Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty

So it’s almost been a week I’ve been here. Danny and I are adjusting to being roommates. My highlight was teaching him how to read military time- which he claimed he knew how. That was…. Incredible. We’re also right next to a pretty cool cemetery that has this terrace overlooking the new city. We went in there to check things out, and then got locked in there. I don’t how many of you have ever got locked into a cemetery before, but that sucked. We actually only had to stay there a little bit and then an Armenian priest came and let us out.

So a lot has happened so far, but it seems like a small amount compared to all that there is to see. The first week was overwhelming. There’s the typical semester of course work thrown at you which is enough in itself; but on top of that we have all the sights of the Holy Land to see. At the top of this list is the debate to go to Greece or Egypt for the week we get off for Easter. So many decisions!

Oh, and by the way, if you ever get the chance to stand looking over Jerusalem and listen to the Revelation Song, or any other Christ-centered, God exalting real worship music, I’d recommend it. I sobbed like a baby thinking of God gathering all His people in these hills and worshipping the Great Creator God shining like 12 suns in the new creation. But that’s just a suggestion if/when you come here.

But I just want to give one reaction of Jerusalem that I had. It has to do with what I anticipated and what I experienced. I came in wondering if I was going to see the same things as Jesus, or something completely different. Were these the same streets? Were the buildings this high? What was different? Was there anything similar? How old are the walls? Were they at least in the same place in Jesus’ time? What was the city structure like? Was I going to run through trails of forest and trees and mountainside? Would I look at the same wilderness and hills Jesus saw? I was hoping to experience some magical, mystical awakening to be honest. Much to my chagrin, all I got was an overpopulated, scrunched, crowded city. But with this realization, I finally had the correct expectations that enabled me to see the land clearer. The streets Jesus walked were nothing like the ones I am walking. They are about 20 feet beneath me and not in the same system and structure. I came in expecting grandeur and majesty of an ancient city preserved- what I got was an ancient city destroyed again and again and put back together again and again. What was wrong was not the city, but with how I viewed it. With a right vision, I could imagine the city better. My imagination was awakened. I could appreciate that where I was walking may not have been Jesus’ exact footprint, but he inhabited these hills. He knew this city. He experienced this in a small degree as I experienced today. There is nothing magical about the land. It did not bring me some special revelation. But this is the landscape God chose to establish His appointed people. He carved these mountains and built up cities for His purposes. He built up the sediment and torn down these cities at His will for the good of those who love Him. In my ignorance, I wish all Jerusalem would vacate to another place, so we can really know and appreciate this city more fully. I want to rebuild a replica of the first century city- the city I was hoping to find. But I figured out that I don’t need to know. I can be content with living in the city that Jesus lived, died, was crucified, raised to heaven, and sent His Spirit to the apostles for 3 ½ months. (Not to mention the Temple, David, Joshua, Elijah, Isaiah, etc etc). Sure, I won’t know exact locations or see exactly what they saw or experience exactly what they experienced. But I get to live in the same city that they lived. I get to experience living in God’s chosen land- a good and broad land flowing with milk and honey.

I'm really trying to make these short. I might have to go to twice a week.

Trying to walk more deeply with Him with you,
Sos