We had the privilege of recently visiting Israel for a week. We visited sites with rich historical and biblical significance in both Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Bible stories came to life in front of my eyes as we started at the birthplace of Jesus and finished where His body is believed to have been laid.
I went into Israel with such anticipation that I would be greatly moved by seeing these places, but what struck me most in visiting all these biblical sites was how much people are seeking to experience God in these places and how thick religion is. These sites have become tourism hot spots, yet saturated in rituals and traditions of religion. The birthplace of Jesus, known as the Church of the Nativity, was orthodox on one side and Armenian on the other and everything from the interior decorations to the ceremonies that occurred (though beautiful), in my opinion, stripped the true meaning of why Jesus came. It turned something so pure, so beautiful, so simple into a religious institution. It knocked me a little as I wasn’t expecting to have been confronted with so much religious baggage, but my heart was so saddened at how we have made things. Just in front of Golgotha (the place where Jesus was crucified), was a mosque and a bus station. The Western Wall was surrounded by Jews, praying to what is left of their temple, being sure to adhere to every law and to be better Jews with a sparkling religious rap sheet. I experienced mixed emotions in these places, rather than divine revelations.
The garden tomb was the most significant for me as it was so beautiful and a very peaceful place. Our squad worshipped together a few feet away from Jesus’ tomb and it was powerful. There is such unity when the body comes together and worships God for all He has done.
“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.”
Luke 24:1-9 ESV
In reflection the garden tomb reminded me that Jesus is not in these places, but that He is alive and indeed He is alive in His followers! I have the privilege of experiencing Jesus because He lives in me. I don’t need to go to these places to experience God, He made a way for me to experience Him everyday, freely. Not tied up in religiousity but simple relationship. What an honour. We can boldly approach the throne of Jesus, because He made a way for us on the cross. He tore the veil and gave us access to the Father.
The words of the Newsboys song comes to mind:
“My God’s not dead
He’s surely alive
He’s living on the inside”.
My prayer is that you are not waiting for a place to experience Jesus. He invites you wherever you are to come to Him, to invite Him in and to allow Him to make His home in you. No prerequisites, just simple faith. No need to hold onto rituals that only prove that we do not know God, but an invitation to experience Him personally and oh how He delights in revealing Himself to His creation.
Child, He loves you, He wants you. Your heart, not your religion.
