Unexpected Moments

My daughter and I decided to walk the ramparts of Old City Jerusalem this morning. At Jaffa gate, you can buy a ticket to get up on top of the wall and walk much of the perimeter in two different directions. The stones along the top, like most of the stones of the streets, are very smooth from centuries of people walking on them.  Footing can seem a bit slippery in spots.  Because they are so smooth and seemingly polished, I think they are also quite beautiful. I didn't expect the walls along the sides of the top to be so tall. I thought I would have long views of the city in both directions. Silly me, these ramparts are where the men protecting the city would have defended her from. Makes sense that there were window like spaces along the way for them to see out...in those space we could see out too.


We headed first in the direction of the Armenian quarter and got off at Mt. Zion. The church there was the site of the Last Supper, is the traditionally respected place of King David's Tomb, and was the place of Pentecost. The site of the Last Supper, according to my fabulous tour guide, is a building that has been destroyed and rebuilt a few times. The current room was rebuilt by the Arabs, hence you'll see writing in Arabic in the stained glass windows. It is a very beautiful old stone room, and though maybe Jesus didn't kneel in this actual room to wash his disciples feet, he very likely did so in some space very near here. He left each with a vivid reminder of serving others and not expect to be served. Meandering through the church site, we entered the place where King David's Tomb is kept. The tomb has a dividing curtain and two entrances exist, one for the men to enter and the other side for women to see it. Tears came to my eyes as I entered for all I could think of...he was a man after God's own heart. My reaction today surprised me. As I serve with volunteers here, I observed people who are after God's own heart...I hear it in their worship, in their prayers, in the passion to understand and apply scripture. I am challenged by them to be more diligent, less lazy, in my own pursuit of knowing our God and pursuing His own heart.

"... God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’" Acts 13:22