Jesus, may your Kingdom come to this earth. May it flow to the outskirts of this city and spill over into the nations…
As I stood atop the high Mount of Olives, I gazed upon the beauty of the Lord in its fullness. The sun set directly behind the walls of the City of David creating a breathtaking landscape that one usually dreams but rarely sees in their lifetime. I pictured the city as it may have been in the days of David and the kings of old. I envisioned the triumphal entry of Jesus riding on the colt and the donkey while the crowd shouted “Hosanna! Hosanna!” fulfilling the prophecy of the magnificent Redeemer. I imagined myself an onlooker as Jesus was flogged in the city and as he mustered up just enough energy to make it up to Golgatha only to be crucified for my sins. I embraced the freedom that came from Jesus walking out of the tomb conquering death and defeating the enemy! These were merely dreams one month ago, but that day they came to life.
I paced around the balcony of the tower. Twelve doors representing the twelve gates of Israel shone light in every direction. I recalled the passages of the Bible (oh how precious is his word to us) calling us lights in the darkness and a city on a hill. The sun had set. The worship was echoing in my ears. Praises were ringing out all over Jerusalem during this watch. I stood among six fire-breathing World Racers as we stood in the gap for the Jaffa Gate. We worshipped, we interceded, and we prophesied over our nation and the nations that the Jaffa Gate faced. For two hours we stood as watchmen on the wall overlooking Jerusalem. As we relieved the watchmen before us, several others relieved us of our duty to continue to stand watch, crying out to the Lord for his Kingdom to come and invade earth. This watch will continue every day, every hour for the nations. Know that there are those who are fighting for the nations in the Spirit every day. They are the watchmen.
Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, They shout joyfully
together; For they will see with their own eyes When the LORD restores
Zion.
together; For they will see with their own eyes When the LORD restores
Zion.
~Isaiah 52:8
I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be
silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest.
silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest.
~Isaiah 62:6
What a blessing and honor it has been to be in Israel. I am so incredibly thankful to spend my last month with this squad in such a powerful place. I sat in the Garden of Gethsemane the other day staring at a tree. This tree was rather wide around the base and very old and worn. It was clear that this tree had seen many things. I sat pondering. Could this have been here when Jesus cried out to his Father to take the cup from him? When he was arrested? Quite possibly. As I searched the tree, I saw branches that appeared newer. They were young and full of life, they were vibrant. I began thinking of the new shoots being grafted in. Being plugged into the same source, Jew and Gentile. What Christ did made the way for me…a stranger. I get to be a part of what he is doing today. I am a participant. What an incredible gift!
I walked toward the Wailing Wall and prayed for this squad. I prayed for my family back home and what they’ve been going through as I’ve been away. I prayed for his protection and provision. I prayed for the nations that have burdened my heart over these World Race experiences. My heart has grown so big throughout these travels and I know that God is just making his way for greater and greater things in this generation. I am entering my final week with the J-squad. It is wild to think of the amazing things that He has done over the past three years of my life. Every single bit of it! From my first time out on the race, to an even more stretching and growing year of teaching, to leading a squad of passionate believers, I have seen him move and have had to rely and trust in him more than I ever have. He has been so faithful. There are a couple more blogs that I will be posting in the next couple of days. I hope you enjoy reading and I can’t wait to share what God has in store for this next season of my life! Blessings to you all!
