October 13, 2009

I was thinking earlier today of what is was like traveling everywhere before all the wonderful inventions like the automobile. Since the beginning of time people have walked everywhere. If they needed to go somewhere people just walked, or if they had horses, camels, elephants, of course they had something else to get around on. But mainly walking. People did not even have tennis shoes to have a nice more comfortable walk, they just wore sandals...maybe even with their own bare feet. Today we did a lot of walking. All our destinations we went to were by foot. Although cars, buses, trucks, and motorcycles are nice you do not get a feel of the culture around you when you are on or in them. The details you notice when walking rather than riding in a car. In a car you never get to experience an open market through the Arab section of town and the owners of the different stores trying to get you to buy something. You do not get to notice the writing on the walls of building, or little Arab kids playing tag in the streets. Something as simple as that you do not get to experience. Walking takes time, and in our fast pace little world we do not get to notice the culture around us and we can miss out on little lessons God is trying to show us through the settings you are walking through or the many ministry opportunities you may miss by driving in a car to your destination, or the relationships you can build with the people around you. Today we could have easily gotten in our little air conditioned bus and go a mile down the road to the Tower of David Museum and walk around the museum, and then have the bus pick us up at the lions gate where we stopped our walk around the walls of Jerusalem. Today I can say I have gotten a small glimpse of what it is like walking everywhere around Jerusalem. With the time you have walking you get to know the people you are with, you have a chance to talk about things that you see that trigger a memory, a thought, or even knowledgeable question about the culture you see. You can truly appreciate your surrounding go around in Aw of all that you see. Please do not think that I am shunning transportation and thing it is bad. In other forms of transportation you get to see many other fascinating things that you would not be able to see if you are walking. For instance I can guarantee it that I would not be here in Israel if I only had my feet to walk on unless of course I was walking distance from this beautiful country.

Here in Jerusalem you see a melting pot of people coming together and living in the same community. In Jerusalem you have Jews, Muslims, Catholics, Christian, tourists, and other types of people I can't think of right now living very close together in a small community yet heavily populated community. They are all dressed differently and hold different traditions. Our tour guide...at this moment I forgot his name...shame on me right...anyways, was saying that you should feel very safe here. He knows that Israel and Jerusalem are always on the news and you hear about this happened and oh and this happened over there, and it can get you scared to come to visit. He told us it is very safe here. He was saying that parents allow their kids to go around the streets and play and they do not have to worry because they know they are safe. He was saying that bad things happen everywhere. Even in Sarasota,FL you have to be careful where you go. there is gang violence and murders, stealing, drug use, and any other sin that can entangle us. I totally believe what he says, I feel very safe. People have asked me are you worried about going to Jerusalem because what is going on over there...and my basic response was no. Since there has been bombing and conflict here security has bumped up and there are cameras everywhere. You see police men and women on almost every corner and if you do not see them they see you through the cameras they have up throughout the city. Everywhere you go in the world there will be trouble, but why have that trouble keep you from doing something you want to do. Do not live a life of always being paranoid. King Herod lived a life of being paranoid because he would always kill off his wifes, children, servants, and friends because he thought they were going to take away his throne. In the end of his days he became a bitter man. Life is too short not to take a risk. I am not saying a risk like bungee jumping the Nile river or free climbing a mountain I mean fears that you may have that can stop you from doing something great. Of course you have to have discernment on situations, but don't make your life full of disappointments. Have God lead you down your path. It may not be the path you always want to take, but you will learn a great deal. Do not become bitter and harden your heart. Walk down the street wherever you live,go downtown, go to the beach, and just watch the people you see. Pray over the city in which you live in. Take that risk. Ask God for discernment...learn about the culture you live in. We as Christians live in the world, but we must not be of the world. Have an open mind of the things around you.

What I want to get out of this trip is learn about the culture around me here in Jerusalem. Keep an open mind and heart to the things around me. Learn to walk and observe people, build relationships with people that I would have not otherwise. I know that I will be learning about the bible, God, cultures, people, periods of time, and the list goes on but that does not mean that my eyes should not be open to my surrounding culture. I want to love on the people here. As simple as a smile can brighten anyones day.

God I am so thankful for your beautiful people. You made us so uniquely. We all have our own culture that we have immersed ourselves in, and we can experience or get a glimpse of how other peoples cultures are like. God give me discernment. Guide me to what you want me to do. God I am in information over load right now, and just help me take it all in. God place people in my life that need to be touched by you. God have me listen to you. I love and praise you.