Was it worth it?
My strong encouragement
for Judi to come with me to Israel resulted in her agreeing to make the trip. The long flight – 2 hours to Toronto, 5 hours layover, another 11 hours flight to Tel Aviv, and then the slow process of getting 40 of our fellow travelers through immigration and onto our bus, all took a toll, and we were beat.
Yet our first day in Israel unfolded from weariness to excitement as we drove the hour or so up the old battle-scarred road from the Mediterranean coast to Jerusalem.
Our first night
in the old country was a chance to recover from the travel weariness, and the next morning we met our tour guide for the first time.
It ends up, he was a contagiously happy man who had been leading tours for 12 years, but was with TBN tours for the first time today. He was full of information, patient with the slowest of our group, and enthusiastic with sharing his passion for his native country and its amazing history.
He is a strong Zionist, and seemed to be a nominal believer in the religion of the Jewish nation.
(Side Note: Just what is a Zionist?
A Zionist is a person who supports the right of Jews to have a homeland- their own sovereign country – in Israel. Interestingly, you will find that there are Zionists and anti-Zionists in surprising places. Of course there are Jews who are Zionist, but not all Jews are Zionist. Some practicing Jews are, and some very devout Jews do not believe that Jews should have their own country in Israel. The reasons are varied, but mostly this happens when the person believes that the Messiah will be the one to form a homeland in Israel, but not until He comes to earth, again, missing the fact that He already DID come to earth – 2000 years ago. There are Palestinian Christians who are Zionist, and some who are not. There are Americans who are, including me, and some who are not. Of course, this mix of beliefs adds still more pressure to the chaotic political and social situation in the Holy Land.)
On this night of our first outdoor concert,
after a long day of walking, talking, learning and immersing in the Jewish culture and the Jerusalem story, he settled us into our position on the steps of the 2400 year-old approach to the temple mount. The steps known as The Teaching Steps, are where Jesus told parables and answered questions that jarred thoughts out of ruts dug by centuries of religion, and where He set the Pharisees straight on topics of law versus grace.
This was the setting for a concert at which 2000 of us would sing praises to God, worshiping Jesus with songs that echoed out over a city that has waited for 3000 years for the coming of their Messiah. Waiting for the event that they missed 2000 years ago when Jesus rode a donkey down the Mount of Olives, across the Kidron Valley, and into the old city, up into the temple where he turned tables and attitudes upside down.
We felt that the worship actually changed the atmosphere of the city
– and perhaps of our guide, as he watched and listened to us Christians get lost in worship of the God who lives, and Who loves us people. I feel that that evening brought the first stirrings of a hunger for change. Will we see 3000 years of longing, of waiting for something that could finally slake the thirst of the soul, fulfilled?
It felt like the city, and the heart of our guide, paused for a moment to consider the claims of Yeshua ha Meshiak (Jesus the Messiah.)
Those 20 some odd hours of uncomfortable travel, were already showing themselves to be well worth the experience of this amazing time in the land as old as creation itself.
This is the first of six installments that cover our trip to the Land God Loves the Most.
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