Monuments & Moments – Day 1 – The Journey

Ready for takeoff!

We have left the western world we are so used to. Gone are the familiar faces, clothing, smells, and foods of home, as we enter Israel. Israel is so different. Standing in one spot, you have the opportunity to simultaneously hear a Muslim call to worship, Christian church bells, and Jewish prayers at the Western Wall, and we did. Despite the cultural differences, there is something so familiar here. It’s what ties us all together no matter what continent, country, or culture. It is the presence of God. But what makes this place so special and so irreplaceable is the fact that the Bible that we love so much was actually written here. My imagination has defined most of my knowledge of Biblical monuments and moments.

For the next few devotions we will be exploring ancient monuments and modern moments to discover what the Bible is saying to us today and have it come alive in picture and thoughts.

Have you ever heard a story from 1950's and said, “That’s so silly. Wow, we are so different today.” Like when people would leave their houses unlocked and let their kids play outside without anyone watching?

In contrast, the Bible contains stories from thousands of years ago, and many have questioned its relevance to today. However, it still has the power to change your life right now. How?

Today we will consider following Christ back to His hometown. In other words, we are going to leave behind our comfort zone and preconceived notions, and we are going to listen to the actual words of Jesus. The Bible says, “…if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord (recognizing His power, authority and majesty as God), and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) The word “Lord” indicates that we follow His lead. Have you taken that step to follow Christ?

In Mark 6, Jesus goes back to His hometown and begins to teach, and many were amazed. Over the next few days, let’s go back to Jesus’ hometown, and let’s ask the question: What does the Bible mean to us today?

We don’t always get a chance to leave our town and physically experience an adventure, but thankfully we can still go on a journey by simply reading and discovering new truths.

Questions:

 Have you ever doubted the Bible’s relevance?

 Are you willing to give faith in God’s Word a chance?

 How could you go deeper?

 Prayer:

Lord, will you fill my doubts with faith so that I can have a confidence in you? I will follow You, Jesus, today and make You my Lord. Fill me with your Spirit and create in me a clean heart. Deepen my faith in Your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 Bottom Line:

The Bible is a timeless book, but it really comes alive when you leave your comfort zone and follow Christ.