The Holy City... Jerusalem

As much as I would love to point out all the sites and tell you of all the places we went, I'd rather share with you the things I learned from them! I hope you are enjoying the pictures and explanations on facebook =)

Walking around Jerusalem all day nearly took my breath away. I couldn't believe that I was standing in the place of God's holy temple, where the presence of the Lord moved in so many ways. The city is so full of history, every place you walk something significant happened there!

One of our first stops was Bethesda, where Jesus healed the paralyzed man. Superstition had surrounded the pool and the man was waiting for someone to put him in so that he could be healed. But Jesus did not need an angel to stir the waters. With merely a word, He healed the man and told him to "take up your bed, and walk". The Pharisees hated him for it. Not only did He heal the man on the Sabbath, but He claimed to be God as well! The city of God.. rejecting God. The power of the god of this age blinding men's hearts is incredible.

We then walked through the Arab quarter.. men hawking their trinkets and produce at every turn. The bustle in the Arab quarter isn't to be matched anywhere in the city! Everyone is in a hurry and people are shouting everywhere.. it was quite exciting! The Jewish quarter is much calmer, and the shops are more indoors than right on the streets. Jewish soldiers are everywhere, and their English is quite impeccable (the two blondes in our group managed to hear a lot of it! haha. We were followed by a group of them for a while because the soldiers were so excited to see them =)

The feel of the city is very different because of the way the city is broken up into four quarters. Arabs, Jews, Christians, and Armenians are all crammed into their respective quarters and don't mingle much at all. Jerusalem is far from the city of the Jews alone. It for this that they cry, that God would come and heal His city, and bring it back to its rightful place. The Homeland of the Jews, the people of God. One day, their dream will be realized, but they are far from it today. The muslims control much of the city and their presence is felt in so many ways. Looking over the Mt. of Olives listening to Sarah read Zechariah 14:1-9, I couldn't help but cry in my heart "Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

As we approached the wailing wall, I was struck by the emotion that surrounds the place. Men and women clutching bibles, praying to their God to heal Jerusalem and set things right again. It saddened me. They shove their prayers in, trying to be as close to the Holy of Holies as possible, hoping that it will help God hear their prayers. Yet the God to whom they pray is not the true God. He has risen, just as He said! His presence is no longer only near the wailing wall, nor is He the God they imagine. Christ has come, and He has given new life! All the religious tradition they observe so desperately will never bring them to a knowledge of the true God. It reminded me of Jesus as He cried over Jerusalem. Oh Jerusalem! Return to Me! May God heal His people!