Last month, Nancy and I enjoyed an incredible bucket list trip to Israel to literally walk many of the places where Jesus Himself walked. We entered the Bethlehem cave where very ancient tradition says He was actually born and we visited Capernaum to see the excavations of the very house that Jesus almost certainly stayed in with Peter.
We were enthralled at Magdala with very recent archaeological findings of a first century synagogue Jesus undoubtedly taught in and where Mary Magdalene had likely been judged. We sat on the Southern Steps of the Temple Mount where Jesus taught His disciples and we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which houses both Golgotha and the Empty Tomb. It was the best trip we’ve ever taken and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
We were privileged to have what has to be the very best guide in Israel, Nola Moss. Her fathomless knowledge and effective communication skills enabled us to understand and appreciate what we were seeing and experiencing. She led us through ruins at Megiddo from Solomon’s time, through Dan from Abraham’s era, and through Nazareth to the see the well that Jesus’ family likely used for their daily water needs.
Other highlights of the trip were the individuals we got to share this experience with. Twenty-seven friends joined us on our faith-full adventure through the Promised Land. During our time together we got to know each other much better as we shared bus rides, short hikes, devotions, and prayers.
We were fortunate not only to have a gifted guide, but also quality headsets. It is sometimes difficult to keep a group that size together much less to make sure everyone can hear, especially when visiting locations crowded with other tourists. Thankfully, we each had our own personal receiver and earphone that allowed us to hear everything Nola shared even when spread out in the tunnel along the foundation of the Temple Mount.
In order for these gadgets to work, however, they had to be tuned to the right frequency. There were several other frequencies available and we had to be sure we were always on Channel 19. Other groups used other channels so if we mistakenly changed frequencies, we might hear German, French, or even Swahili guides. It was comforting to hear Nola’s British accent each time she spoke on “our” channel.
As I reflected on these headsets, they reminded me of our prayers. Many times people will tell me they want to hear from God. That’s a very good thing. However, we’re often not on His frequency. He says we must be still and listen. Instead we are often too busy with life to detect His voice. Additionally, we allow and even encourage so many other frequencies such as secular television, radio, internet, and other media that it becomes impossible to detect and discern God’s voice.
We also found that it was important to remain in the general proximity of Nola’s transmitter. If we strayed too far, our receivers would no longer pick up her signal and we would be oblivious to the golden nuggets she was sharing. So too, we must remain close to God through times of unhurried prayer, Bible reading, and both public and private worship. When we neglect these, we begin to distance ourselves from the very God we need to hear from.
Finally, we had to make sure our headsets were on. Occasionally Nola would begin speaking and someone in the group would say they couldn’t hear her. When others could, it was obvious that the individual had neglected to turn on his or her receiver. Many times, we either intentionally ignore what we do hear from God or we neglect to tune into Him and then wonder why He seems silent. The problem is not on His end, but on ours.
Nancy and I are planning to take another group to Israel in the spring of 2020. If you are interested in joining us, please email me at the address below and we’ll make sure you get the information. In the meantime, as we celebrate the greatest birth on planet earth, let’s make time to turn on to God, adjust to His frequency, and stay close enough to hear His every word. They’re even more insightful and beneficial than Nola’s. Blessings, George