GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL


On Sunday we drove the length of the Negev Desert from the southern tip of the Dead Sea to the deep water port in the city of Eliat on the Red Sea. Along the way we stopped to take pictures of Lot's wife, pillar that perhaps once stood on the shores of the Dead Sea but after shifts in tectonic plates, now is half way up a mountain.

About ten minutes before seeing the fertile port city in the distance looking much like an oasis, the air conditioning on the bus became 'intermitent'. While on a bus in the Negev you do not want intermitent air conditioning! We were happy to reach the Isrotel Royal Beach Hotel where we have been pampered beyond our wildest dreams.

Standing on the balcony, we can see the nations of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and of course Israel. The city of Eliat, Israel and the city of Acaba, Jordan share this northernmost tip of the Red Sea as a common deep water port. At least they do in times of peace. Just in case, their is an Israeli PT boat that cruises just beyond the swimming marker!

Last night after dinner we gathered together for worship. On the bus we drew lot's marked with each part of a worship service that we were to prepare as our offering. Sam P. opened worship with a Jesus cheer. Linda chose "Holy, Holy, Holy" for our opening Hymn. David led us with a prayer of confession. Stuart read our Old Testament Lesson from the Book of Psalms. Harry chose to read the Beatitudes and then, Ed who was also invited to chose a scripture that was meaningful to him because of the places we had visited, also had prepared to read the same passage which he did along with some scholarly notes from the study Bible. Mary led us in singing "Jesus love the little children." Barbara led us in a Hebrew Prayer (and its translation)... the Nichols offered a wonderful Benediction.

As we have taken in the geography of this state the size of New Jersey as is intended on pilgrimage, our spiritual geography changes as well. God in His 'baruch hesed' His blessed faithfulness and by His Holy Spirit, works what we are seeing into our hearts and minds and we are changed. It's not the Damacus Road experience of Paul [although it could be] but instead a new wrinkle on our soul that holds new meaning.

It makes me hope that it to be true that each Sabbath is a mini-pilgrimage, where the geography of our spirit is altered as we walk through sacred places, participating in sacred ritual, changing us (even imperceptibly) more and more into the very Image of God. I have to wonder if that's not what our Jewish sisters and brothers mean when they wish one another "Shabbat Shalom" -- Good Sabbath. May we all experience such in the geography of our spirit. BLESSINGS AND JOY, THE CELTIC MONK

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