Dan and Paul...at the River Jordan...doves et al....<><

Hezekiah's Tunnel-wear!

 Armenian Priest during the processional at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The Edicule surrounding the Tomb of Christ. We were able to enter the tomb in small groups. 

Pam and Karen playing with their

PITA PUPPETS

TWO cups of Turkish Coffee

and I'm good to go

Note the look of concern on Peggy's face. This was after Lunch in the Old City of Jerusalem. We ate at a place I knew called Abu Shakri. By almost unanimous consent, this was the best meal yet. We had warm pita, Falafel, Hummus, Ful, Salat, and a killer hot pepper sauce that I forget the name of.

Pastor Dan teaching on the 

SOUTHERN TEACHING STEPS

Click on the teaching tab for the full text of Dans Homily.

Dan Singing In The Rain.

Glen and Betsy at the termination of Hezikiahs Tunnel

Glen and Betsy at the termination of Hezikiahs Tunnel

Headlights are the way to go!

Starting our day in Hezikiahs Tunnel

Starting our day in Hezikiahs Tunnel  

Peggy, Claire, Heather

If you have an interest in ancient archeology and history there is no more interesting place to go then Hezekiah Tunnel. Over 2500 years ago civilizations finest engineers set out to build a secure water supply for the city. A city surrounded by the enemy without fresh water is doomed. King Hezekiah commissioned the work. There are many unanswered questions about the work, but what is clear is that this was a remarkable engineering accomplishment. Our group of 20 made their way through water that was thigh high in places, through passages that we needed to stoop to get through.

Jewish tombs on the Mount of Olives

Dan and Claire Farm on the Palm Sunday Walk to the

Dan and Claire Farm on the Palm Sunday Walk to the

Garden of Gethsemane

Dome on the Rock with the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulrchre in the background

Taken from the Mount of Olives across the Kidron valley

 Prayer at the Wall

Tomorrow we will be visiting the Western Wall. This wall has been the site of Jewish devotion for centuries. Jews regarded the Temple that was built on this site as the place where the very

presence of God resided. With the destruction of the temple, the Western Wall is regarded

as all that remains and thus is as close as they can get to the presence of God. As Christians, we believe that no place or time separates us from the presence of God.

In Hebrews 4:14-16 we read:

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”

Nonetheless, when we visit this Jewish holy site some of us will desire to approach as the Jew do, place a hand upon the Wall and pray. It is also the practice to write a prayer on a piece of paper, fold and wedge it into a crack in the rocks. Jewish folklore says that the angels appear each night and carry the prayers to heaven. Written prayers can be a powerful way to focus our thoughts so we encourage you to take some time alone tonight to pray and write and, if you are led to do so, bring your prayer along and leave it at the Wall.

Garden of Gethsemane

Garden of Gethsemane

Devotion presented by Peggy McDonald on Saturday January 29 2011 while in the Garden of Gethsemane

I am taking most of this devotional from a chapter in one of Max Lucado's books. I thought it might be meaningful to have a tangible reminder of Jesus' humanness. We know from Scripture that he shed tears for us. Pour these glass tears into the palm of your hand as we remember together what it was like on a dark night in this Garden.

It's nearly midnight when they leave the upper room and descend through the streets of the city. They pass the Lower Pool and exit the Fountain Gate and walk out of Jerusalem. The roads are lined with the fires and tents of Passover pilgrims. Most are asleep, heavy with the evening meal. Those still awake think little of the band of men walking the chalky road. They pass through the valley and ascend the path which will take them to Gethsemane. The road is steep so they stop to rest. Somewhere within the city walls the twelfth apostle darts down a street. His feet have been washed by the man he will betray. His heart has been claimed by the Evil One he has heard. He runs to find Caiaphas. The final encounter of the battle has begun. As Jesus looks at the city of Jerusalem, he sees what the disciples can't. It is here, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, that the battle will end. He sees the staging of Satan. He sees the dashing of the demons. He sees the Evil One preparing for the final encounter. The enemy lurks as a spectre over the hour. Satan, the host of hatred, has seized the heart of Judas and whispered in the ear of Caiaphas. Satan, the master of death, has opened the caverns and prepared to receive the source of light. Hell is breaking loose. History records it as a battle of the Jews against Jesus. It wasn't. It was a battle of God against Satan. And Jesus knew it. He knew that before the war was over, he would be taken captive. He knew that before victory would come defeat. He knew that before the throne would come the cup. He knew that before the light of Sunday would come the blackness of Friday. And he is afraid. He turns and begins the final ascent to the garden. When he reaches the entry he stops and turns his eyes toward his circle of friends. It will be the last time he sees them before they abandon him. He knows what they will do when the soldiers come. He knows their betrayal is only minutes away. But he doesn't accuse. He doesn't lecture. Instead, he prays. His last moments with his disciples are in prayer. And the words he speaks are as eternal as the stars which hear them. Imagine, for a moment, yourself in this situation. Your final hour with a son about to be sent overseas. Your last moments with your dying spouse. One last visit with your parent. What do you say? What do you do? What words do you choose? Its worth noting that Jesus chose prayer. He chose to pray for us. I pray for these men. But I am also praying for all people who will believe in me because of the teaching of these men. Father, I pray that all people who believe in me can be one. ... I pray that these people can also be one in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. You need to note that in this final prayer, Jesus prayed for you. You need to underline in red and highlight in yellow his love: "I am also praying for all people who will believe in me because of the teaching. That is you. As Jesus stepped into the garden, you were in his prayers. As Jesus looked into heaven, you were in his vision. As Jesus dreamed of the day when we will be where he is, he saw you there. His final prayer was about you. His final pain was for you. His final passion was you. He then turns, steps into the garden, and invites Peter, James, and John to come. He tells them his soul is 'overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, and begins to pray. Never has he felt so alone. What must be done, only he can do. An angel can't do it. No angel has the power to break open hells gates. A man can't do it. No man has the purity to destroy sin's claim. No force on earth can face the force of evil and win—except God. "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, Jesus confesses. His humanity begged to be delivered from what his divinity could see. Jesus, the carpenter, implores. Jesus, the man, peers into the dark pit and begs, "Can't there be another way? Did he know the answer before he asked the question? Did his human heart hope his heavenly father had found another way? We don't know. But we do know he asked to get out. We do know he begged for an exit. We do know there was a time when if he could have, he would have turned his back on the whole mess and gone away. But he couldn't. He couldn't because he saw you. Right there in the middle of a world which isn't fair. He saw you cast into a river of life you didn't request. He saw you betrayed by those you love. He saw you with a body which gets sick and a heart which grows weak. He saw you in your own garden of gnarled trees and sleeping friends. He saw you staring into the pit of your own failures and the mouth of your own grave. He saw you in your Garden of Gethsemane—and he didn't want you to be alone. He wanted you to know that he has been there, too. He knows what it's like to be plotted against. He knows what it's like to be confused. He knows what it s like to be torn between two desires. He knows what it's like to smell the stench of Satan. And, perhaps most of all, he knows what it's like to beg God to change his mind and to hear God say so gently, but firmly, "No." For that is what God says to Jesus. And Jesus accepts the answer. At some moment during that midnight hour an angel of mercy comes over the weary body of the man in the garden. As he stands, the anguish is gone from his eyes. His fist will clench no more. His heart will fight no more. The battle is won. You may have thought it was won on Golgotha. It wasn't. You may have thought the sign of victory is the empty tomb. It isn't. The final battle was won in Gethsemane. And the sign of conquest is Jesus at peace in the olive trees. For it was in the garden that he made his decision. He would rather go through hell for you than go to heaven without you

Jesus says in John 17:20

I pray for these followers, but I am also praying for all those who will believe in me because of their teaching.

And when Jesus said "all those who will believe" he was talking about YOU and he knew then, that YOU would be standing here in this very spot today. For Jesus it was and is ALL ABOUT YOU!

Adapted from The Final Week Of Jesus By Max Lucado

Esther and Sheryl

in Nazareth

Glen and Betsy descending into the

Meggido water tunnel

180 steps down and 80 back  up on the other side. We called this our practice run before we WADE through Hezakias Tunnel in Jerusalem. Stay tuned for pictures of that adventure on Sunday.

Peggy and I at the Roman Aquaducts

Peggy and I at the Roman Aquaducts.

Roman aquaducts that run 8 miles from a fresh water source to the Herodian built Ceasaria Maritima.

Water Works Tunnel at Tel Meggido

Extended exposure photo taken in Tel Meggito warter works. This tunnel is an engineering marvel that happened without the aid of modern equipment well before the birth of Christ.

Larry takes on a lunch that could bite him back

Our lunch included a choice of the so called "St. Peters Fish" a traditional dish in the north. Very nice lunch.

Palistinian street scene in Bethlehem.



Pastor Farm teaching at the Shephards Fields in Bethlehem

Full text available on the "teaching" tab on the top of this page.

 Dan led us in a moving 1st person narritive of a shephard on the night the angels visitation. We had a chance to view caves that have been venerated since the very early years of the Christian Church.

Judy baptized in the River Jordan

For four of our group this is a highlight of their trip. To be baptized in the same river as our Lord....For the rest of us we remembered our baptism with a sprinkle.

Turkish Coffee in Bethlehem

There is an elaborate technique in preparing Turkish coffee. This young man showed me the ropes in the Nisson family restaurant in Bethlehem.

Meet Hani our guide

Capernaum

Certainly part of the benefit of visiting the Holy Land is a better understanding of the culture and practices that surrounded Jesus and his ministry. It many cases knowing “the rest of the story” can make all the difference. Jesus himself often took advantage of local customs and background to teach object lessons that would speak directly to local understanding.

I am going to give you two little bits of background information and then you will read a very short teaching of Jesus to illustrate this point.

1.   Archeologists believe that one of Capernaum’s primary industries was the manufacturing of large millstones for use all over the region. This natural black volcanic basalt is only found north of the Sea of Galilee and is many many times harder than the sandstone and limestone found everywhere else in Israel.

2.   For the Hebrew or eastern way of thinking the single image that represented chaos, disorder, and destruction was the image of water or “the deep” There are many passages in the Bible in which this metaphor occurs. water is described as a threat to the world, as a symbol of the destructive power of sin, as a way to describe the world or people without God, For the people of Capernaum, they lived beside such a body of water and there was an uneasy balance of making their living fishing but also understanding the danger of the Deep.

Do you have those two ideas fixed in your mind the way those listening to Jesus would have?

We don’t know exactly where Jesus spoke these words but it was somewhere in this area. Let’s imagine though, that he was standing right here next to this millstone as he warns his disciples about the importance of living as a righteous example to others. First Jesus points to the millstone and then he turns and points to the Sea of Galilee.

Mark 9:42

If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone tied around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

karen and pam at Beit Shien

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The Tale of a Tell

The city in Israel where we flew into was Tel Aviv. Israel is sprinkled with
villages and towns that begin with Tel. Simply translated to "Hill" Tels
most often are the remains of ancient cities built one on top of another.
Earthquakes, fires, and wars all could result in a city being leveled.
Because often times these city-sites were militarily or commercially
strategic, new towns would be built directly on top of the rubble from the
old one. The resulting hills dot the landscape of Israel. The Tell at Beit
Shean has 21 documented layers of civilizations built one on top of another.
The Biblical connection to this site is found in 1 Samuel 31:10

"The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul
and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They cut off his head and
stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the
Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among
their people. They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and
fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.

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Chorazin

Chorazin.

One of the towns that mark the corners of the triangle where Jesus did the
majority of His ministry. Worth noting is the fine examples of Insula that
are found here. Insula is a style of building that reflects the extended
family living together in rooms generally build off a central courtyard. The
teacher Ray Vander Laan uses this Insula as an object lesson for an
understanding of heaven.



As is most often the case, having an understanding of 1st century customs
helps us to better understand scripture the way that Jesus' listeners would
have. When a a couple was arranged to marry, the grooms family would
approach the brides family and over elaborate hospitality a bride price
would be set. When Paul refers to us as the Bride of Christ, he tells us
that we were "bought at a price"....the ultimate price of God's only son.
After the bride price had been set the son would return to his fathers
house, his Insula, and work would commence to add on rooms for the new
family, The anxious groom would ask his father "is it time yet" and the
father would say "only after the place has been prepared" When the time was
right and the work had been completed the father would say "its time" and
with celebration the groom would travel to claim his bride and bring her
back home to the Insula.

I go away to prepare a place for you....



Some Bible translations leave us wondering what kind of mansion Jesus is
going to prepare for us in Heaven. Isn't it perhaps a more lovely image to
think about Jesus adding on to his Insula to make room for us....Gathered
together around a fire in the courty
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Pastor Dan teaching at the site of the Sermon On The Mount. See teaching tab at the top for the complete text.

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Sunrise in the Fathers Land

We woke to our first morning in the Holy Land after arriving last night in
Tiberius. As I have done in the past I set my alarm for 4:30 am in order to
make my way in the dark down a rocky path to the shore of the Sea of
Galilee. Settling down on a rock just feet from the gentle ripples of the
lake I waited, waited on the sunrise and waited on the Lord. Two years ago
at this very same spot, just as that very first dim light becomes
noticeable, I glanced down between my knees and saw a jagged object set
against the small smooth pebbles of the beach. I reached down to discover a
broken pot sherd. A handle and part of a pot that carried the finger marks
of a potter from somewhere in the past. Old certainly, maybe old enough to
have been in a fisherman's home. Maybe a fisherman that knew the Rabbi named
Jesus. Maybe a disciple, a "Teladim" of the Rabbi who taught him to be a
fisher of men. It's easy to dream this way when you are in a land that is so
steeped in history. Everywhere we turn we see the evidence of ancient
civilizations that have left their mark on the Land. That morning two years
ago while waiting on the Lord, He gave me a new understanding of what it
means to be a disciple. This morning as I waited I simply grew in
excitement, excitement to share this place with others, to watch the wonder
on their faces as they walk in the footsteps of Jesus.




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fantastic group...made the trip without a hitch. TOMORROW WE SAIL ACROSS THE SEA OF GALILEE!

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Arrived!

We are pulling into Tiberios after a very long trip...dinner and bed for most of us
Paul
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Traditional Jewish Travelers Prayer

1st in Hebrew..scoll down for English

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ וֵא-לֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶתּוֹלִיכֵנוּ לְשָלוֹם וְתַצְעִידֵנוּ לְשָלוֹם. וְתִסְמְכֵנוּ לְשָלוֹם. וְתַדְרִיכֵנוּ לְשָלוֹם. וְתַגִיעֵנוּ לִמְחוֹז חֶפְצֵנוּ לְחַיִּים וּלְשִמְחָה וּלְשָלוֹם וְתַצִּילֵנוּ מִכַּף כָּל אוֹיֵב וְאוֹרֵב וְלִסְטִים וְחַיּוֹת רָעוֹת בַדֶּרֶךְ וּמִכָּל מִינֵי פּוּרְעָנִיּוֹת הַמִתְרַגְּשוֹת לָבוֹא לָעוֹלָם וְתִשְלַח בְּרָכָה בְּכל מַעֲשֵה יָדֵינוּ, וְתִתְּנֵנוּ לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים בְעֵינֶיךָ וּבְעֵינֵי כָל רוֹאֵינוּ וְתִשְמַע קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנֵינוּ. כִּי אֵ-ל שוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה וְתַחֲנוּן אתה: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', שוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה.

May it be Your will, Lord our God and the God of our ancestors, that You lead us toward peace, guide our footsteps toward peace, and make us reach our desired destination for life, gladness, and peace. May You rescue us from the hand of every foe, ambush along the way, and from all manner of punishments that assemble to come to earth. May You send blessing in our handiwork, and grant us grace, kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us. May You hear the sound of our humble request because You are God Who hears prayer requests. Blessed are You, Adonai, Who hears prayer.

Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce)

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated

1 teaspoon salt for salting cucumbers

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove minced

1 1/2 cups Greek Yogurt (thicker then regular)

Mix grated cucumber and salt together then place in a strainer in the fridge for 2 hours. remove and squeeze out additional liquid with the back of a spoon

Mix everything except yogurt in food processor until well blended, then stir this mixture into the yogurt. Tzatziki is better "aged" a little to let the flavors mingle.

Pita Bread

Bread flour             3 1/4 cups

Salt                         2 teaspoons

SAF instant yeast  2 teaspoons

Olive oil                  2 Tablespoons

Water                     1 1/4 cup

This mixes up nicely in a stand mixer with a paddle or with your hands. Add all and mix dough until smooth and elastic, 4 minutes with the mixer or 8 minutes by hand. Divide into 16 smaller balls and set aside to rise for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 475. Using a baking stone produces the best results but a heavy baking sheet will work as well. Place stone or sheet in oven to heat along with the oven. Dust the pitas with flour and roll out to about 6 inches around. Place pita directly on stone or sheet. The dough will puff up and start to turn a little brown. Remove from oven with a wide spatula and transfer under a damp cloth. Pita is best right out of the oven but can be wrapped well and frozen.

2009 Early Morning on the Dead Sea

Photo I took in 1999 through the ramparts of the temple mount across the Kidron Valley to the Russian Orthodox church by the Garden of Gethsemane.

1999 at the Kotel (the Western Wall of the Temple Mount)

Observant Jews during prayers in preparation for a young mans Bar Mitzvah. I photographed from a distance with telephoto to better respect this family's celebration. Note the Tefillin affixed to his forehead and arm.

More Petra!

Restored Painting from Petra in Jordan we will visit on Feb 3rd

This article is from the current issue of Biblical Archaeology Revew that arrived in the mail today.

A Recently restored paint­ing from the Nabatean city of Petra in southern Jordan shows that Nabateans were much more comfortable with graven images than their Jew­ish neighbors in Judea. The masterful first-century C.E. painting, known to schol­ars since the 1980s but only recently and painstakingly restored, was found in a cave outside the ancient city in the area of Beidha, more commonly referred to as "Little Petra." Amid the colorful painting's naturalistic and intricately detailed backdrop of twist­ing, climbing vines and grape leaves are several depictions of winged, cupid-like children who play flutes, pick fruit from the vines and fend off birds who've come to nibble at grapes. Until the three-year restoration project was com­pleted last summer, the paint­ing's brilliant colors, extraor­dinary details and luxurious craftsmanship—including the use of gilding and translucent glazes—had been almost com­pletely obscured beneath a blackened veneer of soot and grime that had built up in the cave over the centuries. While relatively little is known about Nabatean cul­ture and religious beliefs, the painting's lively, colorful depictions of winged chil­dren and birds suggest the Nabateans had no objection to adorning their houses and halls with Hellenistic-style figurative paintings. In fact, the Nabateans, who grew wealthy from their control of the lucrative Arabian spice trade, appear to have taken great pride in incorporating the lat­est Hellenistic figurative styles into their own artistic tradi­tions. This contrasted sharply with the religious sensitivities of Jews in neighboring Judea, where the production of figu­rative decoration, whether on paintings, coins or mosaics, was almost completely avoided, in deference to a strict interpreta­tion of the Second Command­ment's prohibition against graven images. The painting, one of the few in Nabatea to have sur­vived in situ, adorns the ceil­ing and walls of a spacious rock-hewn chamber lined with benches. Experts believe the room may have been used as a ritual banquet hall for the cult of Dionysus, the ancient Greek god of wine whom the Nabate­ans commonly identified with their native god Dushara. Both history and archaeol­ogy record the Nabatean love of wine and drinking. The Greek geographer Strabo reports that Nabatean kings held "drinking bouts in mag­nificent style" during which participants could fill their cups as many as 11 times. And archaeologists working at Beidha have now identified the remains of vineyards and grape presses used to produce the wine that was so lavishly consumed at these banquets.

Vintage Photo from 1999
Picture of Peggy and I  overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem Pottery

One afternoon while we are in Jerusalem we will visit the Jerusalem Pottery shop owned by Hagop Karakashian. They produce traditional Armenian pottery including the tiles in the walls of the Old City that mark the stations of the cross on the Via Dolorosa.

http://www.jerusalempottery.biz/

Holy Land Trip 2009

Our group with Kojak the camel

overlooking the old city of Jerusalem.

Jesus Culture

Heaven Is Here

On our Ipods.

Paul's Hummus

Very easy recipe which is often in my
fridge. Smear on pita bread, dip veggies or chips.....In Israel you will find this on every buffet and restaurants pride themselves on their own version of this Mid-East mainstay.

1/4 cup                        Pine Nuts

3 cloves                      Garlic

6 Tablespoons            Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons            Fresh Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon                  Salt

1 (15 ounce) can         Garbanzo Beans (drained) 

Toast pine nuts in a skillet until they are golden brown.

combine all ingredients in food processor until very smooth.

Nava and Hilary

From our 2009 trip.

This is a new friend Nava from Israel who met up with her old friend Hilary who was on our tour. Nava shared her Falafel recipe which we make all the time and is beyond good....

Falafel

(40 balls)
2 cups of dries chickpeas, soaked in water for 12 hours
Crumbs from 2 slices of white bread
5 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 small onion
1 spoon of sesame seeds
1 teaspoon cumin spice
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt, pepper

2 teaspoon baking soda

Oil for deep frying

Preparation:
1. Wash the soaked chickpeas and put them in a food processor with the garlic, onion and spices. Grind until you get a rough moist texture. Add a little water if needed.
2. Move the mixture into a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and put aside, covered, for 30-60 minutes.
3. Warm the oil - it should be hot, not boiling. Add the baking soda to the mixture and knead a little.
4. Wet your hands and shape little balls (smaller then apricots). Fry until you get a deep brown shade. Serve hot!



Pita Bakery in Cana



Canan baker that made me a very memorable pita


One of the joys of traveling in Israel is the culture surrounding food. Some of my brightest memories are connected to the opportunities we had to eat local foods. After visiting Cana,  the sight of Jesus' first miracle, turning water into wine, we made our way down the narrow streets. Shops were mostly small with a wide doorways opening into smalls rooms selling every kind of goods imaginable. One dark doorway caught my eye as we walked past. In the back I could see the bright glow of a fire and as I paused and peered in I recognized a stone bread oven. The daily bread for much of the middle east is a variation of the flat bread pita. The Cana variety was a  full 14 inches across and rather then being baked on heated stone deck it was thrown, Frisbee style, directly on the red hot coals. A moment later, aided by a skinny stick the baker flicked his wrist and the pita was on it back. Another moment in the coals and the baker flipped the finished bread out of the oven. A quick dusting with a bristle brush removed most, but not all, of the blackened bits of charcoal that had adhered. Hospitality is held in high regard whether you are in Palestinian or Jewish  controlled areas. The predominately Arab town of Cana was no different and although the bakers knew no English and I knew no Arabic with wild gestures and the exchange of one American dollar I had a steaming pita bread in a bag and onto the bus where we passed it around for everyone to sample.

This is a photo of the Teaching Steps on the Southern side of the Temple Mount. It is likely that pilgrims would have sung this song as they ascended these stairs to the Temple.

Psalm 130

A song of Ascents

Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more then watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins
My prayer for you this day is that you have indeed put your hope in the LORD and that even now you feel His unfailing love.