synagogue where Jesus taught, healed and performed miracles. We stood there! Where he stood! The exact synagogue. Very hard to wrap your head around that.
We next went to Korazin (Chorazin) where Jesus traveled, taught and spread his ministry. In the ruins of this 1st century city, we saw community, the closeness that families lived and again how these people relied on each other. Once again reminding us: Strength, strength together we are strong.
Our final destination, although I may have missed one, was Beautitudes. We sat on the hillside overlooking Galilee, reading out loud the Sermon on the Mount, which over 2000 years ago Jesus stood on this hillside, or very close to it and spoke the original words.
So back to the beginning - what is the next step, what makes Jesus real in your life? We have stood where he stood, walked where he walked, sat where he sat and saw what he saw. He couldn't be more real. It's not stories, it's not mystery, it's not great teaching. It's Jesus. It's a God thing. It's real.
We ended our fourth day by swimming in the Sea of Galilee. Somehow everything here feels like a baptism, a recommitment, a giving of it all to Him.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Leaving the Desert
Day 3: The Lows and the Highs
To look back on today, is almost overwhelming in the vast expanse of history, culture and archeological significance. There is also a second piece that is bouncing around in my head which eventually I\'ll get to.
We started our day checking out of the hotel at the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. The sand is an amber color and "the lake" as locals call it has represented commerce, industry and financial hope for the Israelites for centuries. Its rich salt and minerals provide a variety of salable products for the people of Israel, however it is also drying up at an inch every three months.
Our first stop was Masada, the last Jewish holdout to fall to Rome in 73 CE as well as the winter palace (or specifically 3 palaces) of King Harod. Masada is an incredible fortress steeped in the history of the Jewish people and has become a symbol of bravery and self-sacrifice since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. Masada is a rock formation with steep cliffs rising on all sides. Half our group braved the 45 minute Snake climb, while part took the breathtaking 5 minute Gondola ride to the top.
Leaving the stark and harsh desert of Masada, we traveled to Ein Gedi. Basically Ein Gedi is an oasis with waterfalls and series of natural pools cascading from cliffs above. within the cliffs are series of caves very visible from the naked eye. and YES these are the caves here David hid from Saul.
We were able to stand under the cascading waters truly experiencing being emerged in the living waters of God. We then drove along Jordan River to Qumran.
Truly an amazing site. Blistering heat, looking like a giant excavation site with ruins from the Essenes - stark and dusty. Huge outcropping of cliffs and steep angles leading upward once again contain cave after cave, These are the caves of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947-1956, nearly 900 scrolls were discovered. Most were written on parchment and some on papyrus. Cisterns, Jewish ritual baths, and cemeteries have been found, along with a dining or assembly room and debris from an upper story alleged by some to have been a scriptorium as well as pottery kilns and a tower. Only 5% of the scrolls have been gone thru but this has been the source for our bible. Amazing and we saw the actual cave where 200 of the scrolls were found.
As we left, we traveled along the Jordan border to the Sea of Galilee. Staying in a Kibbutz, a collective farm called Ein Gev, we woke this morning to the view of Galilee. We are literally 1/2 mile from where the pigs jumped off he cliff!! And we are in the middle of where so many of Jesus' miracles occurred. Ok God, we\'re ready.
To look back on today, is almost overwhelming in the vast expanse of history, culture and archeological significance. There is also a second piece that is bouncing around in my head which eventually I\'ll get to.
We started our day checking out of the hotel at the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. The sand is an amber color and "the lake" as locals call it has represented commerce, industry and financial hope for the Israelites for centuries. Its rich salt and minerals provide a variety of salable products for the people of Israel, however it is also drying up at an inch every three months.
Our first stop was Masada, the last Jewish holdout to fall to Rome in 73 CE as well as the winter palace (or specifically 3 palaces) of King Harod. Masada is an incredible fortress steeped in the history of the Jewish people and has become a symbol of bravery and self-sacrifice since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. Masada is a rock formation with steep cliffs rising on all sides. Half our group braved the 45 minute Snake climb, while part took the breathtaking 5 minute Gondola ride to the top.
Leaving the stark and harsh desert of Masada, we traveled to Ein Gedi. Basically Ein Gedi is an oasis with waterfalls and series of natural pools cascading from cliffs above. within the cliffs are series of caves very visible from the naked eye. and YES these are the caves here David hid from Saul.
We were able to stand under the cascading waters truly experiencing being emerged in the living waters of God. We then drove along Jordan River to Qumran.
Truly an amazing site. Blistering heat, looking like a giant excavation site with ruins from the Essenes - stark and dusty. Huge outcropping of cliffs and steep angles leading upward once again contain cave after cave, These are the caves of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947-1956, nearly 900 scrolls were discovered. Most were written on parchment and some on papyrus. Cisterns, Jewish ritual baths, and cemeteries have been found, along with a dining or assembly room and debris from an upper story alleged by some to have been a scriptorium as well as pottery kilns and a tower. Only 5% of the scrolls have been gone thru but this has been the source for our bible. Amazing and we saw the actual cave where 200 of the scrolls were found.
As we left, we traveled along the Jordan border to the Sea of Galilee. Staying in a Kibbutz, a collective farm called Ein Gev, we woke this morning to the view of Galilee. We are literally 1/2 mile from where the pigs jumped off he cliff!! And we are in the middle of where so many of Jesus' miracles occurred. Ok God, we\'re ready.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Sweet Tea and Wandering in the Desert
Day 2 - Sweet Tea and Wandering in the Desert
Today was about reliance. reliance on God, reliance on community, reliance on each other. In the desert, there is no I. Everyone takes care of each other. Everyone is part of the same tribe. Today we hiked in the Wilderness of Zin in the Negev. Negev refers to southern Israel - arid, barren, desolate, even an underlying hostility. The Wilderness of Zin is one of seven wildernesses in the Bible that Moses and the Israelites crossed in the Exodus from Egypt over 3,300 years ago.
As we hiked back into the Ein Avedat, the cliffs towered above us. There are times that truly are deafening silence. We stood on the narrow path that traversed along the water, closed our eyes and just listened. Can you hear the ancients? Can you hear Moses leading his people? Can you hear the voice of God. This is where He actually spoke. Wow.
As part of the group hiked back out of the Ein Avedat, the others climbed the cliffs with chutzpah going on a great adventure which culminated in a "wandering in the desert." Today we walked the path and crossed the desert as just a sampling of what the Israelites experienced. As we grumbled and complained in our own minds for lunch, water and bathrooms, we could almost hear the Israelites complain to Moses about the lack of water persuading him to perform the miracle of smiting the rock with a rod and bringing forth water.
Finding each other again, we reconvened for a once in a lifetime camel ride along the desert floor.
As we left and traveled back to the Dead Sea region, we literally went off-roading in the bus. Yes, a 60 foot bus on a rough, pitted, dirt road leading to a bedouin community. Just dropping in (yes 52 of us dropping in), we experienced the graciousness of one family. Today we were of the desert, so we were invited into the shade, given hot sweet tea and watched as the women made fresh pita for us on a stack of metal and timber.
" I don\'t know you, but you are much welcomed to my tent." Aside from the satellite dish in the distance and the man of the "house" having a cell phone, it was a nomadic scene from centuries gone by. After they graciously broke bread with us, we returned down, down, down through the Judea mountains to the Dead Sea for the night.
Two things struck me about today. When we were in the Wilderness of Zin, God was whispering, loudly whispering as only He can. When you are in the wilderness, when you are lost, do you rely on Him? Is he your compass, your guide, your North Star? Do you trust that over the next hill will be water and refuge?
Secondly, do you rely on community? Do you let others in? Graciously, without question or expectation. Do you offer strangers sweet tea and break bread with them? Can we do this at home? Or just in Israel?
Tomorrow, may God speak to us as loudly as He did today. Many of us ended our day floating in the Dead Sea. Bobbing along, seeing where the current would take us. And tomorrow we will float along in our off-roading bus to see where God will take us. Shalom Shabbatt.
Today was about reliance. reliance on God, reliance on community, reliance on each other. In the desert, there is no I. Everyone takes care of each other. Everyone is part of the same tribe. Today we hiked in the Wilderness of Zin in the Negev. Negev refers to southern Israel - arid, barren, desolate, even an underlying hostility. The Wilderness of Zin is one of seven wildernesses in the Bible that Moses and the Israelites crossed in the Exodus from Egypt over 3,300 years ago.
As we hiked back into the Ein Avedat, the cliffs towered above us. There are times that truly are deafening silence. We stood on the narrow path that traversed along the water, closed our eyes and just listened. Can you hear the ancients? Can you hear Moses leading his people? Can you hear the voice of God. This is where He actually spoke. Wow.
As part of the group hiked back out of the Ein Avedat, the others climbed the cliffs with chutzpah going on a great adventure which culminated in a "wandering in the desert." Today we walked the path and crossed the desert as just a sampling of what the Israelites experienced. As we grumbled and complained in our own minds for lunch, water and bathrooms, we could almost hear the Israelites complain to Moses about the lack of water persuading him to perform the miracle of smiting the rock with a rod and bringing forth water.
Finding each other again, we reconvened for a once in a lifetime camel ride along the desert floor.
As we left and traveled back to the Dead Sea region, we literally went off-roading in the bus. Yes, a 60 foot bus on a rough, pitted, dirt road leading to a bedouin community. Just dropping in (yes 52 of us dropping in), we experienced the graciousness of one family. Today we were of the desert, so we were invited into the shade, given hot sweet tea and watched as the women made fresh pita for us on a stack of metal and timber.
" I don\'t know you, but you are much welcomed to my tent." Aside from the satellite dish in the distance and the man of the "house" having a cell phone, it was a nomadic scene from centuries gone by. After they graciously broke bread with us, we returned down, down, down through the Judea mountains to the Dead Sea for the night.
Two things struck me about today. When we were in the Wilderness of Zin, God was whispering, loudly whispering as only He can. When you are in the wilderness, when you are lost, do you rely on Him? Is he your compass, your guide, your North Star? Do you trust that over the next hill will be water and refuge?
Secondly, do you rely on community? Do you let others in? Graciously, without question or expectation. Do you offer strangers sweet tea and break bread with them? Can we do this at home? Or just in Israel?
Tomorrow, may God speak to us as loudly as He did today. Many of us ended our day floating in the Dead Sea. Bobbing along, seeing where the current would take us. And tomorrow we will float along in our off-roading bus to see where God will take us. Shalom Shabbatt.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Searching caves .... God you there?
Hard to know where to start. Coming to Israel, being in true God country forces you to search. To search for meaning, search for God moments, search for what He may be showing us. The trivial things are what you may see with any international trip. The flight was somewhat uneventful. The 12-hour portion was insanely hot. The plane was kept at an uncomfortable temperature up in the 80\'s. Made the already close quarters pretty intolerable. We arrived in Istanbul 10 minutes after our flight was boarding to Tel Aviv. Mad dash for the two hour final flight (which was both spacious and air conditioned!)
We\'re traveling with 52 other folks. Always interesting. I think there must be set rules about personalities and someone just steps up to fill each seat. Welcome to Israel - it\'s not about you. Ha!
We traveled far today, as far as you can in a country that only takes one hour to cross from side to side (and 5-6 hours lengthwise), with 8 million residents.
We started in Kiryat ye Hem talking about the heart of God and His desire for us. As we overlooked the valley leading to the mountains of Judea, we could visualize the battle taking place as the Phillistines captured to Ark. Ronan, our Israelite guide led us thru the gardens pointing out various plants and their significance. We learned about the 7 keys to the country and its people, as determined in Deuteronmy 8:8, Wheat, Barley (bread), Figs , Olive, (oil), dates, figs, pomegranate and grapes (wine).
Deuteronomy 8:8. Loved this! Start the day in a garden, my kind of start.
"For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
A reminder how God provides all we need.
We then traveled to the Lower Hills of Judea. At Beth Shemesh, we talked of Samson as we overlooked ruins and the valleys and foothills where Samson lived. So much of his story is about his blatant disobedience after God asked him to take a special vow. The word that came over and over was COMPROMISE. Compromise....Samson compromised his faith, his vow over and over. Compromise - are their areas in my life to look at? Areas I am compromising? Areas where I am telling God, soon, not now or next time? God used Samson in amazing ways, but what could God have done IF Samson hadn\'t compromised? What could God do with me, or us, if we were pure in our obedience? And, are we being honest with ourselves and God in this manner? And just to be clear, we don\'t have to be perfect, we just need to be right with God. Even a bad olive can make good olive oil for the community.
We traveled to Tel Azekah. From our vantage point on the mountain, we could almost see where battles were forged, strongholds were created and armies readied themselves. With Bethlehem in the distance and Jerusalem over the hill, we were witness to the Valley of Elah, where one of the most inspirational battles of all time took place ... young shepherd David slew the giant Goliath changing history forever and letting us all know that with God on our side, all things are possible and we cannot, will not be defeated...even when battling giants.
Much of the day was spent hiking? Climbing? Descending into caves. AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING caves. At Bet Guvrin, we went thru 14 underground caves. In ancient days, the homes were above ground, but their "industry/business" we\'re below ground in man made caves where they could work in the cool during the heat of the day. We went thru 14 interconnected huge caves, used for work as well as for sisteen to collect water. Just in the Sidonian Cave area there are over 600 caves and still more being excavated. A HUGE underground city - literally. We hiked down, down, down and up, up, up as well as crawled thru small portals from cave to cave. Not for the faint-hearted to be sure!
We ended our day traveling to the desert region and the Dead Sea, the lowest elevation on earth. This morning we sung worship songs and heard a message by Pastor Paul, about conquering our giants. seems right on target as today, we head to the desert - the Negav. Hopefully, we won\'t wander for 40 days and 40 nights.
We\'re traveling with 52 other folks. Always interesting. I think there must be set rules about personalities and someone just steps up to fill each seat. Welcome to Israel - it\'s not about you. Ha!
We traveled far today, as far as you can in a country that only takes one hour to cross from side to side (and 5-6 hours lengthwise), with 8 million residents.
We started in Kiryat ye Hem talking about the heart of God and His desire for us. As we overlooked the valley leading to the mountains of Judea, we could visualize the battle taking place as the Phillistines captured to Ark. Ronan, our Israelite guide led us thru the gardens pointing out various plants and their significance. We learned about the 7 keys to the country and its people, as determined in Deuteronmy 8:8, Wheat, Barley (bread), Figs , Olive, (oil), dates, figs, pomegranate and grapes (wine).
Deuteronomy 8:8. Loved this! Start the day in a garden, my kind of start.
"For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
A reminder how God provides all we need.
We then traveled to the Lower Hills of Judea. At Beth Shemesh, we talked of Samson as we overlooked ruins and the valleys and foothills where Samson lived. So much of his story is about his blatant disobedience after God asked him to take a special vow. The word that came over and over was COMPROMISE. Compromise....Samson compromised his faith, his vow over and over. Compromise - are their areas in my life to look at? Areas I am compromising? Areas where I am telling God, soon, not now or next time? God used Samson in amazing ways, but what could God have done IF Samson hadn\'t compromised? What could God do with me, or us, if we were pure in our obedience? And, are we being honest with ourselves and God in this manner? And just to be clear, we don\'t have to be perfect, we just need to be right with God. Even a bad olive can make good olive oil for the community.
We traveled to Tel Azekah. From our vantage point on the mountain, we could almost see where battles were forged, strongholds were created and armies readied themselves. With Bethlehem in the distance and Jerusalem over the hill, we were witness to the Valley of Elah, where one of the most inspirational battles of all time took place ... young shepherd David slew the giant Goliath changing history forever and letting us all know that with God on our side, all things are possible and we cannot, will not be defeated...even when battling giants.
Much of the day was spent hiking? Climbing? Descending into caves. AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING caves. At Bet Guvrin, we went thru 14 underground caves. In ancient days, the homes were above ground, but their "industry/business" we\'re below ground in man made caves where they could work in the cool during the heat of the day. We went thru 14 interconnected huge caves, used for work as well as for sisteen to collect water. Just in the Sidonian Cave area there are over 600 caves and still more being excavated. A HUGE underground city - literally. We hiked down, down, down and up, up, up as well as crawled thru small portals from cave to cave. Not for the faint-hearted to be sure!
We ended our day traveling to the desert region and the Dead Sea, the lowest elevation on earth. This morning we sung worship songs and heard a message by Pastor Paul, about conquering our giants. seems right on target as today, we head to the desert - the Negav. Hopefully, we won\'t wander for 40 days and 40 nights.
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