We've Arrived

Well, we have officially made it to Israel – praise the Lord! After another long flight and an hour long bus ride we walked into the city of Jerusalem at about 6pm tonight. We sang some worship songs and read Psalm 122 as we overlooked the city from a hill on the northern side.

Today was a short day (or maybe today never happened and yesterday was just really long and it is still here). Either way, only about nine hours ago we woke up on the plane (after a not-so-sound sleep) to the rabbis “paying their vows” in the presence of all the people.

Of course there were many Jews on the flight with us from NY to Tel Aviv and it was quite a sight to see many of them strapping on their phylacteries, ceremonially pulling their prayer shawls over their heads and reading and kissing their hand held copies of the law. Nonetheless, it inspired me to wake my sleepy head up and “perform my vows” – which entailed 4 cups of coffee and ten chapters of scripture.

I couldn’t help but notice a significant theme in Psalm 116, though, as I began to read. There the psalmist says “I pay my vows to the LORD now in the presence of all His people.” Yet his vow was but a natural response to God’s goodness in his life. The psalmist begins the chapter by declaring his thanks for God’s gracious deliverance and salvation in his life. As I thought about the rituals I observed these men going through, and knowing they reject Jesus as their Messiah, I felt emptiness for them.  For it is not by our vows that we receive God’s favor but it is in response to His favor that we pay our vows.


I, for one, wanted my morning devotion today to be more than just some coffee and a couple of chapters - I desired true communion with the Lord who has loved me so much! Indeed – I was blessed and Cheryl and I look forward to many more times with the Lord as we walk where He walked this week.