3 words that sum up my trip:
1) Restoration
I am so thankful to God and give Him all praises for His love for me. He spoke so personally to me on several occasions during the trip with regard to the areas of my heart that needed His restoration. During the morning bus worship sessions, He came so personally to bring healing in my heart of the pain of losing 2 close friends this year. Indeed, God knows our hearts far better that we do. And He knew I just needed that complete healing. At the Church of Annunciation at Nazareth, I was very blessed and ministered by Pastor Eugene’s sharing on how God never despises the small things and of how with Him all things are possible. It ministered to me a lot about my life, my ministry. I never expected God to use this trip to minister to such personal areas of my life, honestly. But He cares, He loves, and in His might and grace, He brought forth restoration. And for this, I give all thanks and glory to Him.
2) Revelation
The pre-trip session we had where Pastor Eugene spoke about how important it was to be close to the Cross, set an important foundation for me for this trip. I was reminded that in order to see God in this trip, I had to be found close to the Cross. The session with Pastor Peter, at Mount Carmel, built on this, where I was taught the importance of revelation to see God’s Hand in this nation. Before this trip, I knew I had to always pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem. But I never did quite fully understand why. I thank God that He used this trip to bless me with revelation to understand why this nation needs prayer and how God is using this nation as a powerful tool for His glory. After this trip, indeed, reading the Bible takes on a different and deeper meaning. Through this trip, God revealed how very much He is a covenant-keeping God. His promises towards Israel stand to this day. Some have come true, and we are seeing it! As God revealed this to me, there was a breakthrough in my heart to apply this revelation to what I want to believe in God for.
Through the Masada visit, God spoke to me through the story of the Jews at Masada. This was a group of Jews who rather die for their freedom than to be slaves under the Romans. (whether it was right to die or not is not to be judged I guess.) But through that visit, I was reminded how in Christ, we are always called to die to ourselves to live in the freedom of Christ, and not to be slaves of sin. And I prayed to the Lord that day that He will constantly help me to be desperate to rather “die (to myself) for freedom” rather to be a slave to sin.
3) Renewal
Through this trip, and all that I have received, seen and learnt. I believe God has done a renewal work in my walk with Him. God has shown me how much greater He is, and have Him being magnified gives me faith in my life. Through the nation of Israel, He has shown me His own heart for His people and nations, and this trip has sparked off a new interest in me for matters concerning Israel.
One prayer I ask of Him before the trip was that I wanted to really end the Year of Victory well for God, in spite of the setbacks this year. Now I know God has positioned this trip and planned for me to go. And I give thanks to Him for this trip for I know now He has used it to show me His victory and that in Him, I am more than a conqueror! Thank you God.
Mabel.
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