Back from Israel
Well! Quite a few things have happened since my last post. I have been incredibly busy, but then I guess that applies to most of us. Last night, Linda and I got back from a trip to Israel and Jordan. We went with a tour sponsored by Insight for Living, with Chuck Swindoll. It was quite an experience.
I was not thrilled at first about the idea of going to the Holy Land. It was Linda's idea. My hesitancy was based on some ideas and feelings. I do not think that you have to go to any particular place to be close to God. God is everywhere. If you cannot be close to God where you are, I wonder whether going to a particular place will help. Once you come back home, you are in the same situation that you were before. Going on a pilgrimage could be useful if you truly retain the closeness that you felt there.
Plus, I had some other trips I wanted to do. To me, the Celtic lands are the holy lands. I have thoroughly enjoyed trips to Wales in 1996 and Ireland in 2002. I hope to do Scotland sometime soon, and maybe even Brittany and Galicia.
Once we got to Israel, though, my perception changed. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole time. We saw many places where events in the Biblical story happened. To see these places and to know that these were real and not merely good stories made quite an impression.
Being there also gives you an impression of the relative locations of places and events, and helps you understand the geographic references. You can visualize what it means to say "Zion stands with hills surrounded." You understand "going up to Jerusalem" and "A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho." You can see the barren and inhospitable territory on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, and understand how bandits could hide in those hills and waylay travelers, as in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
There were also many interesting sites and ruins not directly related to the Biblical story. There were Roman ruins at Beth Shean and Jerash and the Nabatean holy city of Petra. Seeing Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls was a highlight.
So if you are looking for a great time and, as Anselm said, "faith in search of understanding," make the pilgrimage. It will make your faith more real.
I was not thrilled at first about the idea of going to the Holy Land. It was Linda's idea. My hesitancy was based on some ideas and feelings. I do not think that you have to go to any particular place to be close to God. God is everywhere. If you cannot be close to God where you are, I wonder whether going to a particular place will help. Once you come back home, you are in the same situation that you were before. Going on a pilgrimage could be useful if you truly retain the closeness that you felt there.
Plus, I had some other trips I wanted to do. To me, the Celtic lands are the holy lands. I have thoroughly enjoyed trips to Wales in 1996 and Ireland in 2002. I hope to do Scotland sometime soon, and maybe even Brittany and Galicia.
Once we got to Israel, though, my perception changed. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole time. We saw many places where events in the Biblical story happened. To see these places and to know that these were real and not merely good stories made quite an impression.
Being there also gives you an impression of the relative locations of places and events, and helps you understand the geographic references. You can visualize what it means to say "Zion stands with hills surrounded." You understand "going up to Jerusalem" and "A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho." You can see the barren and inhospitable territory on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, and understand how bandits could hide in those hills and waylay travelers, as in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
There were also many interesting sites and ruins not directly related to the Biblical story. There were Roman ruins at Beth Shean and Jerash and the Nabatean holy city of Petra. Seeing Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls was a highlight.
So if you are looking for a great time and, as Anselm said, "faith in search of understanding," make the pilgrimage. It will make your faith more real.
posted by John at 12:20 PM
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