Day 14 The Land of the Scriptures

(This is a delayed posting)

Singing and reading Scriptures is beginning to take a different light. When I sing of the “dry and parched land, where there is no water,” I see the actual arid land that the psalmist was describing. I understand now why our Lord Jesus would be talking about the temple while on the Mount of Olives…he would have been looking at the temple right across the Kidron Valley!

I am recovering well, just nursing a lingering headache. I am grateful that the organizers decided to delay the trip out Galilee so that those of us sick would not be left behind. My group mates have been very encouraging and cheering us on in our recovery. At the same time, I feel bad for holding everybody’s plans up.

After two days of sleep, I wondered out my “emergency exit” for fresh air. With the newly stringed guitar for company, I climbed over a low barrier and sat on the terrace for a view of Bethlehem. It feels surreal to see Bethlehem even as I read about the ancient version of it. Hoards of pilgrims come to Jerusalem and Bethlehem to feel closer to God. But frankly, this place feels far from Holy. It is a broken beauty, as is any other city. Getting acquainted with the land helps me understand Scripture better, but it makes no difference to how close I am to God. As I sang a prayer for Bethlehem and Jerusalem, I thank God that I need no temple to be near to Him.