Day#16

Empty Tomb

Today we went to the garden tomb site. I loved what the guide had to say about the tomb and about the mysticism that is so prevalent in this land. There are those who come to the tombs and leave prayers wedged into the walls similar to the Western wall. They also leave flowers and articles of clothing. The guide simply said that they clean them out. He said Jesus isn't in the tomb anymore. He's risen. He said you can take Jesus into the cave and out of the cave because he's no longer there. It was really refreshing to hear a messianic message finally. My defenses have been up due to all the different religions being pushed upon me. 

"Dave, I wonder if you can let me know by next week  on [such and such project] so that I can move forward."

Give me direction in this area so that I can move forward. 

Can we sit down together and work on a timeline. 

Is it okay if I follow up on that next week?

These are questions to ask my senior Pastor when I return so that I'm able to have more direction.

Day #15

Humble Beginnings.

Born in a cave... not even a nice cave. A dirty cave. It was dark. Probably lit with torches. 

Surely a King deserves better. 

You came as a baby... 

Raised as a servant. The lowest of low

Surely better provisions could have been made for my Savior. 

This was the place. (Or at least near it). Salvation has come. 

My God doesn't stay far away. He came near to me!

He could've though. He could have stayed in heaven. All the glories...all the beauty...forsaken. Left behind so that He could be near me...so that He could live as one of us. Oh what love the Savior has for us! 

I think of the riches I have. I've grown up far richer than my Savior. I've lived a opulent, lavish, affluent lifestyle. Did He come to give me that? 

He could have come and stayed in a luxurious Palace like Herod built for himself all over the land. But he came and was the poorest of the poor... 

Then He went through everything we went through... relating to me in the ultimate way...He came near to me...

Immanuel. God with us. And He'll never leave us. He promised He'll be with us forever. 

 

Being at the Church of the Nativity... I can't help but think that this is not the way Jesus would have wanted it. It was way too plush for Jesus. Our Savior isn't flashy. He's got the substance and the style. It's kinda the way it's always been. David wanted to build the Lord a temple... but God had him keep the ark in a tent. 

Phil 2:7 says that "He made himself nothing."

Nothing... He emptied himself. 

I'm listening to the song "Amazed." The line that is exactly how I'm feeling almost this entire trip.. "Lord I'm amazed by You... how You love me."

Day #14

Back from En Gev and Galilee. 

The resort was super nice... It was really interesting being out in the places where Jesus ministered. Why did he choose these areas? Doesn't he know that all the people are in the city? Tim Keller would be disappointed. I guess Jesus' ministry is a little different than Paul's or even mine. For some reason I felt more of a connection in Jerusalem than in Capernaum or even in Galilee. During our stay there, it felt so much more like a vacation than a spiritual experience. Hearing all the undergrad students screaming and messing around during our communion service was a bit annoying. The resort could have been mistaken for spring break Daytona Beach. 

Even sitting around the noise and the laughing... trying to catch a moment to reflect is difficult. (More Reflections written in notebook)

Day #7

Waking up and looking out into the Canyon at Mizpah-Ramon was amazing. I can't believe that erosion caused all of this. We got some really great pictures out there. It's so beautiful. Some might not consider it beautiful... I loved all the texture and depth of the rocks, craters, and canyons. It's real similar to Phoenix and Vegas. Some people are aren't into it though. Their loss. Israel truly has some diverse land. We went from the Mediterranean sea 

(not the best waves in the world for sure... it was super flat 1-2 feet slop) to the complete desert some of the most breathtaking scenery. It makes you feel really small. How long it took to erode. I've been on this planet for 28 years...that's probably the time it took for a few edges to form. I found myself speechless and in awe. I swear.. I could have stood out there and gazed into that Canyon forever. (Even with it being so beautiful...there was still a jackhammer going on in the background. I'm glad I brought my iPOD. I threw on some worship music... closed my eyes and felt the wind to my back). I must have been out there for an hour. After awhile, a flock of Ibex came to find food people drop off the observation deck. Creation is beautiful.  

The Wilderness was amazing as well. (I'm running out of adjectives) We did a short teaching session on contentment and obedience. We were really able to empathize with the Israelites in the desert. It was super hot even in the shade. I would get pretty frustrated with 40 years. I also would probably start missing my home in Egypt after a while. Hot, thirsty, dusty... I'm quick to complain. I'm quick to think that God has forsaken me. I'm quick to turn from Him.

He's so patient with me. 

What are some of the things that I am discontented with? 

Day 6-9

We spent the day in the coastal plains of Israel. First we went to the Sorek valley and Beth-Shemesh. This site was made famous by Samson. He began there and ended there. A life that started with so much potential. A gifted man. Yet he never was able to reach that potential. His life is stark warning to all those in ministry. The reason for this failure: lack of discipline. His parents didn't really help either. Instead, they acquiesced to his every whim. Perhaps this was because he was an only child. Perhaps it was because they feared his role as a Judge. 

I do not want to be remembered this way. "Hey, remember that Josh guy. Yeah, he could have done so much for the Lord. If he only had more discipline... or self control." May the Lord grant me wisdom and the ability to follow through. 

Next, we went to the Elah valley. Here we reenacted the story of David and Goliath. I got the privilege of playing David. What an amazing story of the faithfulness of God. The life David led was so simple. Tending sheep is a lowly task. Those relegated to doing such a deed weren't prominent people at all. We've seen these shepherd in the modern day setting. It isn't anything to phone home about. Yet this is where God chooses His king for Israel. David was also a musician. Not sure where he got the time to practice his harp... but it seems like he was pretty proficient at it. Yet even with all the faithfulness God showed David, he still had a major fall in his life. This is quite troublesome to me. Can a man after God's own heart really commit adultery? Can this man who loved God so much murder a man? Surely David's heart was more committed to God than mine and if he could fall, how much more can I? At the very least I need a Nathan to keep me on track. And another amazing testament to God is the provision of someone like Nathan. I believe I do have a Nathan in my life and I'm hoping that I will respond in the same way David did...with true repentance. 

Tel-Azekah gave us a great view of the coastal plains and the Shephelah (the low hills)

From there we went to Ashkelon which was the hometown for Herod. 

Day#5

My free day began with sleeping in. I really needed it. Then I actually got the privilege to watch the Lakers defeat the Jazz and advance to the Western Conference finals. (Hey...it's my free day) After the game was over, we left to go eat lunch inside the old city. The restaurant was Papa Andrea's. Good food for sure. Good ole Mediterranean food. Can't say that I don't love it. It's amazing. After that, we walked the Via Dolorosa. An amazing experience. We started out at the pool of Bethesda and made our way all the way to the Church of the Resurrection. I'm kinda getting tired of blazing through things. We need to slow down. I can't digest these things that fast. It's as if as we are doing them...I'm being insanely irreverent. I'm really not intentionally doing this. I want to slow down.. however, the group does move slow in general...a lot of time is wasted getting to place instead of at the places themselves. I'm getting tired of waiting and at the same time...tired of rushing through the actual sites. 

We saw a Korean group singing "Jesus shed His blood for me." Oh how I wanted to join this group and sing:

Jesus shed his blood for me, 
bore, for our salvation 
on his cross, the agony 

of a lost creation.

Refrain: 

Jesus, Lord, Jesus, Lord, 
for my sins they slew thee. 
Now by thy dear blood restored, 
draw the sinner to thee.

2. For what crime should he be killed, 
for his killers praying? 
Mad, that mindless mob has willed 
their Messiah's slaying

3. None there lives who does not know 
sin, bloodied as crimson; 
but the cross makes white as snow 
all in Christ's dominion.

4. Jesus, oh so fair art thou! 
My good friend, my Savior, 
thy grace, only, save me now, 
and from hell forever.