I've had a series of mornings where the Lord awakened me to a digital clock that reads 4:44. Finally I heard instruction from the Spirit that He wanted me to be reading in Psalm 44 and Isaiah 44 in preparation for this trip - and to read these passages also in all the portals where He has called us to pray in Israel.
It has been a blessing to spend time in these words of Scripture, for they surely are the cries of Israel to her merciful, faithful God. The other couple going with us on this trip suggested to me that we also spend some time in Psalm 43 - and as I did so in the wee hours of this morning, my heart leapt!
Psalm 43:3: Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, the place where You dwell.
Oh my Father, how I am looking forward to going up to Jerusalem again, up to your "holy mountain, the place where You dwell!" I know it is fraught with violence and attacks of the enemy, at this Ground Zero location in the Eternal Battle between You and Satan. I know Israel's enemies are even now encamped around her borders, as the war of Psalm 83 leaps off the pages into our very day. I know there are still stiff-necked people, who resist the message of the Messiah that we carry. But here is the great news: Your light and Your faithful care lead me. They always have! Time after time in Israel I have felt Your living presence with me, Your light surrounding me. Each visit to the Western Wall I see a white dove in the cleft of the rock, and know it is a sign that Your Holy Spirit abides there in the midst of Jewish tears.Now we will stand at that ancient wall and blow the trumpets on Yom Teruah, proclaiming the year of 5778. Now we will walk through Hezekiah's tunnel with Your words of healing on our lips, spilling through the waters, knowing that You will be healing and restoring us, as well as your people. Now we will clamber through the rocky paths of ancient Shiloh where the wilderness tabernacle stood, and pray as the tribes of Israel once prayed. Now we will stand on the shores of the Galilee, and press into the power of Yeshua's wondrous miracles! Now we will ascend to the top of Mount Carmel on the Day of Atonement and intercede for all Israel to come to repentance and to the salvation of our God.
In the midst of all this prayer we will not forget our own nation, who is in the travail and ravages of flood, fires and devastation. We will pray that the floods drown out racial prejudice and hatred, as black and white mamas and daddies share blankets and food for their little ones. We will pray that fires will purify this land and return us to righteous ruling and laws. Amid long days of power outages, while cell phones and computers are silenced, may our younger generation find time to talk to and to hear God.
Thank you for your generations donations, and thank you for covering us in prayer September 18 through October 6. I know I will be coming home with some powerful testimonies and also some intimate stories of how God's light and His faithful care led me once more to His holy mountain, the play where He dwells!
