Convicting Lessons

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” – Deut. 6:4-5

Our last morning at the Sea of Galilee began with the Hebrew Sh’ma (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).  Marty challenged us with how much distance do we keep from Jesus.  Peter kept his distance, the women kept his distance, and many others kept their distance.  How far do you try to keep from Jesus while remaining in Him?

We bussed through Cana to Nazareth seeing amazing views of fertile farm land, broken hills desolately covered with rocks and boulders.  A hike up to the brow of the hill took us to Mt. Precipice (“square foot, square meter”).  It was incredible to be reminded of the story where the crowds pressed Jesus up this hill to convict him and then kill him.  Jesus walked through the crowd because there were no witnesses.  To be on the spot, to feel the crowd, and to absorb this reality…very powerful.  A convicting quote from Marty: “What offends the mind reveals the heart.”  Friends, who is influencing who in your world, in my world?

Back on the bus to a roadside tomb that was 4 ½ feet high where we all crawled inside to hear about the practices of a first century burial site.  So neat!

Off to Mt. Carmel – powerful teaching on the impact of one God-fearing man, Elijah and what God will do when we believe.  Are people seeing God show up in our lives?  God is getting our attention as we spend time searching the Scriptures for truths.  God promises to meet us in our wilderness time, dry times, and weary times.

We then had a delicious buffet lunch in Mt. Carmel village and celebrated Josh’s 23^rd birthday!  He had his birthday sung in Israeli, Spanish, English, and Dutch!

Thanks to Yigal who delivered us safely, again, o the seaport of Caesarea, on of Herod the Great’s massive cities – marble pillars, expansive court yards, theatre, hippodrome, and much more!  But all was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.  All these worldly accomplishments will soon pass away.  Our relationships, our hear t for the lost, and our zeal for God will not perish, corrode, or fall away.

Our day ended with arriving in Jerusalem, the city on a hill.  After supper we had the amazing opportunity to walk through all 4 quarters of the Old City: Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Armenian.  Our first taste of being in one of the oldest cities in the world.  And finally…shut-eye! ~ Fred and Teresa Reitsma

Photos taken by Craig and Marcella Van Stryland