At the Right Place and the Right Time
We cannot stop telling about everything we have heard and seen. – Acts 4:20
Awesome! Out of sight! Amazing! Simply outstanding! These are a few of what may be called typical expressions that define how one may react to something or someone. Just a few days after the beginning of the month on February 3rd, EO -Educational Opportunities Tours, notified members from the Western NC Conference of the United Methodist Church that their plans to visit the Holy Lands with Bishop Larry Goodpaster was in full swing! Because of the bad weather conditions in New York and surrounding areas, our flight plans had been changed from February 1st and as far as I could see it, the wintry conditions didn’t look favorable. The dread of hearing the trip would be delayed once again loomed in the air. On top of the snow and ice phenomenon, unsettling conditions were heating up in Egypt, which is linked geographically close to Israel. Yet, God had something else in mind – to fulfill his purpose for my/our going to the land of the Bible.
Israel, the Holy Land, the land of Jesus, became a reality after nearly a ten-hour flight aboard a huge Continental jet plane. When it hit the ground in Tel Aviv, I leaped in my spirit and said, “Lord, bring it on!” Let me tell you, I was just like a little child completely overwhelmed by the sights and sounds. I was at the right place and at the right time. The Royal Plaza Hotel in Tiberias, Israel, became our place of abode according to preplanned itinerary for the remaining 10 days. We would eventually move from there to the Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem, Israel. Nonetheless, with the anticipation for what was ahead until February 12th, 2011, all us joined ranks with pilgrims [across the centuries] who made the journey to the Holy Land. Convinced that our faith {like theirs} would be nourished and strengthened, as we would walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
I was energized knowing that I would finally get the chance to fasten my eyes on specific geographical locations that I’d seen in numerous photos and paintings about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. But also to get a vivid sense of how the pages of the Old and New Testament would come alive as the illustrations and the scriptures came together.
With the aid of a passionate tour guide, Avi, a native Israeli was exceptional in his knowledge of how each site would illumine the parallel readings of scripture. We, designated as the “Brown Bus group” [approximately 29 passengers] were all amazed with his wealth of knowledge. Having had educational experiences in the USA, Avi spoke English very well as well as did our skillful bus driver Ramie, a native Arab.
A typical excursion from the hotel was preceded by a hearty breakfast meal and the Brown Bus Group, as did the Yellow Bus Group, etc, would leave around 8:00 AM. We would have lunch at a specific location on the tour and finally upon arrival back at the hotel, we would have an evening meal. However, on the bus we laughed, sang hymns of praise, caught a few winks of sleep between the superb lectures of our tour host. Anticipating what would happen as we visited such places as Caesarea, Meggido, Nazareth, Cana of Galilee, the Sea of Galille, Mt. of Beatitudes, Capernaum, the Jordan River, the Baptismal site, Beit Shean, Jericho, Bethlehem, Mt. of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Via Dolorosa, Masada, and the Garden Tomb (just to name a few). Our feet, legs, and lungs may have been pushed to the limit with steep inclines and long walks, but the thought of Jesus’ long struggle with the cross to Golgotha’s hill kept us moving! Our minds were saturated with knowledge, but our hearts and spirits soared! I can say that wherever we were on the journey, all us were at the right place and the right time.
Bishop Goodpaster made an outstanding remark (in his scheduled lecture teachings) when he said, “If you are amazed or overwhelmed by being here, remember it’s not what you will learn, but what you will experience!” Hey, I liked that! Using the title of “The Experiences of being in Israel,” Bishop also said
• Coming here never gets old…
• There is something that draws us to this place…
• There is something about the land that gives birth to the three faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and
• What make the land Holy is because God is here.
From Bishop Goodpaster’s broad world travels and religious associations, the word experience is significant in that brings to mind what one fellow traveler asked just before we would be leaving Israel and going back home in the United Stated, “what in your estimation would be the highlight of your visit to the Holy Land?” I thought for a moment and jumped at the memory of the Garden of Gethsemane and what I felt when I saw the sight of a nearly 2000 year old Olive Tree. Mercy! Mercy!
Acts 4: 20 says, We cannot stop telling about everything we have heard and seen. Who are the “We” mentioned in this verse? Peter and John - the disciples of Jesus! They had such a zeal for the Lord that they could not be kept quiet – even when threatened. 1 John 1: 1,2 gives further clarity:
We proclaim to you the one who existed in the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and the he was revealed to us.We cannot stop telling about everything we have heard and seen. – Acts 4:20
Awesome! Out of sight! Amazing! Simply outstanding! These are a few of what may be called typical expressions that define how one may react to something or someone. Just a few days after the beginning of the month on February 3rd, EO -Educational Opportunities Tours, notified members from the Western NC Conference of the United Methodist Church that their plans to visit the Holy Lands with Bishop Larry Goodpaster was in full swing! Because of the bad weather conditions in New York and surrounding areas, our flight plans had been changed from February 1st and as far as I could see it, the wintry conditions didn’t look favorable. The dread of hearing the trip would be delayed once again loomed in the air. On top of the snow and ice phenomenon, unsettling conditions were heating up in Egypt, which is linked geographically close to Israel. Yet, God had something else in mind – to fulfill his purpose for my/our going to the land of the Bible.
Israel, the Holy Land, the land of Jesus, became a reality after nearly a ten-hour flight aboard a huge Continental jet plane. When it hit the ground in Tel Aviv, I leaped in my spirit and said, “Lord, bring it on!” Let me tell you, I was just like a little child completely overwhelmed by the sights and sounds. I was at the right place and at the right time. The Royal Plaza Hotel in Tiberias, Israel, became our place of abode according to preplanned itinerary for the remaining 10 days. We would eventually move from there to the Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem, Israel. Nonetheless, with the anticipation for what was ahead until February 12th, 2011, all us joined ranks with pilgrims [across the centuries] who made the journey to the Holy Land. Convinced that our faith {like theirs} would be nourished and strengthened, as we would walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
I was energized knowing that I would finally get the chance to fasten my eyes on specific geographical locations that I’d seen in numerous photos and paintings about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. But also to get a vivid sense of how the pages of the Old and New Testament would come alive as the illustrations and the scriptures came together.
With the aid of a passionate tour guide, Avi, a native Israeli was exceptional in his knowledge of how each site would illumine the parallel readings of scripture. We, designated as the “Brown Bus group” [approximately 29 passengers] were all amazed with his wealth of knowledge. Having had educational experiences in the USA, Avi spoke English very well as well as did our skillful bus driver Ramie, a native Arab.
A typical excursion from the hotel was preceded by a hearty breakfast meal and the Brown Bus Group, as did the Yellow Bus Group, etc, would leave around 8:00 AM. We would have lunch at a specific location on the tour and finally upon arrival back at the hotel, we would have an evening meal. However, on the bus we laughed, sang hymns of praise, caught a few winks of sleep between the superb lectures of our tour host. Anticipating what would happen as we visited such places as Caesarea, Meggido, Nazareth, Cana of Galilee, the Sea of Galille, Mt. of Beatitudes, Capernaum, the Jordan River, the Baptismal site, Beit Shean, Jericho, Bethlehem, Mt. of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Via Dolorosa, Masada, and the Garden Tomb (just to name a few). Our feet, legs, and lungs may have been pushed to the limit with steep inclines and long walks, but the thought of Jesus’ long struggle with the cross to Golgotha’s hill kept us moving! Our minds were saturated with knowledge, but our hearts and spirits soared! I can say that wherever we were on the journey, all us were at the right place and the right time.
Bishop Goodpaster made an outstanding remark (in his scheduled lecture teachings) when he said, “If you are amazed or overwhelmed by being here, remember it’s not what you will learn, but what you will experience!” Hey, I liked that! Using the title of “The Experiences of being in Israel,” Bishop also said
• Coming here never gets old…
• There is something that draws us to this place…
• There is something about the land that gives birth to the three faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and
• What make the land Holy is because God is here.
From Bishop Goodpaster’s broad world travels and religious associations, the word experience is significant in that brings to mind what one fellow traveler asked just before we would be leaving Israel and going back home in the United Stated, “what in your estimation would be the highlight of your visit to the Holy Land?” I thought for a moment and jumped at the memory of the Garden of Gethsemane and what I felt when I saw the sight of a nearly 2000 year old Olive Tree. Mercy! Mercy!
Acts 4: 20 says, We cannot stop telling about everything we have heard and seen. Who are the “We” mentioned in this verse? Peter and John - the disciples of Jesus! They had such a zeal for the Lord that they could not be kept quiet – even when threatened. 1 John 1: 1,2 gives further clarity:
Being at the right place and the right time, John, one of the original 12 disciples, wrote this letter to put believers back on track, to show the difference between light and darkness (truth and error) and to encourage the church to grow in genuine love for God and for one another. He also wrote to assure the believers that they possessed eternal life and to help them know that their faith was genuine so that they could enjoy all the benefits of being God’s children.
The visit the Holy Lands with Bishop Larry Goodpaster and the Western NC Conference February 3-February 12, 2011 – what an experience of being at the right place and the right time; to sense the very presence of God-in-Christ. Selah.
