Day 04 - Galilee: Mount Arbel, Magdala, Capernaum, Chorazin, Tabgha

Friday, a day of rain and ruins ending with sunshine in the sky and certainty in our hearts. We are now in the Galilee where Jesus walked taught and performed miracles. We started in Chorazin then to Capernaum. As it says in Matt 4:23-24, Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.

We stood in the ruins built on the very foundations of a synagogue that Jesus taught in. The reality of the place and time under our feet. We are standing in the rain but there is no better place to be then here increasing our knowledge and faith in the truth of Jesus with us.

We went on to visit a beach on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus restored Peter. Three times Peter denied Christ at the time of Jesus’ greatest need. On the beach after his resurrection three times Jesus asked him if he loved him. Three times Peter said yes and Jesus restored him to leadership. We are reminded Jesus is always ready to restore us to be useful to the Kingdom.

Then off to Mt. Arbel. A great walk through the mud to a beautiful view of the lake and the land that Jesus taught in. This is a perfect place that Jesus could have retreated to for his one on one time with God. He needed that time and so do we in order to know and have the strength to do the will of God.

Finally we end up at the ruins of the synagogue of Magdala. Mary of Magdala freed from 7 demons, part of Jesus’ support team, the first to see the resurrected Christ. Such an honor given to her showing us it doesn’t matter where you have come from it matters who you are in Christ and the future He has for us. Our day was done and the sun broke through for good. We can clean the mud from our shoes and be clean like new for our next adventure with God tomorrow. Hallelujah!
- Brian Morehead