“Faith is taking risks, trying the impossible, and trusting God for the incredible.” – Corrie ten Boom
On November 6, 2023 many of us will gather at Cleveland Hopkins airport early in the morning to begin our journey to the Holy Land together. Others will join us along the way. However, the journey really started long before that day as a step of faith. Petar, Cindy, and I all appreciated our own journeys to the Holy Land so much that we wanted to provide an opportunity for Lakeside to experience it. Petar went on his sabbatical a few years ago with his family, and Cindy and I went on a scouting trip last year with Harvest Net Ministries. Deciding to lead a trip was a step of faith.
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| Tracking our departure and flight patterns |
Each of you have your own unique story on how God has brought you to this opportunity and provided the way for you to participate. You might just like to travel and see this as another cool and exciting place to check off your list. This might be just another vacation you are planning on. Or maybe you thought it was impossible to go on it, but God provided a way. No matter what your starting point is, know that this is more than a vacation, it is more than a cool trip, it is a pilgrimage of faith.
A vacation, or personal travel, is a trip to enjoy visiting new places, eating new foods, and gaining new experiences. A pilgrimage may include all those things but is a personal exploration of faith that will lead to a deeper encounter with God. Our prayer, and the goal of this devotional is to help focus your heart and mind to get the most out of this trip and encounter your Creator in new and exciting ways.
Seeing the land of the Bible provides new and refreshing perspectives on the biblical story. What you see, hear, and experience will be refreshing at times and challenging at times. You will understand layers to the stories that you could not have known or seen without standing on location. The Land of the Bible, the archeological finds, and the people we encounter will fill your imagination with wonder as you consider God’s story.
I want to say “thank you” for stepping out in faith and joining this journey. We are pilgrims together and what we see and experience on this trip will be treasured memories for life. As pilgrims preparing for travel, let us reflect on a few passages together:
Key Text: Genesis 12:1–4 (emphasis added)
1 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to THE LAND that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. (ESV)
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| Looking at the vast wilderness of the Promised Land |
The Story: Genesis 12-15, 21-22
Talk about stepping out in faith, Abram followed God to an undisclosed location where he had never been. God said leave and “I will show you” the land. God did not give Abram the final destination as he was testing the heart of Abram. In his obedience, Abram became the “father of faith” and has left a legacy that continues to impact generations today.
Two things to consider: The Land and The Faith.
Why is the Holy Land special? The answer to this question will continue to unfold throughout our journey as we unpack stories from the Bible. However, think about this, the Creator of the Universe has selected our planet, Earth, as a special privileged planet, set apart from all the other planets because it can sustain life. God not only chose Earth to sustain life, but it is the home of his special creation, humankind—his image bearers. Of all of creation, God chose us to reflect his image and for a relationship with him.
On this planet, of all the continents and countries, God chose to set apart a special sliver of land for his story to be told: the land of Israel (Gen. 15:18-20). It is that very land that we will explore and see how the land continues to tell his story.
The very existence of Israel, the land of the Bible, is a testimony of a God who chooses to reveal who he is, a God who is inviting humanity into a right relationship with him. God promised to show Abram where to go and lead him to the land. Likewise, we should be prepared for God to continue fulfilling that promise to “show us” the land where we are going.
What is special about faith? Abram’s faith was willing to travel. He left the comforts of his home and followed the call of God. Abram is a testimony to the truth that God exists and that he rewards those who trust him (Heb. 11:6). Genuine faith is an active faith. Abram was 75 years old when he stepped out and followed God. Abram’s faith is an example that we are never too old to step out in faith and follow God. I am excited that we have a variety of ages on our team for this trip. As we each experience the Land and share with the group, we will learn from each other how God’s story is leading us deeper into faith.
Abram stepped out in faith and God blessed all the world because of his faithfulness. Notice God promised to “bless those who bless you.” Even to this day, God continues to honor his promise to Abram and his descendants by blessing those who bless them. Visiting Israel and learning their history and enjoying their land is a way of blessing Israel. Be prepared to be blessed! How are you stepping out in faith?
Stepping out in faith requires that you take God at his word. You believe his promises. You trust that he will do what he says he will do. Here are some promises from God for our travel day:
Key Text: Psalm 121:8
The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
International travel and long flights can be unnerving and cause anxieties to arise. The Lord has his eye on you and your travel is in his hands. He knows where you are going and when you are returning. Nothing takes God by surprise. You can have confidence that he is in control of our trip, our travel days, and your life (Phil. 1:6).
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| Flowers growing in the wilderness |
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| Flowers growing in the wilderness |
Key Text: Isaiah 26:3–4
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.
This is my (Brad) favorite travel verse. Consider the confidence, fear, and fall of Peter when he walked on water (Matt. 14:22-33). He stepped out of the boat in faith and actually walked on water with Jesus. When his eyes shifted from the source of his confidence to the source of his fears, he plunged into the sea. Jesus never left him. When Peter cried out for help, Jesus pulled him up immediately.
Having our mind stayed on God is to fix our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:1), to trust his hand, and know that he is present with us. How are you trusting in God? What fears about this trip do you have? How does this verse bring peace to your fears?
Key Text: Matthew 28:18–20
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
This passage is generally reserved for evangelistic teachings and missions trips. This pilgrimage may not be a traditional missions trip but it will lead to many opportunities to talk about Jesus, the Bible, and the land of the Bible. You can have confidence in your travels because Jesus says “I am with you always” and that he has “all authority in heave and on earth.” The Greek says, “as you are going” or could be translated “wherever you go” make disciples. Our trip, being a pilgrimage, is a discipleship opportunity. You are embarking on a time to be a disciple, to learn, and to see God in new ways. The lessons you learn will impact your life and bless others. How can this trip empower you to live out the Great Commission?
Day One is a travel day. For the first 24 hours of our trip, we will see three airports and the inside of two planes. It may be wearisome moving through airport lines or sitting for several hours in a plane seat, but it will be worth it. Consider the fact that the distance we will cover in just 24 hours would have been impossible for Abram to cover in his entire life. Stepping off the plane in Tel Aviv will be the next step in our adventure.
Brad Horner
Reflection Questions
Why is the Holy Land special?
What is special about faith?
How are you trusting in God?
What fears about this trip do you have?
How does Isaiah 26:3-4 bring peace to your fears concerning this trip?
How can this trip empower you to live out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20)?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for being a God who chooses. You chose to create our planet, create life, and create us in your image to be in a relationship with you. You chose a special land and a special people to tell your story and to bring your Son Jesus into our world. I pray you will give me the faith of Abram and that I will have eyes to see what you will show me in the Land of Israel. Help me to trust your promises that you are with me wherever I go, and that you have a plan to protect and guide me. I pray for our team to be prepared mentally, spiritually, and physically for the journey you have in store for us. May we be blessed and a blessing to others.
Amen.
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