Day 09 - Western Coast: Miletus, Didyma, Priene

We had a wonderful last full day in Turkey! Today was extra special because we also  celebrated the birthday of our guide Gokhan! This morning was another nice and slow start to the day. We ate breakfast at our hotel in Kusadasi and departed for the city of Priene. Before our first lesson, we of course had to sing the Birthday Rap for Gokhan! 

In Priene, we learned that this city was very prominent during the time of Alexander the Great. We even got to walk through what was once Alexander the Great’s house. Jared gave an incredible lesson at the church at Priene about standing firm in the grace of God. This is how we change the world. Christ will one day bring complete shalom to the world, but the Church possesses the shalom now. We pondered this question: what does it mean to have a faithful presence back home? Lastly, we stood in the theater and sang "Hear O Israel" one last time. Our time in Priene finished with us singing "Be Thou My Vision" with the prayer that Christ will be our vision no matter what we may encounter.

Next, we ate a delicious lunch at Kamaci Restaurant. Afterwards, we walked through the Temple of Apollo located in the city of Didyma. With Apollo being the Greek god of prophecy, we talked about what we should do when we’re anxious about the future. Christ sets the example for us in the way He submitted himself to the Father’s will to be crucified. Standing firm in God’s grace looks like running away from control and running towards trust.

Our final site of the trip was the theater at Miletus. This was our last time sitting in the text, and it was so good! This was where Paul ministered to the elders of Ephesus in Acts 20. We specifically looked at their exhortation to be alert and take care of the flock. In the midst of suffering, many can wander from their faith. Being even one degree off course can greatly impact our destination. Thankfully, the Lord has graciously given us community to help us stay on course. We prayed in small groups that we would not wander from our faith and finished by singing the Doxology. As we set out to keep running the race, we have this truth to cling to: I grow strong. You grow strong. We grow strong together.