Last day in Jordan!

Last day in Jordan! What a trip this has been thus far! We started today like always with the Shema, love the Lord your God with all your HEART, with all your SOUL, and with all you MIGHT! This reflects the passion we are to love God with. Eric recited John 17:20, a prayer from Jesus that reflected on building each one of us into a united loving, and loved, community so “Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me”. It is amazing how God has joined together a group so diverse as ours to unite us into one community, together, to learn and exalt him! #excitedfortoday!

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE!

Our last stop in Jordan was the city of Jerash (Gerisa). It was a beautiful Roman city. It had huge pillars that literally took a lifetime to make. It had theaters, engineered to amplify sound without electricity, where there were plays and performances. There was a hippodrome (sports stadium) where chariots raced, and humans battled fierce animals as well as each other. The time of Caesar was lavish and fruitful thousands of years ago. It was a time for Rome to spread their gospel. Their gospel was that Caesar will provide, and worship to the Greek gods. Eric broke into the story of Paul and we learned how Paul used their culture to relate and spread a new Gospel. The Gospel of Jesus. How the living God does not live in temples, but he lives in each one of us and together as community we show the one true living God. God is making us into a temple not built by human hands. What an amazing concept, to be like Paul and confront this pagan kingdom. When was the last time your presence caused people to shout for two hours? Acts 19:34

We finished up at Jerash learning how the Roman’s class system. They ate in groups, rich with the rich, powerful with the powerful, slave with the slave, poor with the poor (if the slave and poor had anything to eat at all). Jesus taught us to break bread as one, one community. He taught us to come together, to wait for one another, and to invite the outsider to sit down with us, he taught us to be a community and love. In turn, they will see God through us.

Late afternoon we all arrived safely back in Israel, its beautiful here! We are staying at a kibbutz on the Sea of Galilee. We swam in the Sea and it was very refreshing. We are very excited to see what tomorrow brings!