Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Israel 2022 - Reflections - Sea of Galilee Part 2

 


I took this trip with 36 fantastic people. 


The diversity of this group and how we worked together is an amazing wonder in a world that only sees division and strife. We grew together as a group and it is not a stretch to say I miss hanging out with them, all of them. 

My wife knows I am not a dancer in any stretch of the imagination, but I had so much fun watching and taking video of this event on the Galilean Boat Ride. 

Day and Night I have been working on my final paper for the seminary class associated with this trip. I have been studying deeply the verses Mark 2:1 - 3:6. Yesterday, I was studying and writing about  Mark 2:18 - 22. I received a new revelation about this scripture:


'And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him,
Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus
said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when
the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. No man
also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh
away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles:
else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred:
but new wine must be put into new bottles. 'Mark 2:18-22

So, my question is, "What was Jesus' answer?"

For years, I really never thought to much about this. Fasting in the first century and in the Old
Testament was about mourning. It was about mourning sin on the Day of Atonement. The nation
mourned the destruction of the Temple, so they fasted. They fasted over death and loss. The Pharisees
fasted in order to mourn the Messiah had not yet returned.

If you were hanging out with Jesus, WHY WOULD YOU MOURN? Jesus, our SALVATION, being rescued
from our sin is a cause to celebrate. Jesus provides so much joy. Can you imagine the joy you would
feel being in the presence of Jesus as he walked this earth, taking boat trips across the Sea of Galilee,
eating meals, laughing, singing, dancing!

I praise God for the JOY that he has brought to my life. Even in times of mourning, HE provides light!
I am so thankful to expand my Kingdom brothers and sisters through this trip. We had so much fun
and the JOY OF OUR SALVATION was present every day.

 The view as we crossed the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum. 
As we traveled we viewed the hill Jesus spoke the wonderful Sermon on the Mount!


I could imagine Jesus walking across these waters, Peter trying to do the same!





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