"I Will Follow You" (March 14)

"Do you follow me?" I have heard this question probably a hundred times since I stepped onto the bus that first night at the Tel Aviv airport; we all have. It is something that our beloved tour guide, Saad, asks quite regularly in his teachings. Almost as if he uses it in his speeches as I tend to use "umm." He makes a point, and then says "Do you follow me?" He defines a word, and then says "Do you follow me?" He makes a joke, laughs at himself, and then says "Do you follow me?" Over and over, often to the amusement of his listeners, he uses it.

As we made our way out of the church building at the Mount of Beatitudes this morning and walked down to the spot where Jesus preached His sermon, I heard it again, "Do you follow me?" This time, however, it wasn't with my ears that I heard it, but with my heart.

We sat down on the rocks and looked out over the Sea of Galilee, and I was speechless. JP Spees (KSBJ DJ), opened the Bible and just stood there. He was overcome with emotion. We all were. He cleared his throat and with a strong voice began reading aloud.

As the beautiful words of Matthew 5 filled the air, I was broken...

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled..."

In that moment, I was lost in the beauty. Completely awed by the love of my Savior. Jesus spoke those words, on the very mountainside that I was sitting on, so very long ago; and yet, they haven't lost their power. They still comfort. They still teach. He still comforts. He still teaches.

The scenery before me was breathtaking. The green grass, the solid rocks, the water's edge. I gazed out, and heard it once again..."Do you follow me?"

We traveled to Capharnaum next and then on to Tabgha to see the area where the feeding of the five thousand took place.

 

We also visited Peter's Primacy and walked on the rocky beach where Jesus reinstated Peter by asking him three times if he loved him. My mom and I crouched near the heart stones that were placed there and held up the "I love you" sign for a picture. Afterwards, we walked to the edge of the Sea. So clear. So beautiful. I bent down to touch the water, and I heard it again..."Do you follow me?"

 

The boat ride into the Sea of Galilee was unbelievable. The weather was perfect and as we recited the Lord's Prayer for KSBJ's pray down at high noon, I was once again awed by where I was. I looked out over the waters and imagined what it might have been like to be tossed about by the waves in the middle of a raging storm. What a sight it must have been to see Jesus walking on the water towards the boat! I looked down at the Sea below me and a part of me (a big part of me!) wanted to jump off right then and there! But, had I been on the boat during the storm that day, would I have had the faith? Would I have walked out to Jesus like Peter did? Would I have given up everything and followed Him, had He asked? I looked back at the shore, completely lost in thought.

After the boat ride, we enjoyed tilapia from the Sea of Galilee! (The whole fish was ordered by another team member. We were brave on this trip...just not THAT brave!)

We then arrived at the Jordan River, and I was a mixture of nervousness and excitement! As I changed into the white robes and made my way down to the river's edge, I couldn't keep the smile off my face. When it was our turn, I stepped into the ice cold water. While catching my breath, I heard it again, "Brooke, do you follow me?" I wadded to Rick, a fellow team member, and he grabbed my hand. He looked at me and asked, "what is your profession today?" And I answered, "Jesus is Lord!" When I came up out of the water, I was able to watch my mom go under. As she came up, I couldn't contain my tears. My life is His. All of it. What a beautiful reminder this time in Israel has been of that fact! Through the storms, He is good. He carries His children in the palm of His hand and nothing, absolutely nothing, can snatch us out.

Though it was cold going in, coming out of the Jordan, all I felt was warmth... and in my heart, I finally answered the question that He had been asking me all day, "Yes Lord, I will follow you."