July 20, 2016

CLOSER TO GOD: ISRAEL TRIP

We are Christians. It’s who we are. We believe that Christ was born, died, and resurrected on the 3rd day. We are not religious; we are spiritual. We urge you not to only read the Bible, but to also put it in practice. Amazing things happen when you build a relationship with God; yes, miraculous things. We’ve seen it happen, we see it every day. I could go on and on about incredible things that have happened in my life and those around me because of our great God. How great is He? King above all kings. God is not only a big part of our lives, he is the reason we live. He is everything to us. The son of God, Jesus Christ, saves. He saved me.

Our trip to Israel was truly more than a dream come true. No dream is better than a reality our God puts us in. To actually walk in the land Jesus once walked on was the most humbling thing that’s happen to me thus far. Each and every place we visited is drenched in history. It is the place where the greatest true story ever took place. People say the only constant is change, but I say the only constant is God. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Mighty is He. His word will forever be heard.

We visited Bethlehem, the city where Jesus was born. Although Bethlehem is in Palestine and we were told it is dangerous, we had to go. God is our refuge, we shall not fear. We also visited Nazareth, the city where Jesus grew up. Being there was unbelievable. We visited The Sea of Galilee, here Jesus walked on water. We were in an area full of restaurants, ice cream shops, etc. We paid little attention to that. These shops are elevated and there is railing separting them from the water. With one glance we saw a rope hanging down. Going down this rope would get us to the water. Not thinking twice, one by one we made our way down and touched the sea. Those moments will stay with me forever. The sky was pitch black but the moon shined bright ahead of us. Looking up, I smiled. I felt alive.

We floated in The Dead Sea. It is one of the saltiest places on earth and it is 1,407 feet below sea level, Earth’s lowest elevation on land. You can grab a newspaper and read it as you float on. It was such a great experience. Before getting there, we walked through the Judaen desert, rode a camel, and were invited for some coffee in the middle of the desert by some of the locals. Another day, we swam in the Jordan River in Tiberias. This is where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Oh, how blessed and grateful we are to have been there. All glory to God.

Our apartment, where we stayed for about a month, was located in Jerusalem. Multiple days we walked around Old City Jerusalem. We walked through shops and made a few friends. The shop owners were all quite welcoming. We came across a shop owner who asked if we could take him and his son a picture. We did. With a smile on his face, he said because of our courtesy he would love to invite us to his store to give us a small gift. He did. We talked about God and how he has worked in our lives. Life makes sense with God by your side. He puts people in your life for a reason. I pray I meet people who follow Him. When I do, it is never coincidence. There is purpose, to praise His name.

In Old City Jerusalem we visited The Western Wall, King David’s palace, and The Last Supper Room. During the Last Supper, Jesus told his disciples one of them would betray him. He died for our salvation.

We visited the West Bank City of Hebron. If you are aware of the Israeli and Palestinian conflict, you must conclude that very few tourists actually attempt to go here. On our way to Hebron we ran into a man who warned us we would not be allowed to enter Hebron. He said this would happen because we were driving rental cars. We knew that we had to go regardless of what we were told. If God is with me, whom shall I fear? So we headed to Hebron. We drove past empty apartments and desolated streets. All of a sudden, we saw a young man down the street. We stopped the car to talk to him. Seconds later, a group of little boys with smiling faces rushed to us and stood amongst us. They were happy to see us. Why us? Maybe in some sort of way, we were bearers of hope.

We took pictures with them and said our “see you laters” and kept driving through the city. We were in search of the Cave of Machpelah, also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs. This is one of the holiest places in Israel. The tombs of three biblical couples can be found here: Abraham and Sarah, Isacc and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah. We had to reach our destination. We did. It easily became one of the most interesting places we have ever laid foot in.

We also visited Tel-Aviv, a very modern city in Israel. We went to the beach here and delighted ourselves in the clear water. We watched the sunset and I thought, “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters. Wherever You would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior.”

Jesus did not die in vain. Many find themselves lost in life, many search for answers, those answers only God provides. Jesus has touched the lives of those who have opened their hearts to let Him in. If you do that, your life changes for the better and forever. This was a trip of a lifetime. We live in a beautiful world, we just need to allow it to be. God’s grace be with you. God bless you.

The desert & The Dead Sea