Israel during Lent – Day 4

Day 4 

The “Mount of Beatitudes” where Jesus gave his “Sermon on the Mount”.   

There we listened to a testimony of one of our group explaining his healing from an inoperable brain tumor!  Recalling Matthew 6:33 where Jesus implores us not to worry, we sang “seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you”.  This is a teaching that every one of us would do well to remind ourselves of on a daily basis. 

Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee!   The 15 minutes of peaceful silence there was huge for each of us.  From our boat we could reflect on the power of Jesus:  he walked on water, calmed a storm, made fish fill nets, fed 5,000, taught parables from a boat, crossed to the “other side” to outsiders to heal a demoniac, made Capernaum  his base for ministry, healed Peter’s mother-in-law, taught in the synagogue and more!   We stood in some of those places 

We stood right above the synagogue  where Jesus taught.  We stood in the Golan region of the Decapolis where Jesus chose to go because he cared not just about “his own”. 

Had lunch where most of us were served a whole fish that looked at you while you ate it. Yuck!  Concluded the day with another wonderful devotional at waters edge on the Sea of Galilee 
Several of us were well prepared having watched a lightning storm light up the sea the night before. 

It occurs to some of us that the home of the Prince of Peace is not a place of peace.  Israel is surrounded by those who hate her: Syria, the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Hezbollah, Egypt, on and on the list goes.  Yet she survives, no, flourishes.  She is far from being God’s perfect servant but God made a Covenant with her and God does not break promises.  It seems to some of us that there is nothing on planet earth that has happened that has not happened here in one form or another.  The history and destiny of the world is right here in microcosm.  One day it will be set right. Instead of missiles and jets flying over, lions and lambs, Syrians and Jews, Muslims and Christians, Druze and Kabalists, Hindus, Buddhists, and whatevers will be breathing deep the breath of God in God’s inclusive Kingdom having been ushered in by Jesus Himself.  Jesus is the hope of the world. 

Please google the song “Breathe Deep the Breath of God” by The Lost Dogs.  It captures the heart of God

Tomorrow Jerusalem!!!