Going up to Bethlehem

This morning we started at the lowest point on earth – the Dead Sea.  All day long we have been journeying up – both physically and spiritually.  Last night at our short worship/devotion, I talked about how much joy we had in the beautiful, pastoral greenness of the Galilee.  None of can really put into words how beautiful this place is.  Then,

This is the trail up.

all day we traveled down, down, down through the wilderness until we reached the lowest point on earth.  I spoke about the different seasons of our lives – some seasons are fertile and green and others are barren and dry – and God is in each one of these seasons.  Sometimes we even reach the lowest point on earth – and realize there is nowhere else to go, but up.  Today – we journeyed up to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem.  We have seen God work in every season and every day. 

My day started early by going up into the Judean wilderness with Cliff Brown from Habersham County.  Across the street from our hotel was a hiking trail up a wadi – a canyon that is formed by water and empties into the Dead Sea.  I can’t tell you how incredible of an experience this was.  First, we were away from the group – on our own exploring.  We started at 5:15 to maximize time and distance and no one else wanted to join to us.  Jimbo came for a while and then turned back to pack.  I felt so close to Moses, Elijah, Jesus, and John the Baptist.  We saw waterfalls, caves, and eventually made it up to over the look the lake.  This has been one of my favorite things so far.   Here are a few pictures. 

Overlooking the Red Sea. Notice ruins of Ottoman patrol station in center left - about 400 years old.

Picture from the bottom.  We went to the first ridge up the picture.  Ruins to the left.

Ruins

After breakfast we headed up to Masada which overlooks the Dead Sea – which is something I had never put together.  I had always wanted to visit this site – one of the greatest in the world.  If you want a basic overview click here.  We had a great tour of the site – which I loved.  I even hiked down to the Herod’s secret palace on the side of the mountain.  Extraordinary. Here are some pictures

At King Herod's Secret Palace below the summit.  

We then traveled up to Jerusalem from Jericho – the same journey the man who was robbed did in Jesus’ parable.  It goes from 1200 feet below sea level to about 3800 feet above sea level.  For our NE GA folks – this is larger than most mountains in our Georgia. 

In Bethlehem we shopped at a great shop and then went to

The whole gang outside Church of the Nativity

the church of the Navity – the site recognized as the place Jesus was born.  The church sits over a cave complex which is what they believe Mary and Joseph lived in.  The church dates back to 324 CE when Helena, Emperor Constantine’s mother, came to the Holy Land.  She established this church there.  It has been improved over the years – by the Crusaders – and not burned by the Persians like most of the churches in the Holy Land (because of the frescos of the wise men from the East).  I stood in awe – is the oldest church still active in the world.  WOW.  For 1700 years Christians have made sure to care for this holy space.  Whether Jesus was born in the cave below or not – it is still very cool.

By the end of the say I’ve been exhausted – it will be a busy day in Jerusalem tomorrow. 

Shalom