I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked

From my early childhood days I heard and sang the song "I Walk Today Where Jesus Walked." I never really dreamed that I would truly walk where Jesus walked. I always imagined that it would just be in my mind's eye that I would see the Jordan River, the Sea of Galilee, the Garden of Gethsemane or any of the other places I learned about in Sunday School.

Those dreams did come to reality in March of 2018 when I went to the Holy Land with a group of 45 travelers made up largely of members of my church. It was a wonderful experience and a great photo opportunity. I will share just a few of my favorite experiences with you.

The Jordan River was even more beautiful than I had imagined. About sixteen members of our group chose to be baptized in the river. One thirty year-old man was baptized for the first time even though he had made a profession of faith in Christ many years before. 

Many of the sites were brought to life by devotionals brought by our pastor, Stan Allcorn. At the above site in Caesarea Philippi, pastor Stan brought a challenging message based on the Gospel account of Peter's great confession that Jesus was the Messiah.

Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”

But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

JESUS PRAYS IN GETHSEMANE: They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed.

The Garden Tomb is operated by a nondenominational Christian charitable trust based in the United Kingdom. However, the tour guides who lead groups past a hill that could be Golgotha and into the empty tomb only go so far as to say, "It could be the actual tomb of Jesus."

The most important thing is not whether this is the actual tomb where Jesus was laid, but that the tomb did not contain Jesus permanently. The important thing is that he is not there. On the door of the tomb we see these words, "He is not here, he is risen."

I took over five hundred photos on this trip and then narrowed them down to about a hundred of my favorites. This represents a handful of those favorites.  I might share some other photos in future blogs, but with Easter just a week away, I wanted to share these to give us something to think about during this time.

The Light of the World

This year our church published a book of daily Advent devotionals written by various members of our church. The book was entitled "Songs of the Season" and writers told about their favorite Christmas carols and how those carols had brought a greater understanding of the season.

I thoroughly enjoyed the devotionals and reflected on how each carol had blessed the Christmases of my own life. I also reflected on various carols and tried to decide what might be my favorite. One song kept coming to my mind, The only problem was that it wasn't really a song that we traditionally think of as related to the Christmas season. That song was "The Light of the World Is Jesus."

 

 The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,

 The Light of the world is Jesus;

 Like sunshine at noonday,

 His glory shone in,

The Light of the world is Jesus!

   

 Come to the Light, 'tis shining for thee;

 Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me.

 Once I was blind, but now I can see:

 The Light of the world is Jesus.

At this time of year, we see lights everywhere that remind us of the coming of the true Light that John tells us about in the prologue to his Gospel. There are trees adorned with lights, streets that are lined with lights, homes and businesses are outlined with lights. One of the favorite activities of the season is to drive around and look at all of the beautiful lights. Each Sunday of the Advent season, we light candles on the Advent wreath.

I wonder how many of us remember that the lights of this season are a symbol of the one true Light, Jesus, who brought light into the darkness of this world? As we light the candles on our advent wreath, the four candles remind us that Jesus brings hope, love, joy, and peace into the world. It is true, "The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin, the Light of the world is Jesus!"

During this season, may each and every one of us know the joy that Jesus, the Light of the World, brings.

THANK YOU!

I recently received a beautiful card in the mail. It was a "Thank You" card sent to me from a friend that I had given a gift. It really made me feel good that they took the time to go and buy a card and send it to me to say "Thank You." It also made me feel good that they were appreciative of the gift that I had given to them. Sometimes people forget to say "Thank You" when someone does something nice for them.

In chapter 17, Luke tells of  a day when Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem when he met ten men who were afflicted with the terrible disease of leprosy. When they saw Jesus, they called out to him, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"

Jesus, moved with compassion, said to them,  “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were healed of their leprosy.

One of them, when he saw that he was healed, stopped and went back praising God with a loud voice.  He threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.

Jesus said to him, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except you?"

God does so much for us! Every day he provides everything we need; food, clothing, and a place to live. The greatest gift he has given us is that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Do we ever forget to say, "Thank You?" Let's stop right now and say "Thank You" and ask God to help us remember to thank Him every day.

Dear Lord, you give us everything we need and much more besides, but we often forget to say "Thank You." We thank you now and ask you to help us to remember to give thanks every day for all the gifts you give us. Most of all, we give thanks for the gift of eternal life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.