Lessons from Israel: The Western Wall

One of the most famous sites in Jerusalem is the Western Wall.  It is the last remnant of Herod’s temple that Jewish people have access to.  The rest of the temple mount is under Muslim control and is off limits to Jews.  So Jewish people from around the world gather at the Western Wall to pray. It is the most sacred place in the world for adherents to Judaism.

Israel and Palestine is often called “The Holy Land.”  I get that. It is remarkable and sometimes overwhelming to realize that Jesus and Paul and the patriarchs walked in these very places.  But the truth is that the place you are sitting right now is no less holy that any site in Israel. Jesus had a conversation about this with a Samaritan woman.  In John 4, he says, “true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” As followers of Jesus, God lives in us.  He is not confined to a region or a place. He is just as powerfully in your home, school, or workplace as he is in Jerusalem or by the Sea of Galilee. It is an amazing experience to walk where Jesus walked.  It’s just as amazing to realize that Jesus is walking with you today right where you are.