Traveling is a pastime of most Americans. We plan vacations to visit relatives, friends, attend family reunions, for specialty trips, and places of interest. Well, I’m no different. This year I took a personal interest trip to visit the Holy Land.Unlike most Christians who’ve longed to visit the Holy Land, I’ve never had a desire to visit Israel. That all changed this year as I felt commissioned by God to visit and walk in the footsteps of Jesus. I learned of a pastor’s tour, organized by Benny Hinn Ministries, and decided if any one knew Israel, it was Benny Hinn who was born and raised there.
I realize Americans are used to having things a certain way but experienced travelers know things are different in other countries. The difference in architectural landscape, food, clothing, language, customs, traditions, and lifestyles is what makes visiting other countries unique from visiting grandma or grandpa on the east or west coast.
The beauty of any trip involves the places visited, the food and fellowship of our traveling companions, and people we meet on the way. Israel is a place where the sites and people leave an indelible impression etched into the psyche of a person. While visiting one historic site after another, I noticed each person’s experience in my group was uniquely individual. At each location, everyone had a different and personal encounter with their God. For example, the Western Wall was where I had one of my most memorable and spiritual experiences. I learned that I was standing on the ruins of Solomon’s temple, which once housed the ark of the covenant, a place where King Solomon dedicated the temple and prayed one of the most beautiful prayers in scripture—I Kings 8:1-66. Being there deeply affected me because of knowing scriptures relevant to that location. Here, Solomon dedicated the temple as a place for God to abide forever; prayed that God’s eyes would be open toward that house night and day and that God would hearken unto the prayer, which Solomon would make toward this place. Later, God appeared to Solomon (I Kings 9:1-3) saying that He heard his prayer; He had hallowed the temple; that His name would be there forever; and that His eyes and heart would be at that place “perpetually.” Knowing the promise God made to Solomon; as my hand touched the wall, with prayers in hand and heart—my eyes gushed with tears and His presence filled my total being. I knew instantly why the locals advise anyone coming to the Wall to bring your written prayer requests and leave them there. God told Solomon on that fateful day, that the prayers of His people Israel and the prayers of those from strange lands would be heard and answered when they pray at this place—the Wall (I Kings 8:38-43). It was an AWE-some moment to understand and know the Father’s eyes, heart, and presence was perpetually at that place: I couldn’t stop the tears.
I now feel every Christian needs to visit Israel. Your experience will never be my experience, because OUR Father will design a unique and individual adventure just for you—because He’s our Abba Father and He knows what each one of us needs. He commissioned me to Israel to teach me that Jerusalem was my home. Jerusalem had a far greater impact on me than the other Israeli regions I visited. On our ascent from Galilee into Jerusalem, I noticed I was beginning to feel one with the land and one with the people. By the time we ascended into Jerusalem I felt like I was at home. I felt at peace, safe, and relaxed in soul and spirit. Once in Jerusalem, God spoke to me, telling me that my feeling of oneness with the people and the land was because I was at home and that He had beckoned me to come home to teach me some things He couldn’t teach me in America. He revealed to me new purpose, new faith and new courage for the coming days. I left Israel knowing that I had to come back—again, and again, and again, because it’s my home—and one day it will be my eternal home. Thank you Father for welcoming me home.
