Sierra Pacific Synod’s Holy Land Solidarity Pilgrimage - Day 4

Today, our first full day in the "south," we visited a baptismal site not far from the site of Jesus' own baptism, the Mount of Temptation where Jesus was met by the devil, the site of Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered last century, and the Dead Sea itself.

Compared to the lush greenery of the north, this area was often dusty and windswept. One of the things that awed me was the aqueducts and water systems in Qumran, a sign of the lengths to which people would go to make sure their basic needs were met. 

In Jesus' time, simply choosing to live in a place like Qumran would have been an act of faith: faith in enough rain to fall, enough to grow, and faith that everyone would have what they needed.

I contrast this with how often I measure my present circumstances by how comfortable I am. How often do I expect a 'reasonable' temperature or the weather I want? As I walked down to the Dead Sea to put my bare feet in, I began to regret not bringing suitable footwear - the ground was rather rocky. Then I realized how silly it was to measure the full experience by my momentary comfort.

I'm pulled back into the present moment now, writing this as we return to Bethlehem. As we drive, I'm thinking of how we will have to stop at a border crossing to get into (and back out of) the city. The Israeli guards have the Palestinians there at their mercy every single time.

I am awed by the resilience of the Palestinian people we have met, and I'm brought face to face with my own desire for comfort. As if I'm still facing my own Mount of Temptation.

Pastor Bob Swartz, St James, Redding, CA