Israel: Back from the Land

I am just returned from two weeks leading a tour group to Israel. What an incredible experience God provided for us in that place! Allow me to just share with you a couple of highlights that blessed my own heart. First, the hillsides of Galilee were alive with a palette of colors. From the deep crimson of the anemones (we might call them poppies) to the bright yellow of the mustard, and from the pure whites and passionate pinks of the wild cyclamens to the fading blues of the remaining lupines the hillsides spoke powerfully of their Creator. As we drove through the hillsides of both the Upper and Lower Galilee Mountains, my heart was drawn to that passage in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus says these words to His followers: "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these" (Matthew 6:28-29). I am convinced that Jesus gave this Sermon in the spring of the year when the wild flowers were sharing their beauty before their Lord. Israel is truly magnificent in the spring of the year. Second, it was a bright, nearly haze-free morning when we boarded the boat that would take us onto the Sea of Galilee. Excitement ran high as we anticipated the experience of being on the Sea. Something happened early on that ride that profoundly touched many of us. As is customary, the American flag is hoisted and our national anthem is played. It is an amazing feeling to be singing our anthem in a foreign setting. But, then we listened as the Israeli national anthem was played. As the words of that anthem - expressing the hope of the people of Israel - were being sung, the two flags - one from the United States and one from Israel - seemed to embrace as one. I noticed tears in the eyes of many. Oh that our nation would embrace the people of Israel as those two flags did on that sun-kissed boat. Jerusalem was a sea of people, at times you literally could not fall down. The walk up the Via Dolorosa from the Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was an arduous one. At times you felt like you were hemmed in on every side with little breathing room. Then I thought of that Good Friday when Jesus, weak from a sleepless night and from the horrific beatings He had experienced, was forced to carry His cross through a similar mob scene. I think I received a new appreciation for all that He endured for me. People asked if I felt safe. The answer is a strong yes. While we were in the Negev we heard the Israeli planes flying over head. In one place, we were told that we could not take pictures focusing in a certain direction because secret military exercises were being done in the area. And while in Jerusalem, we witnessed many young recruits who were being initiated into their particular military field. Friends, I would strongly encourage you to consider taking a journey to His Land. It will bring the Scriptures into a sharper focus for you, as well as instill within you a sense of what God is presently doing in His Land. A journey to Israel is one way in which we can share with the world that we are standing with its people.