I have been trying to give you a report of what I have seen and heard this week so that I can share with you the experience that I am having. I can tell you that my life has been changed. My heart is overflowing with God's love, joy, and peace!
This morning we went to the house of Caiaphas the high priest. This is the place where Jesus was taken after he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is also the place where Peter denies Jesus three times! The Bible tells us that Peter followed Jesus from afar. I wonder how many of us are really following Jesus from afar? If we are following from afar, it won't be long until we begin to deny Jesus!
We were also in the place where they probably held Jesus until they were able to try him. It was an old water cistern. We were in this cistern and we were singing Above All! As we sang I just began to weep! I wept as I thought about Jesus taking my place! Listen to the words of the song,
"Crucified, laid behind a stone, he lived to die, rejected and alone, like a rose trampled on the ground, he took the fall, and thought of me, Above all!"
What a powerful reminder of what Jesus has done for us! Everything that he did, he did for us! Everything that he suffered, he suffered for us! I was just overwhelmed being in this place where Jesus gave it all. I also put a picture of the road outside where very likely they brought Jesus up to Caiaphas' house.
I added a picture that shows where we were. You can see the hole at the top. This is where they lowered Jesus through and lifted him out again. The thought that came to my mind was, "he brought me up out of a horrible pit, and set my feet upon a rock!"Jesus was put in a pit so that I could get out. So as I stood there in that pit, I was reminded of my own sin and how Jesus loved me so much that he died that I might live!
We also went to Bethlehem to the Church of the Nativity! This is the place where it is believed Jesus was born. Most of the places like this in Israel have churches built over them. The reason for that is that if they didn't build a church, the Muslims would build a mosque. On this site of the nativity there are three churches, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Roman Catholic. And when I say there are three churches, I mean they are under the same roof! I thought that was a little weird, but apparently it works for them.
We went downstairs where they had a star on the floor in the very spot where they believe Jesus was born and where he was laid in the manger.
This week I have been from Galilee to Bethlehem, from The Mount of Olives to the Garden of Getsemane. I have been from Caiaphas' house to the Garden Tomb. I have literally walked where our Lord walked! I don't understand why people do not surrender everything to Christ and follow him. He is real, he is alive, and he is coming again!
We leave early in the morning to head back to the states. I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it! May The Lord richly bless you and keep you! I will see you Sunday!
No comments:
Post a Comment