Sea of Galilee

I have returned home to the United States, but there is one other place we visited in Israel that I would like to share about. The final five days of our 17 day pilgrimage to the Holy Lands were spent along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, a place in which Jesus called home and conducted much of his ministry during his 33 years.

The impact of the trip began to set in and become more real during our visit of the villages where Jesus taught, healed and lived among the people. A definite highlight of my trip was our tour of the ancient village of Capernaum. It was in Capernaum that Peter lived and it is believed that Jesus too, called Peter's home his own home as well. Everything about this village altered much of my perception and imagery I had previously held in my reading of the Scriptures. For starters, Peter's house stood approximately 100 feet from the entrance to the synagogue. In between stood the other homes of the village, side by side, often sharing outer walls. Kind of crazy how close everything was - Jesus was practically in a parsonage! This gave me an entirely new appreciation and realization that Jesus was far and away, the first rural preacher. We finished the day in the church with a glass floor which looks into Peter's "living room." We sat in silent reflection as I read aloud from the Gospel of Mark (Chapter 1:14 through 3:6) which included Jesus' ministry in Capernaum.

Other days included visits to the site where Jesus multiplied the fish and loaves and fed five thousand people (not including children and women) and Sunday worship upon the Mount where Jesus preached about the kingdom of heaven, aka the Beattitudes (Matthew 5.)

But perhaps the greatest part of our time in Tiberias by the Sea of Galilee was the time I spent in prayer and exploration. Climbing Mt. Zeruya by the Dead Sea gave me such a thrill and mountain top experience that I was eager to try for the sequel in Tiberias. Standing by the same waters that Jesus walked upon, one is surrounded by high places creating a bowl-like environment. The Sea of Galilee is not large, perhaps the size of a moderate lake by Minnesota standards. It is no wonder why it is often referred to as a lake in the Bible. I couldn't help but be curious about the hills - which one was Jesus' favorite? 

I hinted to the others that if given any free time I would be interested in climbing one of the hills near our hotel in order to get a higher vantage point of the Sea. Initial inspection was negative as barbed wire fence kept would-be climbers like me off its hilltops. Instead, I found myself upon the rocks at the shoreline. Much to my delight, I was able to check the Sea of Galilee off my imaginary list of famous water surfaces to skip rocks off of!  But what a treat to have shared solitude and prayer with God along the same lake that Jesus and his disciples ministered on and around so often over 2000 years ago. And even cooler was that in the distance to the north one could see Mt. Hermon, known as the "high mountain" in the account of Jesus' transfiguration, another favorite of mine. But as awesome as my time on sea level was, I could not shake off the desire to ascend the heights of the hills around me.

A few days would go by until we returned to the hotel with daylight still left for us to do with as we pleased. On that particular occasion, I found myself taking another leisurely stroll behind the hotel. And lo and behold, I stumbled upon an opening in the fence line. I remember thinking, "how's that for an invitation?" before grinning from ear to ear and beginning my climb up the steep hill. There were no switch-backs or anything that resembled a trail, but I was determined to find a place to sit and pray overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Daylight was fading quickly, but I managed to reach the halfway point of the hill that God so subtly provided for me. As I sat catching my breath, I was nearly overwhelmed by the clarity with which one could see the boats atop the surface of the Sea. Suddenly I found myself in Jesus' place as he prayed alone the night leading up to his miraculous walk upon the Sea. He must've easily been able to see the storm quickly descend upon the disciples - not to mention hear their cries of distress. And then it hit me square in the face - Jesus' love for us and his ability and desire to be with us and to rescue us from danger. Yes, God is never far off from us, no matter how fierce the wind and waves around us may seem. I pictured Jesus moving with quickness and descending the hill and taking the most direct path he could towards the disciples... and this all from an easy, albeit mild form of trespassing, excursion up the hills of Galilee.

But my time with God didn't end there. I stood and debated whether or not to go further up the hill. And then I spotted something on the summit. It was moving - eating the grasses upon the hilltop. I hiked a little higher to get a glimpse. It was a horse. It did not notice me, so I climbed up a little more - at which point it did notice me and stopped and stared in my direction. Clearly, we were each just as surprised to see one another. I was so perplexed - cattle perhaps, but a horse? I decided to not go any further, and then my imagination went into overdrive and alerted my legs that it was high time to make a break for it. My adrenaline increased as I slowly made my way back down the steep hill. And yet, I remained so happy and excited about that encounter - and totally baffled as to the reason/story behind the horse.

After reaching the flat land again and making my way back to the hotel, I realized I had made the right decision by not going up further - for light quickly faded and left most of my walk back a very dark one. Was the horse there to "encourage" my descent? Who knows, but I give God thanks for such a mysterious and intimate encounter with the Holy Spirit during what was clearly some very Holy Time.

Mt. Zeruya

I met and spoke with a woman on our trip who says she can hear the voice of God speaking to her. my experience is not the same, but I do sense when God is nudging me. Take for instance the other day when I went for that hike. I sensed God nudging me to go off the beaten path, even after I had decided not to. I ended up doubling back and going anyway. Then when I reached the "top" and ran into those hikers who gave me that water, I had this yearning to keep going. I smartly decided to stay put. But that nudge wouldn't go away quietly over the next two days.

Today we were told that we would have the afternoon to ourselves after a morning's worth of touring together. the nudge returned. mt. Zeruya? I thought. impossible, I need a permit. I asked at the front desk about the permit. "You need to pick that up at the entrance to the nature preserve." Well, that pretty much settled it. the preserve was two kilometers away and there was no way for me to get it and do the hike afterwards. well, our first stop this morning was to the nature preserve. the hike was suddenly looking possible again! I talked with our guide, Dr. Luker, who seemed optimistic and encouraging for me to pursue the hike once we returned around 2pm. We spoke with the park official about the permit required and he waved us off and said I didn't need one. It was settled - the hike was on! We didn't return to base camp from this mornings activities until 2:45 pm. There were dark rain clouds approaching from the north. I had tried my best at recruiting a few companion hikers during the morning and had two interested. and then I felt the nudge. the nudge that said "you're doing this hike." And that was that. I decided it was worth at least trying. The hikers the other day told me two hours up and one hour down. At that rate we most likely would not reach the summit by the time we would need to turn around in order to make it back before sun down. But that nudge for adventure just would not subside. My companions looked to me for the call. "Meet at my room in five minutes. we are going for a hike," I declared.

We left for the summit of mt. Zeruya at 3 pm. I took the lead with Sammy and Chip following close behind. as a trio we decided that at 4:30 we would turn around no matter where we were. it was a grueling hike. Rated difficult for a reason, we climbed up and up and up forever. the path was marked well but very rocky. at times we had to do hand over hand climbing. the wilderness took on a whole new meaning for me. we encountered no other living thing save for a few desert flowers which had yet to bloom. there were a few water breaks and pauses for pictures, but for the most part we just kept moving forward and up. I can't remember a more intense hike. I wondered how far we would get by 4:30, it was so steep that the was no telling where the summit would appear from. My thoughts drifted to old testament times and Moses and Joshua hiking through the wilderness and suddenly having a new found appreciation and awe for them. I thought about Jesus hiking up a mountainside to pray in solitude. It didn't get any more desolate than this. I thought bout my brother Dave and how much he would be loving this and his adventurous spirit urged me on, especially in places where the view around me was spectacular. I prayed for my family and all the happenings for them at that very moment.

After about an hour of ascension, I started to realize that we were getting very close to the top. I resisted the urge to say "almost there" because I knew there would be a false summit awaiting me when I did. I was right. But, despite that, we were still almost there. I had to pause and make Sammy get a shot of me at what was one of the most terrifying corners - the kind where it's wall and then it's a drop off on the other side. I mentioned that this would be the Picture that scares the hell out of my Dad (among others!) We pressed on. and then, after just a little over an hour, we reached the summit of Mt. Zeruya, 200 meters above sea level, 1500 feet from where we started, give or take. It was incredible! I made sure to bring my Bible, and during one of our water breaks, I read Psalm 46 to give us a little perspective and a boost. At the top, Psalm 121. We laughed and soaked up the jaw dropping sights from the top. we observed some silence. Two birds flew over our heads. Wondered where the third one was... no words can describe that view. exhausting? So. Worth. It. we descended quickly but carefully, hoping to make it out of the tough stuff by sundown. We gave our props to my Dad at the scary corner, which we affectionately named "Rod's Corner" and we scaled back down without pitching over the side. all in all, we made it out before dark, give or take a few minutes. no rain. No mountain lions. no border police. no jordanian prison cells. just pure joy and thanksgiving. two hours VERY well spent!

The Wilderness

Our three days in Jerusalem were very full - and I enjoyed them immensely. But there is something equally exciting about the wild places - the rural, the open and the desert - the wilderness. We have stepped away from the crowds and the lines at various holy places like Jesus' manger, cross and tomb, (which were all very thought-provoking and meaningful in their own special way,) and now find ourselves immersed in the bromide filled air of the Dead Sea. Whether you are a history buff or not, the holy lands are fascinating in the large scope of human history. The Temple in Jerusalem blew my mind. It was so awesome to see in person and to visualize how life in the ancient times operated through this massive piece of architecture. I also really liked the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsamene and Church of all Nations. I can't wait to have these places come to mind in my future reading of the scriptures.

One of the museums we stopped at on the way out of Jerusalem had a model of the Temple from 70 ad. It was incredible. Could've stayed a whole day there. Of course, I also pictured how cool it would have been breaking out the old GI Joes and having a hey-day amidst that Temple model, but maybe that's just me. On the way to the Dead Sea we stopped at Jericho, the oldest city on earth. Here we ate at "The Mount of Temptations Restaurant." Seriously. Yes, this is where the supposed temptations of Jesus took place, specifically the one where Satan takes Jesus up a high mount and offers the kingdoms of the world. The restaurant offered a monster buffet for its hungry American tourists. I did my best to refuse to "eat as much as you want" that the restuarant slogan touted by having only soup (broth) and bread. I was a tad appalled at how much food people put on their plates. Made me wonder if people from other countries loaded up as much food as we Americans often do. I have worked hard this trip at self-control, sometimes successful. Anyway, after lunch we went and looked at the oldest human structure ever made - a watchtower like thing made of stones which dates back 10,000 years! To stand at a place where people existed that long ago blows my mind. How can a picture capture a powerful fact like that? So I took some rocks, too.

And now I sit 1300 feet below sea level on the shores of the Dead Sea - the lowest place on earth. It can only go up from here. Literally. It's crazy to think how vastly different Jerusaelm and Ein Gedi are - one sits 2700 feet about sea level in the Judean hill country while the other is lower than low, on the coast of the salt filled waters of the Dead Sea. Both are beautiful in many different ways. Yesterday I experienced floating/levitating/flying in the waters of the Dead Sea. What an odd feeling. Lean back and up you float. No matter your position, the forces below simply would not allow you to sink. It was awesome. And I spent it in great company which made the moment even better! After that we smothered dead sea mineral mud on ourselves and baked in the sun, washing off with a warm and "refreshing" sulfur shower. Never thought bathing in sulfur would be refreshing, but it was. As long as you didn't get any in your eyes or mouth. Disgusting. Completing the spa package was a dip in the hot springs where I thought my legs were catching fire by the 21 plus minerals which were apparently making my skin healthier. Guess my complexion has never been better. Wish my wife were here to testify to that!

So today was reserved as a day of solitude, reflection and private prayer. I chose to go for a hike around the resort. Sat and reflected at an overlook of the Moab mountain range and Dead Sea (which gets its name partly due to the fact that no living thing lives in its depths) and sharing space with several ibex. An ibex is basically a small deer with huge curvy horns which could easily gore you. They were friendly though. I gave them some space anyway. I ended up discovering this sweet trail up the hill behind the resort. I didn't have much water, but being just outside the fence of the resort, I figured I was pretty safe. Don't worry, the story isn't going to end with me in a Jordanian prison accused of espionage. Although, I have to admit, that thought did cross my mind. What DID happen however, was that I had one of those awesome me and God moments where everything was beautiful, peaceful and epic - and I had to stop every three minutes or so and give God thanks for creation and the natural beauty and wonder all around me. I took a lot of pictures but I know they will simply not do it justice. So I get to the place where I am going to turn around and head back, but all I want to do is sit and take in the view around me. Two hikers come down the mountain at that moment and in limited English encourage me to keep going up to the summit. "Two hours up and one hour down." Tempting. But then I notice a big sign next to the trail that says "border zone, no access without permit." I try to decline without seeming like a wuss. He gives me a liter of water. Any other country, I would have been on my way up. But, no passport on me and images of news headlines made the decision easy. I could hear a waterfall in the near distance. Wanted to go so bad. But, I stayed and worshiped God with Psalm 84 (my personal trip text) and some much needed prayer and quiet time. Tomorrow we are back on the road to the wilderness of Israel. I still miss home and my loved ones, but email and phone calls have made all the difference - not to mention finally being able to sleep through the night. Blessings to you all - let me know if you have any questions, would love to hear from you!

Jerusalem and The Old City

Day one of my pilgrimage to the Holy Land was awesome. So much to tell, so little time. Our hotel is really close to the old city, the ancient Jerusalem. We go from a very modern city to ancient stones in no time at all. Really liked the view of the Mount of Olives - the image of the white washed tombs aligning the hill leading up it has just stuck with me. The view from the Temple is incredible. Today I walked where Jesus and his disciples walked and I sat where Jesus taught, upon some steps with the city of David behind you. A highlight was definitely the Western Wall, also known as The Wailing Wall. This wall was a retaining wall for the second temple which was destroyed in 70 AD. The lower stones represent the actual wailing wall. There are cracks that you can put prayers into. I put my hand on the wall after stuffing a prayer into the wall. The wall was quite cold to the touch. What an incredible experience. I didn't really know what to expect, but after that experience I found myself emotional. I reckon it was the Spirit and His presence in hearing all of those prayers throughout the centuries. Further to the south of this wall is a relatively new excavation site in which a much larger section of the western wall has been discovered, including the original walkway where Jesus and his disciples would have trod. Crazy. There is also a pile of rubble which signals the Roman destruction of the temple. The smallest stone is said to weigh two and a half tons. The manpower that went into building this temple and many of the other structures we see is really hard to fathom.

At the end of the day we walked through Hezekiah's Tunnel. This tunnel was two feet wide and as much as eight feet high, higher in some spots. Made in like the 8th century, guys used pick axes for over eighteen hundred feet. This rock was hard. It would take jackhammers awhile. Water was knee high in places. It was so intense. When we entered the temple, it was kind of odd to see so much security, going to see such a religious place never would have been where I thought I would come within inches of an AK47 machine gun. I begin to wonder if having such a strong military presence is necessary. Yet both then and now things can escalate in such an emotionally charged location so it's easy to understand why certain measures (like having riot gear near by) are taken. Yes, this is truly holy ground. But it is also quite ordinary...

Travel Alert

In two days I leave for Israel to tour the Holy Land for 17 days. I am extremely excited for this opportunity of a lifetime. But I'll be honest, I'm also a little scared. The security situation in Israel-Palestine is uncertain, unstable, dangerous - you name it. I have not received any indication that our group will be intentionally placed in harm's way nor will we be traveling to those areas of conflict - but just the thought of being in the same country where so much blood has been shed is a bit unnerving to say the least. And yet, I cannot contain my excitement for being a part of something so intense - I expect my imagination and adrenaline will be greatly stirred - I have longed for this kind of adventure for some time now. It's going to be awesome!

I am also feeling sad at the thought of having to be apart from my wife and daughter for such an extended time. I am unsure how often I will speak with them and am pretty sure I won't see their faces for the duration of my travels. The time missed being together will surely weigh on my heart while I am away, and I am already looking forward to a joyful reunion upon my safe return!  I am so blessed to have had so much time with Natalie during the last few months of Daddy Day Care - I cannot describe here how much I adore and cherish this little girl. The same can definitely be said of Rebecca. The last time she and I were apart this many days we were still dating as she went to Guatemala for a month in college. I suppose it's my turn now. (The thought of being apart for 17 days causes me to give thanks for those in the military who do this ALL THE TIME. Their commitment is a powerful testament, regardless of where one stands on military involvement...)

Regardless of my concerns and fears, I know that God will be with me (and my family) every step of the way. It has always been my experience that in times of fear and uncertainty that the Holy Spirit is close - empowering, comforting and busy behind the scenes. This trip serves as a terrific way to draw close to God for some quality "God-bonding" and restoration of the soul. I expect to come home refreshed in the faith and eager to share what God is and has been up to while out of the country.

Stepping out of our comfort zones is necessity in my humble opinion. Whether it's taking a risk by putting the squeeze on our checking account and traveling to a country under a "travel alert" like Israel or committing to some never done it that way before kind of adventure or idea, I am continually inspired by a God who calls us to the fringes of life, to places that we fear and would otherwise avoid at all costs. 2012 will be a year unlike any I've ever faced. At this point, I'll either be heading into ministry full time as an ordained Pastor in the ELCA or I'll be putting that path on hold for one year in order to travel the world - two incredible opportunities and adventures of which I am eager (and terrified) to experience!  

But first: The Holy Land!