It has been over a month since I left home and almost as long since I left Israel. It is easy to say that never has my worldview been more challenged or affected as they have in this month alone. I will try to give some musings and highlights in this next bit.
Israel was mind blowing both for reasons I expected and for those I didn't. Obviously there is the Biblical and historical side of Israel that I was looking forward to immensely. However, the modern political side of Israel impacted me deeply. The program I traveled with, Passages, did a wonderful job of including both of these elements and many perspectives into my experience.
 |
| My tour group- complete with 2 SBU professors, our tour guide- Adrian, and security guard- Yoni |
 |
| Me and our Passages fellow- Lydia |
The two biggest take aways for my faith were better understanding the Biblical narrative in terms of geography and culture and the humanity of Jesus. I had a friend who has been to Israel comment that once you have been there the Bible never reads the same way. How true that statement is! How can the way I read the Word of God be the same after seeing the valley where David fought Goliath or the pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed the lame man?
This leads me to the second biggest impact of the trip for my faith- I was overwhelmed by the humanity of Christ. We say all the time in Christian circles that Jesus was fully God and fully man. It is an accepted fact that, at least for me, was taken for granted. Jesus called himself the Son of Man on multiple occasions but there is something all together more real about it when you are staring at a 1st century synagogue where Jesus probably taught. He was here. He walked through this land, stared at these hills...Wow. This man was real and faced struggles the same as me and you. He stood near the Sea of Galilee and thought "Man it's hot today," just like I did (I mean I can't prove it but having been there I think it's a safe assumption to make). Kidding aside it is amazing to sit and have the certainty and knowledge that I worship and follow a God who is not statue or stone but was once flesh and blood.
In addition to learning about biblical Israel, Passages gave us a great understanding of the modern nation. I had the opportunity to visit the Syrian, Lebanon, and Gaza boarders. Getting a first hand glimpse of the threats that Israeli citizens face daily was humbling and eye opening. It became clear very quickly that the stories I so often see in the news about current situations are usually biased and inaccurate.
While these two perspectives are incredibly valuable I discovered an Israel that goes beyond the typical biblical or political stereotype that befalls the nation. Israel was breathtakingly beautiful with amazing geographical diversity. There are mountains, valleys, rivers, deserts, beaches, and forests- all within a space the size of New Jersey. The economy is booming and the government has an incredible way of promoting entrepreneurship. The food is fresh, healthy, and delicious. The culture is diverse and beautiful. People are direct and filled with gumption but incredibly kind. The amount of national pride found in each Israeli brings tears to my eyes.
 |
| Mud Masks at the Dead Sea (I'm the one in pink in the front on the left!) |
 |
| Food! |
In short, the nation of Israel is incredible. It is not perfect, something stressed to me by Israelis themselves, but its citizens strive to improve the nation on all fronts with the resources available to them. I encourage you to go and see for yourself the wonder that is Israel from both a modern and Biblical perspective. If you let it, it will change your worldview. I also challenge you to seek non-biased news sources on the nation. And please- if you have questions or want to hear more- ask!
No comments:
Post a Comment