Jerusalem

Rainy Jerusalem! It was wet today but we didn’t let it stop us. In Israel they say “ALYAH”, which means, “Let’s go up!” Not only is Jerusalem the geographical high point of our trip but the spiritual one as well. What a city to see today after all we’ve learned, beginning in Egypt, progressing with Moses in Jordan and finishing our time in Israel. So significant is this city to people of all faiths, but to us as a group who have become a family, a meaningful time to share here.

We began with a walk down from the Mount of Olives, where Jesus’ feet will touch when He one day returns. Nearby are the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus suffered before facing the cross. We walked through the narrow, winding alleys of the Old City on the way marked the Via Dolorosa (the Way of Suffering). The noisy chatter of vendors selling fruit, vegetables, food, drinks and souvenirs contrasted with our pensive thoughts as we remembered Jesus walking this route to his death at Golgotha.

Our group visited each of the four quarters: the Muslim, Christian, Armenian and Jewish Quarters. (use chart pic in with photos) We made various stops along the way, such as the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the lame man in John 5. Then we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which was built atop the traditional site of the crucifixion and burial of Christ.

The Western Wall was a highlight for the group. Nearly everyone has seen and heard of this site on the news, but to stand there in person is a moving experience. To those who may not be familiar, the Western Wall is the last remaining portion of Herod’s Temple and the closest spot to where the Holy of Holies used to be. Today visitors can approach the wall, touch it and pray on either the men’s side or the women’s side. When you get up close you can see all the tiny pieces of paper with prayer requests written on them crammed into the crevices in the wall. For those of us who believe Christ is the Messiah, it is the perfect opportunity to pray for the Chosen People to recognize Him.

Around the corner from the Western Wall are the Southern Steps of the Temple which was the last site for the day and the trip. These are the stairs that connected the mikvah (ritual bath) and the Temple entrance for festivals and holidays. Our group sat on the stairs together and recounted the trip, some of the things we had seen and learned and experienced. How do you put in words what we have experienced? You really can’t at least not right now. Each of us over our farewell dinner began to recount our trip and what we have learned and experienced. One of Jonathan’s points tonight was that our job is to take these seeds we have been given and go dive deeper into God’s word. A trip like this should spur us on to know Jesus more as we continue to wrestle with his word and what it means to live it out daily in our lives. The best thing is that we are leaving not as individuals but as a family that has been bonded together by walking, talking, touching, smelling, and tasting of the land and context of God’s word.

What a privilege to be on this journey and to share these memories with our friends and family! Thank you for following us each day. Please pray that we continue to grow from the things we have learned and have “eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to obey.”