I’ve been given the privilege of writing the closing comments on the Israel Tour 2008.  The difficult part of closure is that once you visit Israel, it never comes to a close.  The residual effect of being in the Land of God’s choosing is a strange phenomenon.  I’m sure the travel group is experiencing it as well.  It’s been called different things, the Israel impact, the Jerusalem syndrome, etc.  But I have a theory, for those of us who are the children of God, believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ I think it’s about being “home”.  Israel has always felt like “home” to me.  Not in the temporal sense but rather in the sense that she still bears God’s Name, and so do I.

 

The tour went extremely well and the dynamics of the group could not have been better.  God certainly blessed this trip, and all glory is due Him and Him alone.  It is humbling to feel the embrace and affirmation of the Lord and it lets us know that He had something in this for us all.  And I can say with confidence, speaking for the group that we all heard from Him in some way.

 

Jesus’ years on this planet were only 33.  And in light of the Truth that He is the eternal God that just isn’t a long time.  But to walk in His footsteps, to mingle with those whom He came to save first, to experience so much of the same culture in which He made it His choice to participate in and identify Himself with makes a trip to Israel truly life changing.  As the Gospel moved west and had to fight it’s way through many avenues of corruption in societies and the church, much of the rich heritage inherent in the unveiling of God to humanity was denied, suppressed and lost to us.  Israel, being the continued fulfillment of God’s prophetic word, helps to reconnect us with that beautiful heritage that, by God’s design, is intended to lead the world to His inheritance that becomes ours, Yeshua Ha Mashiach, Jesus the Messiah and Savior of the World!

 

Shalom until next time!

 

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

‘May they prosper who love you.

May peace be within your walls,

And prosperity within your palaces.’

For the sake of my brothers and my friends,

I will now say, ‘May peace be within you.’

For the sake of the house of the LORD our God

I will seek your good.”

 

Psalms 122:6-9