Today I awaken in one of the world’s oldest cities, a sort of “diplomatic hell” for millennia. It has been destroyed at least twice, besieged 23 times, attacked an additional 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times.

[1] Holy to Islam and Christianity and central to Judaism, it is the “City of Peace,” yet its history suggests anything but peace. Jerusalem.

FOOTSTEPS

I have been in Israel for a week now, reliving scenes visited on numerous occasions before, seeing them afresh through the eyes of others who are here for the first time. Nazareth, Megiddo, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, the Dead Sea, Caesarea Maritima, and so much more. I am joined by my good friends and ministry colleagues, Gary and Jorie Gulbranson, my daughter, Michele, and forty-two other wonderful souls on a pilgrimage through the lands of the Bible. Following the footsteps of Jesus.

HOPE AND HOPELESSNESS

Today, in Jerusalem, we will begin at Yad Vasham, making our way through this sacred memorial to the stark realities suffered by millions in a modern day holocaust. The Children’s Pavilion, and the Avenue of the Righteous, where trees have been planted to commemorate the many Christians who helped save the lives of Jews during World War II.

From here we move to Bethlehem, the birthplace of David and of Jesus[2], and the scene of an ancient and ghastly child massacre.[3] Endless stories of violence and hatred seem to abound.

WINDOWS

We had hoped to visit the Synagogue of Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Centre, to view the extraordinary windows created by Marc Chagall. We were unable this time, but they are still worth noting. Every pane of the twelve windows, representing the 12 sons of Jacob, is a microcosm of Chagall’s world, real and imaginary; of his love for his people, his deep sense of identification with Jewish history, and his early life in Russia.

In 1967, shrapnel destroyed four of them during the Six-Day War. Chagall was alive then. He cabled the Medical Center, saying: “Don’t worry about the windows! Worry about Israel. I’ll make you new windows.” And he did, leaving a bullet hole in one, as a reminder of what had happened here.

I think of another hospital and another window looking out on another city. It is San Francisco. A little child, a son. Wrapped in love. Thirteen days. Held in the arms of his mother for the last time, then quietly slipping away. A brother his sister would not know. A first grandson. Hope and hopelessness. Pain and suffering. It is a hole left in the window of our hearts.

THEN JESUS SAID

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”[4] Our pain and suffering need not end in hopelessness. There is hope and it is available to everyone!

On life’s sacred journey, we must “learn to look fully into our losses, not evade them. By greeting life’s pains with something other than denial we may find something unexpected. By inviting God into our difficulties we ground life—even it’s sad moments—in joy and hope. When we stop grasping our lives we can finally be given more than we could ever grab for ourselves. And we learn the way to a deeper love for others.”[5]

The prize of life eternal, filling hearts with joy and hope, was won by “something unexpected”—bythe pain and suffering, loss and death of the One who loved us most. By inviting God into our difficulties, by sharing with him our own lost hope, our doubts and denial, we, too, may find “something unexpected.” New meaning and purpose. New love for others. New life for ourselves.

LOVED BY GOD

The Cross was a decision made by a God who knew we could never reach high enough, go far enough, or achieve enough on our own, to make peace with ourselves or with our Creator. A Saviour was needed. And so he came. God’s only Son. He taught us by word and example how to live as he had intended for us from the beginning. And then he surrendered himself to pain and suffering, hopelessness and death. Yet even in death, he was not done.

THERE WAS MORE

In Jerusalem tomorrow, we will visit the Garden Tomb.[6] Like Peter and John, we will stand at its entrance, and then step inside. It is empty. And like those of old who came to see, we will try to gain a sense of what really happened here. Christ’s crucifixion at Calvary.[7] His resurrection. We will celebrate his victory over death and the grave with communion, rejoicing in his Promise that all who believe in him, putting their faith and trust in him, shall one day be with him in heaven.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,

that whoever believes in him should not perish

but have eternal life.”[8]

SHALOM.

May you experience God’s peace, harmony, wholeness, and completeness today and everyday.

[1]Moment Magazine, May 7, 2019, by Mandy Katz

[2] Micah 5:2; Luke 2:1-21

[3] Matthew 2:16-18

[4] Matthew 5:4

[5] Turn My Mourning into Dancing, Henri Nouwen. Quote from the Introduction by Timothy Jones, Thomas Nelson, 2001

[6]John 19:38

[7] Luke 23 and 24

SOMW[8] John 3:16