You’ve met me here on the shores of Galilee. I’ve stood in several towns along the sea and wonder how Your followers did it. How they decided to follow You. I think to have said yes to You back then, I would have had a list of questions for You. 

Where are we going? 

What are we doing today?

How long until we get there?

Could I follow You without details or an agenda?

When I think of Your time in this region, I get fixated by all You did. Yet You brought me here to show me what You truly saw. It wasn’t the tasks. You saw the people. You saw the investments, the time You put into Your disciples and that was far more valuable than the miracles themselves. The deeds, kindness, miracles were for one reason only - for people to love You, to trust You, to follow You. Christians don’t follow an idea, a movement, a religion - we follow You. 

To follow You I release the tasks that I cling to because tasks have been my master. Left to my own, I’ll choose tasks over people. In all of this, I’m missing the people I’m doing this for. I know the tasks are important and necessary, but I ask for Your forgiveness and Your vision to see the people, Your people You’ve called me to serve. I drop a rock deep into the Sea as I release this to You once more. 

As I journey south towards Jerusalem, I put my feet in the Jordan where Your cousin, John the Baptist, baptized You. I see the country of Jordan just across the river and wonder what You saw that day as You heard Your Father’s voice of pleasure to You. And yet, I journey further and look around at this land called Samaria in Your day. I think of places like Bethlehem and Jericho that are presently hostile toward the Jews with red warning signs: 

“This Road leads to Area ‘A’ Under the Palestinian Authority, the entrance for Israeli citizens is forbidden, dangerous to your lives, and against the Israeli law.” 

I understand a little more about how you taught as you walked and told stories. The terrain lends itself to the story of the Good Samaritan and the robbers who took advantage of him. (Luke 10) The animals and agriculture would have been ideal lessons for those soaking up all Your wisdom and truth. 

And a verse that I’ve said more times in my life with You finds its way to my mouth and I whisper, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) It’s odd to think I live in the ends of the earth, but find myself in Judea and Samaria and entering into Jerusalem. I’m going backwards, aren’t I? And after You said these things, You were lifted up and a cloud took You out of sight and two men appeared and said to Your fishermen followers from Galilee, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (verse 11) This happened just up from the Mount of Olives and I see the hill as I enter into Jerusalem, 

When they said, ‘Let’s go to the house of God,’ my heart leaped for joy. 

And now we’re here, O Jerusalem, inside Jerusalem’s walls! 

Jerusalem, well-built city, built as a place for worship!

The city to which the tribes ascend, 

All God’s tribes go up to worship, 

To give thanks to the name of God —

This is what it means to be Israel.

Thrones for righteous judgment are set there, famous David-thrones.

Pray for Jerusalem’s peace!

Prosperity to all you Jerusalem-lovers!

Friendly insiders, get along!

Hostile outsiders, keep your distance!

For the sake of my family and friends, I say it again:

Live in peace!

For the sake of the house of our God, 

God, I’ll do my very best for you. (Psalm 122, The Message)

(Facts shared come from the Scriptures and from the tour with Insight for Living Ministries. Imagination from my own heart.)

This letter to Jesus was written from Israel. Yet I post this during COVID-19 and find my “type A, planner personality” surrendering and understanding what daily bread truly is. My task for today is to follow Him. To serve my kids as they homeschool. To support my husband and the Church in San Francisco. To write unto my Savior by encouraging the saints and laying out the Gospel to those who have yet to believe.