[Journey to Israel] In the garden, Pools of Bethesda, Via Dolorosa

We woke up early in the morning to take a walk to the Garden of Gethsemane. This garden overlooks the Golden Gate (east gate of the Old City) which is called so because of a scripture in Ezekiel 33. It stands in a straight line between the Gate and the Temple Mount.

But first, I would like to share a story of how God healed me!

Jerusalem is the city that gives you a supernatural experience. While I was walking through the tunnel to the Western Wall spontaneously I began laughing, and filled with freedom wanted to make my way to the wall and start praying, I needed a little white cap before proceeding, that is part of coming to the Holy Site of the Jews, and it's a good thing, we are brothers and sisters! This experience radically shifted everything, so that I knew I was here for obedience to God's commandments.

However I had a particularly rough infection in my eye (pinkeye) - that was only increasing in size. By the morning I could only see partially out of my right eye, so in the morning while eating breakfast I did ask that they would pray for me. When we got together, their prayers, and the power of God were present, in addition to visibly noticing the top of my eye lid had moved up (letting me see better) i knew they had prayed well because they asked me for more revelation.

So while walking on the way to the Garden I noticed that I could see better! (the infection had shrunk!) This is a miracle! Miracle just happened.

The time we spent in the garden we meditated on the scripture from Luke 22, of how Jesus prayed in the garden and then were arrested by the soldiers of the chief priests. This is just how I have responded to the passage. Jesus was making a "routine" meeting with Father in the Garden (Luke 22:39)
Just as He chose to heal my eye, Jesus also chose to go through the testing of His faith and all that He did to pay for my sin. Because He loves me.

While at the Pools of Bethesda, we saw inside the "waters" (John 5:2-5) It is a hard place for a lame man to get into, it's hard enough trying to without an impediment. The location is also home to a church that was built over the pools - a few centuries later. To finish up at the pools we enjoyed having a worship session inside a Crusader church (circa 1100 AD) with incredible acoustics.

However the most memorable part of the day was coming to the First "Station" of the Cross. (Via Dolorosa is the name - there are more than 10 stations) It is the location that is supposed to be Pilates Praetorium. When you enter inside the church you see at the end some stained glass windows depicting the flogging of Jesus.

To be flogged for my sin, to be slain for my rebellion, to die a substitionary death which fulfills the law, I think that no one can put a monopoly on Jesus and He's the only one that will meet me where I am, that's what I'm thinking as I sit down and watch the story unfold. This may seem like a funny request, but when I get these photos back, allow them to remind you of Jesus. The taking of photos won't pass the time or the heart away