After Christmas our family travelled to Naracoorte (four hours south-east of Adelaide), where Sue and I grew up and Sue’s family still resides. We drove past the high school where I fudged my way through an education. I walked around the footy oval where my mediocre AFL career began and ended. I sat in the back row of the church where Sue and I would furtively hold hands during those long-winded sermons. (Yes, I know that they are like!) It was a pilgrimage of sorts – a revisiting of sacred moments of our past.
The Oxford dictionary defines a pilgrimage as ‘a journey to a sacred place for religious reasons.’ Tonight I leave for a 12 day pilgrimage in the true sense of that word. With 20 other pastors and leaders I will journey to Israel to visit the sacred places I have read about in the Bible and have imagined in my mind’s eye. I will spend four days in Jerusalem and will visit Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jericho and the Sea of Galilee. I will wade into the Jordan River and float in the Dead Sea. I am just a little excited!
I never planned to go on this trip, but by God’s grace an opportunity was offered to me late last year. An added blessing is that Matt Hunt, Senior Pastor of Helensvale Baptist Church and a good friend will also be travelling with me. To be honest I don’t really know what to expect, except that it will be a life-changing experience. I imagine my preaching will be enhanced as my love for, and knowledge of the scriptures is enhanced. I appreciate your prayer for me as I travel and for Sue, Joel and Emily as they await my return on February 5.
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