Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

Psalm 122

A Song of degrees of David:
I was glad when they said unto me:
'Let us go unto the House of the Lord'.
When our feet stood within thy gates, O Jerusalem;
O Jerusalem, built as a city that is united together;
For there the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord,
as a testimony of Israel,
to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.
For there are set thrones of judgement,
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
they that love thee shall prosper.
Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.
For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will say now,
peace be within thee.
For the sake of the House of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.

We arrived in Jerusalem today after touring many archaeological sites along the Jordan valley and ending with a stop in Bethlehem to see the Church of the Nativity which is over the approximate spot of the birth of Jesus.  As we made our way closer to Jerusalem we saw signs warning of minefields along the side of the road and we had to cross through check points since we came into Jerusalem from the West Bank and entered and exited Bethlehem.  It made me pause and think of how out of place this tension felt compared to the calm north in the Galilee.  I was very disturbed at how as I had an anticipation at seeing Jerusalem was suddenly distracted by the evidence of war and suffering that was occurring all around us.  I would ask all of you to pray for the peace of this City of God.  To pray for His people and that most of all that there will be salvation for both the Jews and Palestinians and that their chains would be broken bringing real freedom to that region of the world.

Keep Praying,

-AM

Evangelical Triangle

What a day we had!  Here are the highlights and thoughts for you.

Bethsaida

At Bethsaida we learned that it is not actually the site of the New Testament city of Bethsaida but an earlier Gershite city that reached its zenith during the Hellenistic period about 100 years before Bethsaida in Jesus’ time.  It was actually almost non-existent by the time of the Jesus.  At this site we took some time to observe the person of John the Baptist.  It was interesting to learn that he really had some of his Messianic ideas very wrong.  He felt that the Messiah would come to crush the Romans and rise to be the judge as the prophets say.  Instead Jesus comes only fulfilling the first part of the prophesies about the blind seeing and the gospel being preached to the poor.  John even had his doubts when he asked Jesus whether he was the one to come or whether they should look for someone else.  John became a doubter towards his death, however Jesus is still quoted as affirming and praising John’s preaching of the message of repentance to everyone.  It comforts me that even the “greatest among men” could have shortcomings that Jesus is able to look over!

Mt. of Beatitudes and Korazim

Jesus defends His status as a law abiding Jew.  He keeps the law in its fullest meaning and does not break the laws as it is often assumed he does.  Jesus is a very devout and faithful Jew.  The main discussion here was Jesus calling His people to righteousness and what that looks like in terms of the Hebrew.  The word actually means to be in the business of mercy and caring for other peoples wants and needs instead of focused on ourselves.  This was connected nicely at Korazim where we considered that Jesus wasn’t looking for an Israeli Zealot cheering section after the freedom of Israel but rather people who were willing to be like Jesus.  People who were willing to live and act in this very different idea of righteousness.

Capernaum

Probably the most powerful moment of the day came while in the church that sits over the home of Peter in Capernaum.  We all started singing “I love you Lord.”  It is such a simple and old song but it just resonated at that time of day.  Having been traveling through the Evangelical Triangle (Capernaum, Korazim, and Bethsaida) this day had an impact on me as I realized the we walked in the footsteps of Jesus and were understanding more about who He really was and began to grasp the gravity of His teaching to a Jewish audience.  As we sang that simple song in this 8 sided catholic sanctuary we could sense the Spirit of God descend on that place as if Jesus had just entered Capernaum after 2,000 years away.  I am still moved from that experience as I began to simply get a better picture of what it means to be like Jesus.

We finished the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.  We had the motor turned off and it was so quiet that evening on the lake.  As we just sat there and listened to God and imagined Jesus out with His disciples on the lake fishing with them and teaching them his ways.  Soon He would be headed toward Jerusalem to bear the cross and suffer for far more than just the Jews.  And tomorrow we also will begin making our way towards Jerusalem to contemplate Jesus culmination of His life on earth.

Shalom,

-AM

Springs of Life

Finally touring with the group today was a blessing for me.  I'm so grateful to be here in the places where Jesus ministered in Galilee.  The countryside is beautiful and we have absolutely amazing weather to go along with it.  Today we visited a few different sites north of the sea of Galilee including Tel Hazor (pronounced Hat-zor), Tel Dan, the ruins of Ceserea-Philipi, the possible site of the Transfiguration and the Golan Heights region.

Just a quick rundown on some of history behind these places:

Tel Hazor was the cheif Canaanite city in norther Palestine when Joshua was and the Israelites came into the land.  It is described in Joshua 11 as being burned by fire when the Israelites destroyed it.  We were actually able to see the residue of a fire from that time period in the rocks.  It could have very possibly been the burning of Hazor described in Joshua.  Later it became one of Solomon's fortified cities that guarded the northern entrance to Israel.

Ceserea-Philipi was a place that Jesus spent a significant amount of time and was the place where Peter's confession of faith was made.  The town is also at the foot of a mountain described to be the possible location of the transfiguration of Jesus.  The view on top of the mountain was breathtaking.

The most moving location for me was Tel Dan.  We visited En Dan which was the spring at Tel Dan.  It is always flowing even during droughts.  Our professor explained that he has come up to that spring after 3 year droughts and still the spring would be flowing consistently.  Jeremiah uses this as an example in Jeremiah 2:13:  

For My people have committed two evils:  They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

The imagery here is very agricultural.  For those who would dig cisterns for themselves would know exactly how much water they had at all times and could control and predict what would come next.  However, the spring is a risk.  It is much less predictable and there is a level of trust that must be taken when dealing with the spring.  Like God we are called to stop doing our own way and to take the risk of living of the real Living Water that is God.  Living in that place I am unable to measure my life and make it predictable.  Instead it has become a life built on faith and living by these Springs of Life.

I've been having some trouble uploading pictures to my blog.  If you have facebook you can look at them there.  Otherwise I will try and figure out that situation.  In the meantime thank you for your continued prayers.

Shalom,

-AM

SHALOM!

Greetings from the Holy Land!  I am sitting in our hotel lounge overlooking the Sea of Galilee!  I cannot believe I am actually here right now!  I had a great taxi ride to meet up with the group as well.  It was a two hour ride and my cab driver was a messianic jew!  His perspective on the person of Jesus and His fulfillment of the law so so fresh and real to hear.  It has now set a great tone for me for the rest of the trip.  I will post some pictures soon that you all can enjoy.

Shalom,

-AM

This Is Where the Stories Come From

The title is two fold.  Really, this place, Israel is where the stories come from.  The story of a faith and belief in something so irrational and so impossible that it just seems to good to be true.  But when I said this is where the stories come from, I also mean that these kinds of situations is where great God moments emerge from.  Being unable to go with my group to Israel this past Saturday gave me a chance to step back for a couple days.  I had been rushing around visiting friends and family back home and packing everything up for school for next semester and getting down to Nyack just made me feel very chaotic and not focused on the whole purpose of the trip and why I felt the desire to go in the first place.

For two days, I got back in position, settled myself and prayed that God would show up which is what I should have been earnestly asking for from the start.  I think now with all that has transpired since Saturday evening I can say that God has met me on this trip.  That I am now in the right spirit to be traveling in Israel as the Holy Spirit reveals more of God's identity to me.

As I write this next part I have since boarded the aircraft and am flying over Nova Scotia.  I am excited.  I have finally settled down knowing that I am on my way to my destination.  Let me quickly sum up exactly what happened...

On Saturday evening as I was checking in I was informed that my passport was damaged and I would not be able to fly.  I was completely shocked and not sure what to do.  I was given some good advice by Dr. Notley and Dr. Walborn as well as Wink Thompson who arranged our travel and accommodations, about figuring things out to join up with the rest of the group in Israel.  I was praying hard.  Like really really hard.  It was a wake up call to how I just wasn't really in the right spirit to be traveling and I was being shaken up.  Anyway, I got the information I needed to go to get a new passport on Monday morning.  Sunday I had to have my passport photos completed however, and wasn't sure how to take care of this.  Jimmy gave me a good idea to check on someone to do them and it worked out great!  (Thanks Jimmy and Bill!)

Second miracle was getting someone to be willing to drive me to the passport agency an hour and a half away in Connecticut early on a Monday morning.  Enter Jon Chowansky (Thanks buddy.)  My really good friend Jon that I met at Seton Hall University (Before I transferred), said he would take me up to Connecticut and then to JFK afterwards.  (What a pal).

Second problem solved, now just to get the passport.  I arrived without a good copy of my birth certificate (I had a scan), and was not sure how things would go.  I got my forms together and got a number to get in line to get a passport.  I began praying and asking God that He would get me my passport.  Then I stopped and thought, why should I ask for so little of God?  Here I am a college student who never has money; why wouldn't I pray that my fairly new passport would be considered defective and that a way would be provided that I wouldn't have to pay!  I prayed for just that:  A free passport.  And...God delivered massively!!  A fresh passport completely updated and replaced and I didn't have to pay $135 for a new one!  Miracles upon miracles!

I was so blessed to be able to have this experience honestly.  I feel like I will have a much deeper appreciation for this trip considering I almost wasn't able to go on it.  I'm still not sure what the whole point of this little detour was.  But in some ways it is a lot like Paul.  He didn't always go where he wanted to when he wanted to.  But things always worked for the glory of the Father.  See, it's stuff like this.  Time's like these.  That's where stories come from.

Next blog from Israel,

-AM

And then life hits like a train...

So problem.  I am not in Israel right now.  I am not flying to Israel right now.  I am sitting in the food court at JFK International Airport waiting for someone to come pick me up from the airport.  Apparently my passport has damage to it that makes it unacceptable for travel.  My fault.  I didn’t think there would be damage since I’ve used it twice in the past.  However, for those of you that were absolutely dying to follow this blog have no fear.  I will be joining the rest of the group as my flight has been changed to Monday evening and I will be in Israel on Tuesday.  (Thank you ticket counter attendant for being so kind to me!)

Am I disappointed?  Absolutely.  I would be lying if I said I was ok with it.  But just like anything that happens in life, I’m sure this will produce character (if handled correctly) and a healthy paranoia that my passport is always in tip top condition!  And so, instead of lessons learned in Israel I will be learning lesson about dealing with disappointment and being patient for things that are worthwhile.  (Not to mention that I have invested $3,000 into this trip!!)  Instead of just giving up and not going on the trip, I will continue to see what God can do in this disappointing time and still keep the anticipation of going on this trip.  I think now more than ever, I will be thankful for the experience.  Perhaps even more thankful that I ever would have been and I will never take it for granted.

I was just thinking of the song by Brenton Brown, Everlasting God.  The verse to that song is so simple but so powerful in its message:  “Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord.”  So I’m not sure what to do with that except wait upon the Lord and see what He wants me to do.

Please continue to keep myself and the rest of the group in your prayers that all goes according to God’s big plan!

-AM

And here we go!

Writing this quick note from a friends house where I stayed last night in Nyack.  I will be meeting up with everyone in about two hours over at the college and we will be headed to JFK to catch our 6:00 pm flight.  We received an email from our professor this morning who is already over in Israel taking care of some business.  He said all is quiet and our anxieties should be put to rest.  

I am very excited about what this trip will bring.  I was talking with a friend last night who is also a worship leader and we were discussing songs coming out of our experience over there that have a deep connection to the Promised Land.  Especially with Jerusalem and all that is said in the Psalms about Jerusalem and its prominence and importance in a spiritual sense.  As we tour and as we meet people of this region I fully anticipate God to begin doing something miraculous.  I really don't know what it is, but whether it is some songs are written, or its just a fresh perspective I'm resting assured that God has great plans for our travels in the middle-east and He will show Himself brilliantly!

Next blog from Israel!

Stay Classy,

-AM