Farewell

We leave in a few moments.  I will blog about our final day, with pictures, from Yad Vashem, the Shrine of the Book, and the National Museum of Israel.  This is including the 2nd Century Model of Jerusalem.

I spent the day walking around the city and the city wall.  The Old City wall that is.  What an amazing city.  Just incredible.  Incredible city for an incredible land.

I close as we leave for the airport with two pieces.  The first is a prayer written by our guide, Peter Sabella.  Peter has guided us through Jerusalem with skill.  He says he is writing a tourist guide to Jerusalem.  If he should finishing it, it will be a masterful piece of information and perspective.

This first piece is a prayer he has written and has shared with groups over the years.

He calls it a Pilgrim's prayer.  It is his work, not mine.  And we began each of our days in Jerusalem with these words:

Pilgrim's Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, you simply said two words to Apostle Peter, and he left everything behind him and followed you. From the very beginning he was open to the possibility of having his identity and faith challenged. 
I too, O Lord want to follow you. I am also open to the possibility of having my identity and previous faith perceptions challenged. I have come to seek you. I want to walk with you, see you and hear your voice like the other disciples did. I surrender myself to you. 
Write your Gospel in my heart, open my mind to receive your grace. Help me gain a new insight into my true self. Help me relax my anxieties and frustrations when things don’t seem to go my way! Help me become a permanent pilgrim instead of a passing tourist!
Teach me the way to embrace my brothers and sisters on this pilgrimage and in this land with love, as you have embraced your cross with love.
Lord, I have left family and friends behind. I ask you to keep them in your care and grace.  Grant them patience and peace of heart knowing that I am seeking a transformed spiritual relationship with you.   
I am following in your footsteps, O Lord, hoping that the one who returns home will be a better person than the one who set out!
Amen

The second piece is Psalm 67.  I recited it in pews all over this land.  I offered it at the Western Wall.  I offer it to our church today as a prayer.

Psalm 67

The Nations Called to Praise God

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.
May God be gracious to us and bless us
   and make his face to shine upon us,
          Selah 
that your way may be known upon earth,
   your saving power among all nations. 
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
   let all the peoples praise you. 

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
   for you judge the peoples with equity
   and guide the nations upon earth.
          Selah 
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
   let all the peoples praise you. 

The earth has yielded its increase;
   God, our God, has blessed us. 
May God continue to bless us;
   let all the ends of the earth revere him.

Yes indeed.  May the way of God, the way of peace, be known in all the earth.  And may all the people praise, praise, praise with their words of love and lives of service.

Thanks for reading.  May you be blessed.