Sunday, November 2, 2014

Pilgrimage Pending

The City of Jerusalem     Photo: thedesertreview.com








A GOOD LAND
“For the Lord your God is bringing
you into a good land.” Deuteronomy 8:7-9

Israel Pilgrimage—2006

My children, siblings
and friends are quick to say:

What’s so good about it?

Suicide bombers
blow themselves up
in the marketplace
and take as many with them
as possible

Palestinians and Israelis
throw rocks at one another

Bombs fly from Lebanon

Enemies surround
and yearn to shove Israel
into the Mediterranean Sea

Who needs the Middle East?

And yet
this is the land
where the virgin gave birth to Jesus
where Lazarus emerged
alive! from the tomb
where Peter walked on water
and lepers were healed
where my Savior
was crucified, rose
and promises to return

where the roots
of the olive tree
that I’m grafted into
reach down deep
into good soil

It’s a good land—
nourishing me with milk
of the living Word
and sweet honey hope
that thrives
in the center of my being

How can I not love it?

Maude Carolan Pych

Jonathan Cahn, pastor/rabbi of Beth Israel Worship Center, Wayne, NJ, is preparing to lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, this month. I will not be going this time. I've been blessed to make three pilgrimages to Israel and have written a chapbook of poetry about my experiences. The above poem appears in that chapbook, titled "A Pilgrim's Quest". Scroll to the end of this blog for ordering information.



No comments:

Post a Comment