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Israel Trip Devotional Introduction

Welcome 

Thanks for joining us on this exploration of the Biblical text in preparation for our journey to the Holy Land. Over the coming weeks we will break down the itinerary of our trip into a devotional guide through the Scriptures, giving you one week per itinerary day to prayerfully prepare your heart, mind, and soul for the coming days. Our goal is to help prepare you to absorb and enjoy the sites we will experience together and not be overwhelmed with the information while on the trip. 

 

The Land we experience will bring the Biblical text alive in many ways, so the more familiar we are with the text the more insights we will walk away with. However, reading the entire Bible, and comprehending all the details, before the trip is overwhelming and near impossible. Therefore, we will identify key passages for you to read and reflect on before the trip. This will give you plenty of time to read the full story prior to the trip and allow you to reflect on the key texts while on the trip. 

 

We also want to thank those who want to participate in the devotional even though they cannot join us on the trip. Because this devotional and the trip is based on the Bible and the Land of the Bible, it will benefit all who read along. Our prayer is that your relationship with Jesus and your understanding of His Word will grow deeper as we seek to understand the roots of our faith and see the land where the stories took place. 

 

Remember, this is not a homework assignment. We do not want to add stress to your life. This is to be a helpful tool for you if you choose to engage it. We will provide a variety of helpful options for you in this devotional. You may want to have your own notebook and pen to write a lot, or maybe you just want to read through and be familiar with things. Our goal is for you to enjoy the journey and learn along the way. 

 

What to Expect

 

Devotional Thoughts: Each devotional will begin with a few thoughts to guide our journey. Most days will have a theme selected for our focus as we read and learn together. We know that there are many lessons to be learned from these stories and these places, and we cannot wait to hear how God speaks to you on this trip. The theme selected is what stood out to us as we encountered these locations and passages. 

 

Key Texts: We will identify key passages that will be read on the corresponding day in Israel. We will invite each person on the trip to select a passage or two to read with the group on location. These are shorter texts that will bring focus to our time at each historical site we are at, easy to read the night before, and throughout the day.

 

The Story Texts: We will list the broader sections of Scripture for you to read to understand the fuller story of that day. Depending on the day and the locations will determine how many chapters to cover. This list will be hard to read while we are in Israel but will be helpful to read beforehand. 

 

The Locations: We will focus on the major stops of our itinerary and give some explanation of each location. We may share some of our own observations and thoughts from our first time at that location, share a brief commentary, and connect some Biblical texts to the location. 

 

Reflection Questions: Information alone is good, but reflection on information leads to transformation. We hope to help you grow through thought provoking questions along the way. It is important to remember this is not an assignment for a grade, but a tool for you to enjoy. Sometimes writing an answer will help you remember long term, but some moments are best for quiet contemplation. 

 

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