This Is History: Jerusalem, Israel

Graffiti on the dividing wall, Palestine and Israel.

These past few weeks have been spent in Jerusalem. Our hostel is right outside old city Jerusalem, right near the Damascus gate. Our first week here our teaching was on “The Heart Of An Artist.” Our teacher Mauricio stretched us incredibly with daily photography assignments that helped us see beyond what we would normally perceive going out and taking photos. Such as going out and taking 5 photos that show God’s love, believe it or not these assignments where very difficult. But it really helped me to have more direction and purpose to the photos that I take. This past week we went back to the bible. We covered Joshua to 2 Kings, as well as the Wisdom books, Job to Song of Songs. A lot of material was covered that is difficult to discern the overall things I have learned in this pact week of bible. I have been able to pick out one overall thing I feel God has been pressing on my heart to learn, and that is patience.

Folded prayers at the foot of the 'Western Wall.'

West Bank, view of wall from the road.

In 1 Samuel 13 there is a story of Saul as a young king, here Saul gets tired of waiting on God and takes things in his own hands. Before going to war against the Philistines Samuel, the prophet, gives him the word of God not to go into the battle until Samuel himself comes to give up offering to God. “He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter.” So Saul, afraid of losing his men and anxious to go into battle just gives up the offerings to God himself. Immediately after this, Samuel shows up. “You acted foolishly,” Samuel said “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” So as a result of his disobedience to God, his bloodline would not remain in the line of kings. This story really spoke to me in a sense that there are often things I really desire or want to reach out for but God is asking me to wait. God is asking me to have patience, and trust him that his timing is perfect. If Saul would of waited just a little longer then Samuel would have showed up and the history of the Kings of Israel may have looked very different. So I am learning to wait patiently and trust in God’s perfect timing.



There is a lot of history here in Israel, for more than I am fully able to grasp. I was able to visit the Dead Sea, two places where Jesus possible lay among other things. This past weekend I was able to travel over to west bank the Palestine portion. To see the wall that divides the country between Palestinians and Israelis. My knowledge of the whole conflict is not as informed as it should be, but I know God has a heart for both peoples. This next week we will be digging into the prophets, which will be exciting. It will be our remainder week in Jerusalem. The following week we will be traveling throughout Israel and then returning to Egypt, it is not quite all clear what that week will look like. Your continued prayers are greatly appreciated.

More graffiti on dividing wall.

Women praying at 'Wailing Wall.'