Unto Us

"O Little Town of Bethlehem, how still, we see thee lie"

Still? The tranquil picture painted around many of our nativities rarely depicts the torment this relatively small town has undergone millennia after millennia. In this current season of tension between Palestinians and Israelis, we were not sure our pilgrims would be able to cross the border. God is so good. 

Not only were they able to cross into the West Bank, but something unusual was afforded them. Typically, when we go we must switch buses and guides causing us to have to walk through a checkpoint either at the beginning or the end of our visits. There have been a couple of moments of tension when our large group would pass through along with the everyday transients. People aren't expecting the line and get a little heated.

 

So! What a blessing when the group found out that their driver is one of thirty-five that has permission to drive in Israel and the West Bank. They still had to switch guides from Meir to Johnny, but in this interesting season they did not have to endure the extra strain. Even though, it is a different country, they didn’t have to present their passports like a typical visit would require. Praise God!

First stop, the Church of the Nativity. This place has always been interesting. The religious spirit of control the priests enforce over this property can be stifling. Pastor Thomas has always said, "There's still no room for Jesus." There was a bit of strain until finally the group descended into the grotto- the cave where Jesus most likely was born.

You see, shepherds didn’t build barns. There simply isn’t that much wood in Israel for building. Most houses in Israel were built of stone. So shepherds would use the natural caves found in Bethlehem to bed down their sheep. Typically the shepherd lay down across the entrance so no sheep could escape and no predator or thief could get past without waking them. I think of Jesus as my Good Shepherd laying down His life, about Him being the door, the gate. The only entrance to the Father.

Pastor Jerry Keller began to look around the group and call upon the mothers (paraphrased):

“Standing here in this room. Imagine bringing your child into this world, your first child. What joy and love pours from a mother when she looks upon the face of her child for the very first time.” The mothers nodded and smiled remembering their own experiences. “Now, imagine that the face you beheld in your arms was the face of God. What must that have been like?” Pastor Jerry asked each mother. Ms. Victoria spoke up, “I can’t even begin to imagine…” Her voice broke as she became overwhelmed with enormity of the realization. She began to cry at the beauty of the thought. They sang, “Silent night” which speaks of sacred peace and tranquility of this space and this word. Then, “Joy to the World.” Counterpoint to the peace is the joy at the established fact that: The Lord has come!”

 

“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6

I love that: unto us… So, we each can look upon His face and know He was born unto Mary, but He was born unto us. Glory to God in the Highest!

The group pressed on to Shepherd’s Field. They spent some time in the larger cave. Pastor Jerry began to share on shepherds.

These shepherds were ordinary men and boys who were invited to bear witness to the extraordinary. Usually shepherding was left to the youngest, the oldest, and the ones that weren’t necessarily good at anything else. You watched where the sheep walked. You watched the sheep drink. You watched them eat, and eat, and eat. You slept with them. You smelled like them. This was not a prestigious line of work. Yet, one night not that long ago they were special guests with front row seats to the advent of the greatest event in all of history. They beheld the birth of Redemption.

Johnny, their Palestinian guide, spoke up at the end of Pastor Jerry’s sharing. He said that he longed for people in the church who would really fall in love with Jesus. In his church, he said the priests say one thing and live a different way. He was desperate for that love to purify the Bride of Christ.

After he finished sharing the group was about to move on, Mrs. Sondra Haggard spoke up and said it was on her heart to pray. She called upon the Lord, asking that this heart cry of a man of Bethlehem would be heard around the world. That the church would awaken to her first love- Jesus. To love Him as the Beloved should.

Oh, Jesus. Stir my heart. Awaken my love. May I fall in love with You. Not seeking only Your hands, but to really gaze upon Your face.

The group continued on to an olive wood factory, where the most beautiful olive wood carvings were being whittled. Pastor Jerry asked Molly (his daughter) to sing to the shop owner. As she began to sing, workers began coming out of back rooms, and side doors. Drawn to the music, but more so to the anointing. (Click here to get a taste of what drew them...)

Pastor Kathy went on to share that they crossed back into Israel and spent some time at the Garden Tomb. She was shocked at the large number of tourists. You would think that in this turbulent season it would have deterred pilgrims, but apparent theirs is not the only group determined to continue their journeys.

John Jackson. Just typing his name makes me smile. John is one of three pilgrims joining the trip from Maranatha Fellowship of St. Albans, WV. He is a native son of Scotland and has wonderful stories to tell. I was curious about how his trip was going. Apparently, he just walks about with a smile on his face. “Thes haes bin uh drehm ay mine fur sae lahng an’ it’s coomin’ truh reit haur, reit noo.” Translation: “This has been a dream of mine for so long and it is coming true right here, right now.” (Said in his striking Scottish accent J ).

Glory!