Day 10 - Jerusalem: Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, Jordan River, Allenby Bridge Border Crossing

Day Ten: Departure, Surrender, and the Road Home

We woke to cold wind and light showers on our final morning, but the weather did not slow us down. There was something fitting about the gray skies as we headed back up to the Mount of Olives one last time.

Surprisingly, the drive was calm. With Ramadan having begun, traffic was lighter and fewer tour groups were around. We secured a quiet vantage point overlooking the city and the Temple Mount. From that ridge we traced the many departures and arrivals tied to this mountain. David fleeing from Absalom. The glory of the Lord departing the temple in Ezekiel 10-11. Jesus weeping over Jerusalem and descending the slope on a colt. And the promise in Zechariah 14 of a future return.

Few places hold so much movement in the biblical story.

Because of the rain, we drove down rather than walking and stopped among the ancient olive trees of Garden of Gethsemane. Some of the trees there are estimated to be centuries old, rooted deeply in the same soil where Jesus prayed.

Across the street, in a quiet private monastery garden, we shared communion together. After days of walking through the land, studying the Scriptures, and singing in historic places, this simple act felt grounding. Bread and cup. Remembrance and gratitude. We spent time reflecting on Jesus’ prayer, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” It was a fitting theme to carry home.

With border crossings closing earlier during Ramadan, we needed to adjust our schedule and forgo a few final Jerusalem sites. Instead, we made our way east toward the Allenby Bridge. Before leaving, we managed to fit in one last falafel lunch and a brief stop for teaching at the Jordan River Baptismal Site. Standing near the Jordan one more time reminded us how many beginnings have happened along its banks.

The border crossing was smooth, and by evening we arrived back in Amman. Tonight we rest, bags packed and alarms set, ready for an early departure tomorrow and the long journey back to San Francisco.

A Closing Devotional Reflection

Our final day centered on surrender.

On the Mount of Olives we remembered departures and returns. In Gethsemane we remembered obedience under pressure. In communion we remembered the cross.

Luke 22:42 records Jesus’ prayer,
“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

Those words were spoken not far from where we stood this morning. They were not spoken in comfort, but in resolve.

As we prepare to leave the land, the invitation is not simply to remember what we saw, but to live what we learned. The story does not stay in Jerusalem. It travels home with us.

Will we trust when the path is unclear?
Will we surrender when obedience is costly?
Will we carry the humility of Gethsemane into our own cities and communities?