Lake Deaton at Home

I am sitting in my hotel room on our last night before beginning our journey home tomorrow morning at 1:00 am. We have had a wonderful pilgrimage to Israel, but I have come to realize that I am not very good about making videos for our scripture lessons. Over the past week we have visited the location of almost every one of my future devotionals for this Lent season, but every time, driving away in the bus I realize I forgot to shoot a video. I get caught up in the moment and forget the things I was planning on doing!!! 

Today, was one of those days. On our last day of touring we visited the Temple Mound, Yad Vashem and then the Garden Tomb. Wow, what a day!

Yad Vashem is the name of the Holocaust  Museum and it means to memorialize their names. Literally, that they will not be forgotten. Within the museum is a room of remembrance, where every person that they can identify and their personal information from the Holocaust is listed. They are still adding names to the massive list, as they continue to get new names and details about people slaughtered even now over 70 years after the event. It is a very hard place to visit. The hardest exhibit for me was the Children’s memorial… I entered into this place with the names and ages of children who died in the Holocaust being announced. In the middle of the circular room is one candle that is illuminated through hundreds of mirrors (I’ve included a photo, but it doesn’t do it justice).  These lights represent the 1.5 million children killed in the Holocaust. 

As I was reading the scripture for todays lesson three times I see Jesus refer to the children. He tells the disciples that if you welcome a child you welcome me. He then says if you cause a little one to sin, it would be better to a have a large millstone placed on your neck to be cast into the sea. Finally, after the disciples try to send some kids away, Jesus blesses the children and tells the disciples that unless they enter into the Kingdom as a child they would not be able to enter. 

I encourage you to think about these things as you read the passage for today and listen to my video. I also encourage you to consider how you are blessing the children of our world (and neighborhood) today in the name of Jesus.  

Scripture: Mark 9:30-10:16

Prayer of Peace: Jesus, I choose to follow your Way of Peace. Lead me to one person that I can love, give hope, and bring your peace to today. Amen!

Blessings,

Jim