time for reflection

the journey of the cross

an old old olive tree

St. George’s Monestary

Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadows, Thou art with me

a Bedouin, a friend

friends

Day 13 Friday

Today was a day to be our own tour guides. Go back to places that we missed or were meaningful, do some final souvenir shopping just enjoy this amazing place.

For David and I, we wanted to get back to Gethsemane. It had been closed to us that first full day of touring because of the Pope’s visit. The courtyard at the church, which has some of the oldest olive trees, looks more like a garden rather than the olive grove that Jesus would have prayed in, but the trees themselves were amazing. What was most special was the time spent outside across the street from the church. Sitting on a wall overlooking an olive grove toward the lions gate and down the Via Delarosa. If you (click on the picture to bring it full screen) look carefully for the small dome with a cross way in the distance, you see the Church of the Holy Sepulcher that marks the spot of the crucifixion. We couldn’t help but think of Jesus in prayer, at the beginning of that long journey and all that lay before Him, the end from the beginning. I talked to David, in the only way I could relate, about how scary childbirth is before you start. The pain, the duration, the fear you have as you start the journey. The hardest moment is the moment when you still have all that pain ahead of you. While you are going through it you just take 1 pain, 1 breath at a time until the end, when you have the immense joy of that new life.

Yet for the JOY set before Him, He endured the cross. That I might have new life.

I have also been so very touched by Jesus’ immense PEACE. It just seems that He walked the journey to the cross knowing Who He was and what His Mission was. Again, I said to David, I want to pray over our children and for us, that we have a quiet assurance for our mission for this season. Because I think that regardless of the circumstances, there can be a deep abiding peace when we are walking in God’s Will for us. Knowing He will never leave us nor forsake us, that always He walks that journey with us.

I also thought about how often Jesus went to the Mt. of Olives to pray, by Himself, and with His disciples. To have some time away from the hustle and bustle that must have been Jerusalem during the times of Festival. Just about everywhere you go in Israel there are crowds, tours, bus tours, school tours. At times it was difficult to find a corner for just our group where we could study and contemplate the significance of where we were. Again, sitting there among the olive trees I thought of how often Jesus searched for a time and a space to spend time with His Father and His disciples.

After Gethsemane and St. Anne’s church at the pools of Bethesda, where the lame man kept waiting for someone to lower him into the pool when the waters stirred, we did some final shopping for coffee and falafel pitas and a prayer shawl for David. Then some quiet time back at Ecce Homo.

It is absolutely so relaxing there on the roof top terraces! And, I found the chapel there a wonderful place to spend time for prayer and reflection.

Our very last group activity was to go back to the wilderness along the road from Jericho to Jerusalem. There is a place called Wadi Qelt. You are on an extremely high point and look out towards St. George Monastery, built over 1000 years ago right into the cliff. The wind was so overwhelming there that I had trouble standing up, trouble hearing Aaron reading Psalm 23 and Psalm 63. We arrived just at sunset so we watched the sun sink below the wilderness hills as we stood there. He gave us about 20 minutes or so for personal reflection and prompted us with thoughts to Remember. Remember this place and all the times you feel you are in a dry wilderness and have the need of a Savior, a Good Shepherd to lead you through valleys of shadow to streams and comfort and restoring for your soul. Such a powerful way to end this most amazing trip.

And now we turn our hearts toward home.