X Marks the Spot!

The maps from last month are now covered with many Xs.  In the last few weeks, I have been fortunate to stand in many treasured places.  I have walked along the streets of Jesus’ hometown of Capernaum.  I looked at layer upon layer of destroyed cities where Joshua once blew the horn and the walls came tumbling down.  I sat and listened to teachings on a hill side where Jesus may have taught his disciples.  I stood in the ruins of the prisons in Caesarea where the Apostle Paul was kept for two years. 

Barbara Brown Taylor in one of my favorite books says, “No one longs for what he or she already has, and yet the accumulated insight of those wise about the spiritual life suggests that the reason so many of us cannot see the red X that marks the spot is because we are standing on it. The treasure we seek requires no lengthy expedition, no expensive equipment, no superior aptitude or special company. All we lack is the willingness to imagine that we already have everything we need. The only thing missing is our consent to be where we are.”(from Altar on the World)

Today, I am in Iowa filled with many memories.  I have learned many things but perhaps one of the most important is that it is no coincidence that God chose the small narrow section of the world in Israel to birth a nation and a new people.  The geography, the agriculture, the never ending conflicts all teach a unique dependency on God.  The Holy Land is not a place for extravagance.  It was a place to learn to lift our eyes to the hills and know our help will come.  “My help comes from tom the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”  (Psalm 121) When Psalm 23 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”  It is not meant to deny our human tendency to seek more.  Rather as BBT suggests, all we lack is the willingness to imagine that we already have everything we need.  And so I stand on my own X, thankful for all the places I was fortunate to be but also realizing the most important part of any travel or life experience is how it shapes us in our daily lives.  I am so blessed to already have everything I need.   And so while I have had a few weeks of writing about the extraordinary, I hope to continue to find the extraordinary in the ordinary in this place where God has called me to be.

Overflowing Contradictions

Israel is a land of many inconsistencies.  There are high rugged mountains and fertile green valleys.  Dry barren wilderness intersects with the Jordan River.  Peaceful family communities live on the edge of violence and uncertainty.  A wide range of religious convictions are zealously followed while others complacently live in the culture shaped by the variances.

Today I am living my own set of conflicts.  I am filled to overflowing with information and drained of the ability to process.  I am excited by the experience and exhausted by all that it entails.  I am looking forward to being home and sad to leave.  The land of contradictions is within me as well as around me.  

After studying for 14 days, walking more than 60 miles, exploring 14 of Israel’s National Parks, visiting numerous sites, and experiencing a multitude of blessings, our time in the Holy Land is drawing to a close.  I had numerous questions when I came. What will it be like?  Will I be able to handle the physical changes and challenges?  How will we be making connections to the Bible and the maps? I have answers to those questions.  Now I have a whole new set.  How will I remember it all?  Where will I use it all?  What does this mean for the future? Regardless of the answers, I know that I have a multitude of memories to process. I also have a renewed appreciation for how the Bible and our faith is shaped by the land in which it happened.  It doesn’t make it any less miraculous and mysterious.  If anything, being here has given me more of a sense of just how amazing it is that in this small section of the universe God created a plan for redeeming the world.  The Bible is the same but I will read it differently.  I am the same and I am blessed to be changed by this experience.  

Just Imagine!

View of Galilee from cliffs of Arbel

Prior to coming to Israel, I could only imagine the hills of Judah, the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.  I have seen pictures, listened to descriptions by people who have been here and read about what towns were like during Biblical times.  In some ways, however, I realize that I had read about these places and events as literature and fiction.  I didn’t expect to see them anymore than I expect to see Harry Potter’s Hogwarts or Fred Flinestone’s town of Bedrock.  There are times when I have to pause and remind myself, “this is the real thing.”   Imagining these places has not diminished the overall gospel message but it has certainly left out some of the significant nuances.  

Yet the longer I am here, the more I see, the more my imagination gets going.  I never imagined that I would see the remains from the ancient city of Dan on the border with Lebanon.  A city arch was uncovered that dates from the middle Bronze Age, about 3,800 years old.  It is quite likely that Abraham walked through that arch to pay his respects to the elders of Dan when he was in this area.  I can only imagine!  

City gate of Dan

We began our morning with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.  A lot has changed in this Holy Land.  Shrines have been built over holy places.  City upon city has been destroyed only to have another one built on top of it.  There are places where nothing looks as it did when Jesus was here and imagination is a struggle.   But there are also places that remind me that water, mountains, and geography don’t change. Excavation sites have dug away 2,000 years of dirt and more to reveal a glimpse in to years gone by.  It is enough to make the imagination run wild.   It was easy for me to visualize little fishing villages instead of sprawling cities from the middle of the Sea of Galilee or to see Jesus in the mist from the shore.  It is breath taking to look from hill top to hill top and imagine the route of the Good Samaritan, or the shepherds, or Joshua strategically planning his next attack.  Israel is a place to get in touch with the real land and it is a place that feeds the imagination in new ways. 

Sea of Galilee

Boat ride on Galilee

Jesus also wanted to engage the imagination of the people.  Especially when he taught about the kingdom of God, it was as though he was saying, “you know this... now imagine this...”  We need a kind of grounding to our real life experiences but we also know that following Jesus is so much more.   Just imagine what it might be like for you.  Just imagine what Jesus has waiting for us.  It is perhaps beyond imagination!

A possible type of place where Jesus was born

Imagine cooking supper here

Olive press to make olive oil

Lamp on a lamp stand.  Let your light shine!

Traveling Companions

Picnic lunch together each day on our field trips

Kirk and I are blessed to be part of a diverse group of 39 people on our trip.  There are couples, singles and widows - a father with two adult sons, a mother with her daughter, and some family/friend combinations.  There are “twenty somethings” and “seventy somethings” and everything in between.  We have a large group from Canada and individuals scattered across the United States. The people also come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds with even wider life experiences and interests.

Maccalester College, St.Paul, MN and Carthage College, Kenosha, WI began the work at this site

One of our traveling companions is an attorney who spent a month in 2014 working on an archaeological dig in Galilee.  We were fortunate today to be able to slip in and see this site in process where there are three periods of buildings from as early as 300 B.C.
Eating, walking and learning together has created this group of strangers in to a community of special traveling companions.

Insignificant pieces of pottery, collected, recorded and discarded

There are other kinds of traveling companions with me, as well.  It was a lifetime dream of my mother to go to the Holy Land some day.  I brought her Bible instead of my own so that I would be reminded of how fortunate I am to live out a dream that she was never able to achieve.  I also carry with me in my heart many people back home whom I know are going through hard times or facing new challenges.  My thoughts include those kind of traveling companions who are in my prayers even when we are far apart.  With All Saints services coming up this weekend, I have been reflecting on the many people who will be named among that group for the first time this year.  I am sorry to miss those services but will be remembering many precious families.   As we traveled along the borders of Lebanon and Syria today, it was also comforting to know that Kirk and I are held in the prayers of many people at home. My traveling companions are numerous - seen and unseen.

And, I am especially thinking about future traveling companions. I am excited for our first coffee gathering on Monday, November 16th when we can begin to start forming our group of traveling companions and shaping the kind of trip we want to put together.  Israel is a place where you can learn so much.  It is for people interested in history, geography, geology, archaeology, theology, sociology, politics, military, construction, manufacturing, engineering and so much more.  But it is also a place for people who enjoy nature, agriculture, food, shopping, hiking, bird watching, and meeting interesting people. This Holy Land is a place where the Bible comes alive, but more importantly, this is a trip for people who want to come alive to the Bible.

A bowl for collecting water or making food

Headwaters of Jordan River from Mt Hermon

Wouldn't want to be a plumber with those pipes!

One amazing day after another

Beit She'an, ancient Roman city built on the site where the Philistines hung King Saul's body

Our days are very full but also very enriching.  I have especially learned a lot about the Old Testament and the meaning of many of the images and places I have taken for granted or overlooked through the years.  I also have a new appreciation for the ancient world's struggle for water as it is in many parts of the world today.  Although King Herod ends up being on the wrong is side in the story of Jesus' birth, he was a brilliant ruler, engineer, and military leader.  Remains of his palaces still stand as a testimony to his reign and power.

Amazing ingenuity for aqua ducts and water movement is found in many locations. 

Masada, one of King Herod's palace fortresses

We try to make about 4 locations a day.  We leave early in the morning from our hotel in Jerusalem, travel around and then return about 6:30 p.m. for supper to the same hotel.  It has been good to have a home base and it also helps to get a perspective on the distances.  Everything is much closer than I expected.  For example, Bethlehem is only 6 miles from Jerusalem and many places are visible from hill to hill with our hikes up to see the vista.

The maps are filling up with information and places

Kirk in a manger

Having a wonderful time with rain & sunshine, heat and cool

We checked out of our hotel in Jerusalem today to spend the rest of our time studying the area around the Sea of Galilee.  It will give us a sense of where Jesus grew up and spent much of his time teaching and preaching.  It is also a whole other kind of geography.  We are staying in a lovely resort on the water but closed the day but watching the sun set from the area where the Sermon on the Mount may have taken place.

Sunset over the Sea of Galilee

Hope these pictures get you excited to see these sites for yourself in 2017.

Here I Stand

Crosses marked on stone walls by pilgrims walking the Via Dolorosa

A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.
It was an interesting experience to worship on Reformation Sunday and sing this hymn within city walls built to keep out the ancient foes and to cross through check points as new walls are being built to draw enemy lines.  Martin Luther’s images reflect 16th century Germany but also the history of Israel.  God is a mighty stone building. Building up defensive walls for safety and freedom have been happening through the generations. Battling hate, division and the strength of human egos are not new issues. Yet, God is a place of security, from age to age the same.

Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount

Before worshiping at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Kirk and I walked up to the temple mount around the Dome of the Rock.  It is the location of the first and second temple in Jerusalem.  On one side is the western wall and on the mount is a shrine built to honor Muhammed.   In spite of the changes since 70 A.D. when the Jewish temple was completely destroyed, the temple mount does give a sense of where Jesus taught and worshiped.  Muslim, Jews and Christians all value this area and can be seen following out their different religious practices within a 360 view of the space.   I’ve heard it said, “human beings never behave more badly toward one another than when they believe they are protecting God.” There is some truth to that statement and certainly no simple answers.  Christianity’s theology of reconciliation gives me hope but the Reformation also celebrates people who take a stand for restoration.

Western Wall of the Old Temple

 And so I found the words of Psalm 46 on Reformation Sunday speaking to both our foundation and the continual renewal of God’s church.

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.  God is within her, ... Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;... The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Psalm 46: 4-7


We worship a God who is greater than any political spin or religious controversy.  The psalmist proclaims that we have nothing to fear for the Lord Almighty is with us.  God will always have the last word.  Here I stand, in this holy land with so much diversity, and celebrate Martin Luther’s desire to revive our love for the whole Word of God.

"no man's land" between Jordan and Israel from 1948-1967

Here's hoping Pastor Tom will wear this when he leads the Trinity group

Even cats enjoy a prayer rug and the east morning sun

Earthly Things and Spiritual Things

“To make bread or love, to dig in the earth, to feed an animal or cook for a stranger—these activities require no extensive commentary, no lucid theology. All they require is someone willing to bend, reach, chop, stir. Most of these tasks are so full of pleasure that there is no need to complicate things by calling them holy. And yet these are the same activities that change lives, sometimes all at once and sometimes more slowly, the way dripping water changes stone. In a world where faith is often construed as a way of thinking, bodily practices remind the willing that faith is a way of life.” 
Barbara Brown Taylor (Altar on the World)

Olive harvest on the Mount of Olives

Dates are also in season

Fresh squeezed pomegranate juice is delightful

Our study has taken us out of the classroom and in to the fields for lecture, Bible readings, mapping, observation and exploration the last 3 days.  Boarding the bus at 7 a.m. each morning and returning at 6 p.m. each night, we have traveled the areas around Jerusalem to see the land as it was experienced through the ages.   While I believe this kind of trip can be transformative,  it has already been transforming my legs and feet!  We have crossed paths with some tourist destinations but spend most of our time off the path, exploring numerous archeological sites.

Remains at Jericho where city was built upon city

Significant discoveries and progress has been made in the last 40 years of unearthing historical links to the stories of the Bible.  I have learned that some things about human beings have always been the same, such as seeking the path of least resistance, wanting to be the one on top, or needing to stay healthy.  And that what we are hearing about this area in the news is nothing new.  This part of the world has been caught in conflict for many different reasons since before the time of the Old Testament.

The quote from Barbara Brown Taylor reminds me that all God needs from us is to “ bend, reach, chop, stir.”  Having something to eat and clean water to drink- taking care of family, animals, and the community - keeping safe from enemies - these are the basics for life.  They are also the essential ingredients for much of the Bible.  It is what people were doing.  It is what Jesus used as examples for his teaching.  In our contemporary individualistic, independent lifestyles, we can forget about being dependent on God for everything and miss that everyday practices can also be faithful practices whether they happened today or 2,000 years ago.  The images of Jesus’ earthly examples have come alive for me but they also remind me that it is always in the everyday things of life that we are learning more about God, ourselves and relationships.  Just prior to John 3:16, Jesus says to Nicodemus, “I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” (John 3:12)   Regardless of location or time, earthly things and spiritual things are merged in our faithful living of the gospel.   

Palace and fortress built by King Herod about 20 B.C.

View from the Herodian

Little Things and Big Things

"JUC" has been a graduate institution since 1957, providing students an opportunity to study the Bible in the context of the land where the events occurred

 

Our days begin with class from 8 a.m. - noon

Over the last couple of decades, I have come to understand myself as a “big picture” person.  I get excited about dreaming and visioning.  I’m slower at following through with the details of making dreams and visions a reality. Sometimes people refer to this as the difference between seeing the forest or the trees.  Some people see all the trees but have trouble putting them together into an effective forest.  Others can see the forest but have trouble picking out the individual trees and knowing how they all work together.  I tend to be more of the latter, even though I appreciate both.  When I worked for hospice my focus became all about the “big things” = life, death, purpose, reconciliation, love, and hope.  It is amazing how the little things tend to fall away for most individuals and families when someone is dying.  During that period of my ministry there was a book published by the title, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.”  It became a sort of philosophy for my life.  Life is too short to get hung up on all the details or to work toward perfection in every aspect of life.  Do the best I can and “don’t sweat the small stuff.”

Since that time, another author has written a book entitled, “It’s All About the Small Stuff.”  I haven’t read this one but it is the title that has been running through my head the last two days.  In some respects, in some contexts, the details and little things really do make a difference. Perhaps the key is to know where and when this is true.   This is part of what I have been reflecting on as I study and walk in the very context of the ancient Israelites, as I visualize the vistas that Jesus’ disciples experienced as he taught them.  Coming to Jerusalem, seeing how each bit of the geography, each place, each name plays a part in what I have so casually read from a big picture perspective is eye opening.  There is a lot of little stuff - a lot of “trees” -in this “forest” of a narrative.  At the same time it is also a story.  It is an ancient story with specific times and places and experiences.  But it is also my story, and your story.  Century upon century, people have been making this place and this story their own.  Every time we choose to tell our own story, there are landmarks that connect us, points that we are trying to make, ways that we feel about different parts of our story that all influence its telling and what we do with the details. It is the forest AND it is the trees.  What a magnificence experience to be in the midst of God’s story, how it has continued to be told through the ages,  and to make this place part of my story!

Walking the land is a big part of the learning.  6-7 miles each day so far.  (Remember this is not a tour)

Amazing archeological progress is happening all the time revealing more about the life of the OT and NT

Emerging from 1/2 mile of (wet) underground tunnels built by King Hezekiah in order to direct water from the spring of Gihon to the City of David  (II Chronicles 32:30)

Monday Transitions

A lovely mosaic in the Jewish Quarter

Today we transitioned from “transitioning” to student mode.  We have used these last few days to adjust to time changes and orient ourselves to this amazing land.  Now we are ready for classes to begin.  The first change was moving from the Lutheran guesthouse to the Gloria Hotel used by Jerusalem University College to house their short term students.  Ironically, it is also one of two primary hotels used by the agency that Trinity will be touring with in 2017 so it gives me first hand experience with our potential accommodations when we are together in Jerusalem. 

Entrance to Gloria Hotel in Jerusalem Old City

The hotel is lovely and right inside the Jaffa Gate.  The new city and the old city are all within visual range of the hotel.  A few steps away are all the sights and sounds of markets.  A concert from the Tower of David wafted in to our room

On one of the many market streets

Before starting classes, Kirk and I made our spiritual pilgrimage back to the Western Wall, the fragment of the Jerusalem temple to survive the Roman destruction in 68 CE.  We toured below the wall,  to the bedrock where Herod rebuilt the temple 2000 years ago. Here are the stones that are their own kind of witness to Jesus and his presence in this place.  The passage ways created from aqua ducts that were built by the ancient Romans reminded me of the continual necessity of clean water for all people through all ages. 

In aqua duct passage ways along Western Wall

Words fail to describe the sense of awe I felt in this place.  It is enough to try to wrap my head around the history.  To be present, to pray, to reflect is a personal journey.  It is unique for every person. Perhaps the common denominator is God's divine presence in, with, and among us.

Prayer requests on slips of paper tucked in to the crevices of the wall

I am beginning to understand the descriptors I heard from some of you who have traveled to the Israel in years past - amazing, inspiring, mind-boggling, holy.