An Inkling
Tomorrow we head to the Holy Land. That means today is a scramble. But in the midst of the rush I’m starting to meditate on this pilgrimage, and what the Lord might do with our crew of 32.
Traveling abroad is exciting. It’s fun to see how people do life differently in other places. Housing, meals, traffic patterns, schedules, commerce, TV – you name it, it’s amazing how such ordinary pieces of life can vary. It’s that variance that gives us new eyes for how life works here too.
That travel benefit takes on a different flavor in the Holy Land. People commonly refer to such trips as a “pilgrimage,” and not simply as a tour. We tour London; we take a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Why? I think it’s the new eyes we gain for what matters most. There’s something about seeing the topography and flora of the land that fills in the sketches of imagination as one reads the scripture. That’s a great gift. Archaeological sites do the same, as one sees the size and shape of biblical era buildings and walls. And of course such sights bring a sense of awe – “Wow, Jesus walked here,” and so on.
But it’s not just new eyes for the scripture stories. It’s new eyes for the wide variety of Jesus’ followers. Visiting the shrines at the various holy places, with their gold gilt, incense, and multi-lingual crowds of pilgrims, expands one’s view of the church. Considering the decline of the church in western culture and its ascendancy in the developing world, that’s the very sort of vision we need.
And then there are the eyes one gains in the Holy Land for how desperately our world needs a Savior. You can’t ride alongside of the security wall, pass through check points, see machine guns everywhere, and read the dueling graffiti, without being well instructed in just how difficult it is to make peace in that land. If the Prince of Peace is not in the middle of it, it can’t happen.
Of course you don’t have to go to the Holy Land to see examples of how much we all need the Prince of Peace. Look around. And while you’re at it, pray for the peace of Jerusalem. There will be some pilgrims there praying for you.
Blessings,
Keith
