Sea of Galilee Field Trip (11/20)

We started out this incredible day with a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee! Brother Judd gave yet another amazing devotional about how Christ can, has, and will calm the storms of our life just as he calmed the storm when he and the disciples were on a boat in the night (Mark 4:35-41). Even the winds and the sea obey the Master! After the devotional we sang “Mast, The Tempest is Raging” and then listened to music that the crew played—it was Southern/Gospel/Hallelujah music that was super fun! I loved the song “My God is an Awesome God.” We were all dancing and having a grand old time! Emily Christensen and I made up our own dance moves. I love that girl!

 Our next stop was the Mount of Beatitudes. I learned and felt so much there! It is such a peaceful place—I would go there again in an instant if I could. As I pondered about and read the Sermon on the Mount, a few of the Beatitudes really stuck out to me:

“Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” I have mourned and have had an aching heart, but now I can humbly and truly testify that through Christ I have been comforted. How has he comforted me? By allowing me to work at Brighton this summer; by giving me these past few months in Jerusalem; by giving me the people that I need in my life, by wrapping his loving arms around me through my hardest nights, by taking my pains and sorrows upon himself. He literally knows exactly what I’ve felt.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.” I’m reminded of a quote by Stephen A. Robinson: “When are you hungry? When are you thirsty? When you don’t have the object of your desire. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after the righteousness that God has, after the righteousness of the celestial kingdom, because as that is the desire of their heart, they can achieve it—they will be filled.”

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” If I have my life in order and am seeking after good things, I will see the goodness and mercy of God in my life everyday. I will see God as He is if I am becoming more like Him.

I will never forget that hour that I was able to sit on the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the Sea of Galilee. It was so incredible!

We walked down the mount to the Tabgha churches: the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes and the Church of St. Peter’s Primacy.

We also went to Capernaum where Christ performed most of his miracles. It was also the headquarters of his ministry.

I have felt completely at peace two different times in Jerusalem: Shepherd’s Field and the Mount of Beatitudes. It’s an incredible feeling to have nothing else on your mind and to just be communing with God. I’m trying to feel that peace more in my life. It’s during those times that everything comes back into focus.