The Breath on His lips

What a morning!  Up early and on the road, we left by 7:15.  I always laugh at the time difference, because it sometimes means that you who are reading this haven't gone to bed yet.  Anyway, our first stop was around the lake and up a hill.  Yehuda, our guide, told us that this was the traditional spot for the giving of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.  We sauntered down the hill a little ways and stopped.  At that point, Yehuda told us that the sermon could have been given from either the top or the bottom, it didn't matter, the voices would have carried.  He also showed us mustard plants and mustard seeds.  Continuing down the hill, we stopped near a small tree and were given about 10-15 minutes to read and reflect on the Sermon on the Mount.

God touched me during that time.  There's something about reading the words of the Word in the place where they were given.  I read "You are the light of the world," (5.14) and I looked up and saw the modern city of Tibereas, and knew that Capernaum was down to my left thinking about the impossibility of hiding these cities on their hills.  Perhaps Jesus even gestured to them as he spoke.  In the same way, I read about moths and rust and thought about the air in a sea area destroying metal and everything else, making preservation nearly impossible(6.19).  And as I read about knowing a tree by its fruit, thorns, and thistles, I thought about the few minutes we had spent at tells and in fields (7.16).  You can easily tell a tree around here as the fruit grows.  The pomegranites are not quite ripe yet, and there are banana and date trees everywhere.  Also thistles are easy to tell to.  They are short little bushes with prickly spines, much worse than at home.  I have found myself in a small patch of those little monsters more than once.  They hurt.  Maybe that's why we're supposed to watch out for them.

When I say God touched me, I don't mean that I felt something physical.  Honestly, it was just another hot day in Israel, at another site where something cool happened.  However, God's presence was there in a way that was different.  Something about the mountain and my Bible, open in my hands, made life infinitely more enjoyable for me.  There, in that moment, God was present, the Word carried by the Breath on His lips.

After our reading time finished, we hiked the rest of the way down the mountain and went to see a 1st century boat.  The boat was interesting because it had been found in Lake Galilee, and, after a timely process, had been dug out and preserved.  It was interesting to see how a boat from that time might have looked, and the engineering that went into such a thing.

From the museum, we got on a boat ourselves and went out into the lake.  It was quiet as we went, but the views were beautiful.  Our illustrious rabbi Brian Bernius pointed out the cliffs on the other side of the lake, mentioning that that area was likely where Jesus cast Legion into the pigs (Mark 5.1-20).

Several hundred feet from shore, we stopped and read some of the passages about Jesus on the sea.  I had the privilege of reading Matthew 14.22-33.  This passage has taken on a special meaning for me in the past seven months.  I have long felt God calling me forward in my faith to a point deeper with him.  Yet, I have struggled to have the faith to follow.  This passage shows us a stormy sea in the middle of the night, Jesus walking on water, and Peter challenged to follow.  I identify with Peter in the sense that God has called me out to walk on the water, something I can only do by faith, yet I struggle to have the faith to believe that he will do what he says he will.  I'm like Peter between Jesus calling him, and him hopping out of the boat.  I'm in transition; stuck on the edge, knowing God is going to do something cool, but scared to let him do it.  Reading the story today brought those feelings back, and reminded me that God is still calling me forward.  It was there that God touched me again, reminding me that he has things for me, if I will but trust him.

I stand on the edge
Of my future and my past
Looking for hope and glory
And things that will forever last
Yet as the Light catches my eye
It is not the things I seek
Entering into my sight
No, it is the Word of Life I spy
Borne by the Spirit
At the Father's command
Smiling at me
Calling me forward
"Be not afraid"
He says as I tremble
"My plans for you
Are not quite so simple.
But come and see
Come and see
Take my hand
Come and see
The wondrous things
I have for thee."
Still trembling now
I take his hand
And step out of the boat
Onto a new, watery land.


Grace and Peace,
David Johnson

The heat was no joke today. Temperatures upwards of 100 degrees smacked us in the face mid-afternoon. Thankfully, we traveled by bus much more than we did by foot. Through this experience, I have been absolutely convinced of one thing: Jesus and his disciples were fit. Walking around Israel is definitely not for the weak. The heat and the mountainous terrain can make traveling difficult at times. Our tour today ended at about 3:00 which gave us plenty of down-time to rest and enjoy the Sea of Galilee just a stones throw away.

        We were fortunate enough to eat lunch at Sepphoris, also known as Tzippori. Sepphoris is just north-northwest of Nazareth, the birthplace of Jesus. Tzippori in ancient times was a very strategic location as it overlooked distant mountains and the expansive Beit Netofa Valley. Let me tell you if you like ancient mosaics and rocks, look no further, Sepphoris is the place for you- I’m not kidding.

        After lunch, we promptly hopped on the bus and headed to Nazareth. The church of the Enunciation is located above a 1st century structure to which people often attribute to being the home of Christ (although, this is based upon tradition more than historical accuracy). The church was stunning; however, it would have been much more enjoyable if it weren’t filled with so many darn tourists… In the outside of the courtyard there were depictions of Mary and baby Jesus from all over the world. It was a reminder of the beautiful unity of our diverse Church body. There are fervent believers in Christ from Korea, Brazil Thailand, Greece, South-Africa, India, Canada, Russia, Spain- the list goes on.

        Our last stop was Capernaum. This city is constantly mentioned in the Gospels and is recognized as the home of the apostle Peter. Capernaum was the closest thing that Jesus ever had to a home base. In Capernaum Jesus taught (John 6:59), healed the sick (Luke 7:1-7), drove out evil spirits (Mark 1:21-25), turned water into wine (John 4:46), and did many more things. After visiting Capernaum, we headed back to the hotel. The rest of the day consisted of the following: sleeping, swimming, playing soccer, journaling, and feasting ourselves upon a 5-start dinner. Israelis know how to eat. That’s all for now. God Bless.

Jesse Ludema

P.S. To any future visitors of Israel. Don’t put your feet up on an table. No matter how small it is; you will be scolded by a hotel barista. I don’t think the barista likes me very much…