The Beauty of Simplicity

The steeple of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem

It was with some hesitancy that we left the International Guest House at Christmas Lutheran Church this morning. We enjoyed our four evenings there very much. But we were also ready to move on to Jerusalem to see the final pieces of our Holy Land Journey of Faith and Witness, as the brochure promised.

The Old City of Jerusalem is surrounded by a wall that holds many gates by which to enter. Entering first through the Dung Gate, we started at the Temple Mount on Mount Moriah. That mount is known from the Old Testament story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, which God in the end did not require of him. It is also thought to be the site of Solomon’s temple, although that is many feet below where we stood. It currently holds the golden Dome of the Rock, an important symbol of the Muslim faith.

Our next stop was the Wailing Wall. You can see the five men from our group in this picture, if you look carefully, two to the left and three huddled to the right of two young men in dark clothing. We women also went to the women’s side and left some prayers in the crevices of the huge boulders that make up the wall. The lowest levels are thought to be rocks from Solomon’s time.

After lunch we moved through Herod’s gate and walked the Via Dolorosa. For any who have experienced the Stations of the Cross such as at the Grotto in Portland, this is so much different. A walk that is so filled with suffering and agony for our Lord is rendered almost unrecognizable by stand after stand of souvenirs and other goods. It is difficult to find each of the stations. Our guide helped us to be aware, but I would say it was not a moving experience.

The altar over the top of Golgotha. 

Our next stop was the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in which both the Golgotha mound and the tomb where Jesus was laid and from which he rose are commemorated. The lines here were very long and slow-moving, as those visiting venerated each of these sites. Again for us the efforts at commemoration were more of a distraction than a help in appreciating what may be the place of such life changing events. 

Pulpit and altar area of Redeemer Lutheran church, just steps away from the Golgotha site.

I found much more meaning in sitting in Redeemer Lutheran Church just steps away from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and singing “Beautiful Savior” once more with our group. But it was good to be in these places and to share with Christians of many nationalities and languages our faith in our Crucified and Risen Savior.

After settling in at the Gloria Hotel in the Old Jerusalem very close to the Joffa Gate, we enjoyed a tasty buffet dinner together and a brief devotion at which we shared the Lord’s Supper. Knowing we were blocks away from where Christ instituted this gift for His people made is very meaningful for all of us. We can’t believe tomorrow is our last day of being a group together on this journey. We are already sharing ideas for how to stay in touch – oh yes, and how to share pictures!