Sad to say, I am writing this article from the emergency room. The technicians have just finished taking  x-rays to see how many broken bones I have, and now they are preparing to do a tracheotomy so I can breathe easier. When the surgeon is finished with that procedure, they will do exploratory surgery to see the extent of my internal injuries.
I’m sure by now you’re wondering what happened. Well, it was such a shock, but about two years ago I noticed a little bit of a grinding sound coming from the front of my car. The sound was usually the loudest when I had the window down and when the volume of the radio was low. So all I had to do to eliminate the noise was to make sure the window and the volume of the radio was cranked up.
Well after about six months from when I first heard the sound, I noticed more of a screeching sound coming from the right front wheel—the kind of screech that comes from metal grinding on metal. Then, not long after I began hearing the screech, I noticed when I parked my car there was always a little puddle of oil by the front wheel. Apparently the seal was out and I was losing valuable power steering fluid from my front axle and now my wheel bearings were going out.
I knew I had a serious problem, and apparently so did many others by the number of friends who offered to help. Looking back, I should’ve done something, but I just didn’t have the time or money to take it to the repair shop. I never thought it would happen so soon, but earlier today I was driving my car about ten miles south of Luverne and as I was going around the curve, my front wheel flew off and I rolled my car. The paramedics said it must have rolled about eleven times, and so here I am, all busted up.
Ok by now, you know me well enough to know I’m making this whole story up. (I mean, because who doesn’t know that power steering fluid doesn’t leak from the front axle). I’m really not in the emergency room and I didn’t have an accident.
I only write that story as an example of how most husbands and wives deal with their relationship struggles. They know there is a serious problem but they ignore it and hope over time it will just go away. Or maybe it’s not a serious problem, but the issue is enough of an annoyance that they regularly find themselves covering it up.
Well, let me tell you from experience, if something isn’t right in your marriage, it isn’t going to get better by ignoring it. If you don’t address the problem, one day the wheels will come off your marriage. So, here’s how much God loves you; he loves you so much that he put a burden on my heart to offer you some help.  If you want a smoother riding marriage, let me suggest you take the “Couple Checkup” at www.couplecheckup.com .
The couple checkup assesses eight vital areas of your relationship. Once you’ve signed on, each of you will spend about 30 minutes answering several questions and when you’re finished, it will immediately show you a report of your marriage strengths, as well as identifying your growth areas.
This diagnostic tool will help improve even the best marriages. And the good news, for as little as $35, you can enjoy the beautiful journey that God has prepared for you. “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…”
(I Corinthians 13:6-8).      For better, or for worse, Mike

And finally, number one, my most meaningful insight of our trip to Israel: Woe Nellie!  Thank you Jesus for dying to yourself by coming to earth to destroy the work of the devil so that we might have life.
“Woe Nellie!”  That was a phrase often used by our tour guide, Dr. Bryan Widban, whenever he was overcome by emotion while teaching about the amazing moves of God or events in the life of Christ.  We were so blessed by Bryan’s passion for God and his love for the people, and that even after living in Israel and leading between two to three tours a year for the past thirty years, he would still be overcome by emotion and unable to speak because of his awe of God.
As I shared last month, the back drop of so much of our tour was tainted with mankind’s attempt to build his own kingdom.  Much of the destruction we saw and stories we heard were the result of the devil’s work to steal, kill and destroy.  It was sobering to stand on Masada were 900 Essenes took their lives rather than surrender to the Roman army, or to look east to the area of Sodom and Gomorrah.  I sat speechless in the seats of the coliseums in Caesarea and Beth Shean knowing that at one time crowds cheered as Christians were slaughtered and eaten by wild animals.
Those were certainly some sad stories to listen to and places to visit, but none worse than to stand on the Mount of Olives, overlooking the old city of Jerusalem knowing that only three percent of the people in Jerusalem are Christian.  And it was heart breaking to stand in the Garden of Gethsemane and the cell where he was held on the night before his crucifixion.
And yet in the midst of all those discouraging and seemingly hopeless settings, I could still find hope.  Woe Nellie!  God so loved this world (including you and me) that he sent his one and only Son.  God’s Son born in the humble setting of a livestock manger would eventually defeat the devils work by finding himself humbly hanging on a cross.
One of the surprising times that Dr. Widbin was overcome with emotion and whispered a “Woe Nellie” was when we were on the Sea of Galilee.  He was sharing the story of when Jesus was walking on the water and Peter started walking towards him, and then because he was overcome by fear of the raging storm around him, Jesus rescued Peter because he began sinking.
And then quoting the disciples in Mathew 14:32 after Jesus got into the boat and the winds and the waves died down, he said, “Woe Nellie!  Truly you are the Son of God”.
My hope for each one of us, regardless of the storms we face, that we may never become weary of when God reveal’s his glory.  And in those moments when we are overcome by emotion, may we break out into worship uttering a “Woe Nellie, truly Jesus you are the Son of God.”  Thank you, Jesus, for dying to yourself by coming to earth to destroy the work of the devil so that I might have life.”
Woe Nellie!    Mike

As we traveled through the country of Israel and toured the various sights, what gave me great peace and comfort was knowing that God always remains true to himself. This reality was another one of those unspoken insights that just naturally surfaced as we traveled from place to place.
Although maybe not so different than in America today, what really struck me was the creativity mankind has used to build its own kingdom over the centuries. The beauty and enormity of the cities and structures that he built were mind boggling when thinking they didn’t have the modern construction equipment of our day. So much of what we saw was impacted by King Herod and his family. The fortified cities and temples were amazing.
The damage caused by one government overthrowing another was staggering. To stand in a holding cell where our Messiah likely was imprisoned left me speechless. I found myself grieved to learn that much of the “Promised Land” is mostly occupied by Muslims and that only three percent of the population of Jerusalem is Christian. Sin really is so much about trying to live independently of God.
When I think about an all powerful, all knowing, everywhere present God, it still amazes me that he would choose to set aside a people to love and to bless despite our constant rebellion. I think we would all agree that if we were God, and the people we created and loved constantly rejected and rebelled against us, that we would’ve given up on them long ago.
I think about the many times I have said under my breath, “This is it, this is the last time; if they don’t treat me with respect this time I am done with them.” And yet how many times haven’t I rejected God with my actions and rebellious words?  How many times haven’t we given our kids a gift and they blow it or recklessly abuse it; and yet how often don’t we waste or abuse the gifts God gives us?
The patience and perseverance of God is amazing. Just think about the grief and pain he could’ve avoided if he would’ve destroyed everyone in the flood. And why didn’t he; it’s because God is always true to himself. I love the following scripture passages: From Isaiah 48:9-11, “9 Yet for my own sake and for the honor of my name, I will hold back my anger and not wipe you out. 10 I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering–11 I will rescue you for my sake—yes, for my own sake! I will not let my reputation be tarnished, and I will not share my glory with idols.
And from Isaiah 46:9-10, “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other: I am God and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do what I please.”
God would have had all the reason in the world to give up on you and me. He would have every reason to give up on this ever increasingly wicked world, and yet because of his amazing grace, he continually remains true to himself in carrying out his great plan of redemption to save you and me.
Father, I am so grateful that you have been faithful to your promise that you will complete the good work you began in your chosen people as we excitedly look forward to the day when you will make all things new. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Gratefully yours, Mike

Oh that my life might be a matzevah; a living stone that will reflect the glory of God. That was the third most important insight for me on our trip to Israel. On the second day of our trip we traveled to the little Old Testament town called Migiddo which is located on a hill at the edge of the Jezreel Valley. What made Migiddo a unique stop is that it is the clearest remaining example of how towns where constructed in the Old Testament.
Migiddo is one of the most significant archeological digs in the region revealing 22 different layers of Old Testament towns. Among the many interesting features of the city were the deep silo built into the ground used for storing grain, the city well which was dug down some 120 feet, the foundation of an ancient home, and the homes that were built into the city wall, much like the one Rahab lived in.
However, as interesting as all those things were, what really caught my attention was an old stone standing in the middle of a hill—it was about one foot by one foot by four feet tall. After gathering around, our tour guide explained that the stone was marking a sacred site. A sacred site is where God manifested himself.
For example, remember when Jacob had a dream one night of a stairway that went all the way from earth to heaven with the angels of God ascending and descending on it (Genesis 28). After waking up, he realized he had had an encounter with God so he took the stone which he had used for a pillow (It must’ve been one of these memory foam rocks) and he set it up as a pillar, or matzevah, and named the place Bethel.
An upright pillar was also known as Ebenezer which literally means “stone of help.” The stone was a symbol of a manifested deity and often times a temple would be built over that site with the “matzevah” becoming the cornerstone.
The people of the culture in that day assumed that God existed, but they weren’t certain that he was a personal God that could be experienced? Peter picks up on this image in I Peter 2:4 where he makes reference to Jesus as being the “Living Stone,” chosen by God to become the cornerstone of the church. Jesus was the purest form of the manifestation of God revealing that, yes, God is personal and he desires to be in relationship with us.
Peter goes on to say that through faith in Christ, you and I too become like a living stone which becomes part of the spiritual house God is building. Because of the manifest presence of God at work in our lives, we show to a watching world that God has made himself real in our lives. Have you ever thought of yourself as a matzevah; a sacred site where God has revealed himself?
The truth is, I see many of you reflecting the glory of the Living Stone. You are a living testimony of the Divine manifesting himself in and through your life. And how should God’s manifest presence be evidenced in our lives?
According to I Peter 2:1, a living stone is a person who rids themselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. We are a people belonging to God, declaring his praises for calling us out of the darkness into his wonderful light. We should live our lives in such a way that people can see that God has been working in our lives.
May it be said of American Reformed Church that God is clearly at work in us, establishing us as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood ready to declare his praises to a watching world.
Under his mercy, Mike

One of the blessings of taking a trip to Israel is to see the actual context in which the stories of the Bible took place. As we stood on Mt. Carmel we could see the Jezreel Valley, the little town of Nain, Mount Moriah where Gideon defeated the Midianites, the Valley of Armageddon, Nazareth to the northwest, and then right at the foot of Mount Carmel is the Kishon Valley where Elijah had the prophets of Baal slaughtered. Wow!
Please allow me to share with you my fourth major insight: “Two kingdoms—commercial or covenant—how long will you waver between two opinions?”
The story of Elijah’s encounter with King Ahab is told in I Kings 16-19. First of all, it’s important to understand the relationship between a prophet and a king. In those days, people didn’t enjoy the constant presence of the Holy Spirit like we do and so God often gave direction through a prophet. The king was responsible for leading the people, but when he wasn’t sure what to do about certain matters he would turn to the prophets for counsel.
The sobering truth about King Ahab according to I Kings 16:29 was that he received the award for being the most wicked king in the history of Israel. Not only did Ahab find it trivial to continue leading Israel into greater idol worship, crafting idols made out of metal and also Asherah poles, but he traveled up to Sidon to find his wife Jezebel whose father worshiped Baal.
Ahab’s perspective of life and the kingdom God entrusted him to lead was that it belonged to him and that he had the right to do whatever he wanted with it. He felt it was his responsibility to exploit “his kingdom” for personal gain. He aimed to build a commercial kingdom controlling Damascus which was a major trade route. He used Jezebel to make friends with the Phoenicians in order to access the sea ports in the north. And although he believed in God, why not strengthen your fortune by adding more gods; especially gods who can make it rain.
Elijah, on the other hand, believed in a covenantal kingdom that recognized the land and everything in it belongs to God and that the king’s responsibility is to steward it wisely. Elijah believed that to be in covenant relationship with his countrymen was to share with those in need. To live in a covenant kingdom is to always be mindful of the needs of the people around you—the covenant = one God and one people—as opposed to commercial = everyone for themselves.
So therein lies the two battles; first, commercial versus covenant. Elijah believed if you acknowledge God as the owner of everything you’ll have more than enough. On the other hand Ahab believed if a person has the power, take what you can get.
And second, who makes the rain? Rains created springs, and in those days, the roads were always built from one source of water to another. So, the person who’s God makes it rain controls the roads; thus the showdown on Mount Carmel about these two opposing opinions.
As the participants from both sides assembled on Mount Carmel, Elijah asked this simple yet, life impacting question, “How long will you waver between the two opinions?” (I Kings 18:21). Are we called to share our wealth, or is it every person for himself? And does God make it rain or does Baal have the power (Deut. 11:13-17)?
Living in America causes you and me to come face to face with that question everyday, doesn’t it? So how about you, what kind of kingdom do you promote on a daily basis? Where do you believe your “good fortune” comes from? Not sure? How long will you waver between two opinions? Let me encourage you to read I Kings 18 in order to make a wise decision.      “The Lord—he is God!”  Mike

One of the joys of touring Israel was gaining those little insights or nuggets of truth that a person just doesn’t pick up while reading the Bible.  Many of these insights were fascinating.  Such was the case when we traveled to Kursi which is in the region of the Gerasenes; it’s where Jesus drove the demons out of the man and they went into the pigs.  And then the pigs ran down the hill and into the sea. (No, they didn’t run off of a cliff—because there is no cliff.)
Insight #5.  In order to receive all that Jesus has for me, I must risk following him to “the other side.”
Normally when I read Mark 4:35-41 I would focus on the storm that suddenly arose, the fear of the disciples, and how Jesus calmed the wind and the waves; however, as we looked from Kursi across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, our tour guide shared the significance of “crossing over to the other side.”
The Jews primarily lived in the northwest area of the Sea of Galilee.  However, the east side of the lake was inhabited by pagans who worshiped “other gods.”  So to go to the other side of the lake was to engage people who worshiped other gods, people who were different.  In addition, there was a legion of Roman soldiers there and the Jews hated them and wanted nothing to do with them.  That little insight changes things doesn’t it?
I don’t know why, but I always thought that when Jesus and the disciples would cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, it was for the purpose of getting some rest from daily grind of ministry; kind of like going to the lake for the weekend.  Now, certainly nothing wrong with taking a break, but in this story Jesus is inviting the disciples to risk comfortable in order to engage those who are looking for hope and peace in all the wrong places.
One of the things we must understand is that when Jesus invites us to get into the boat and to cross over to the other side, more than likely he wants to reveal something greater to us.  Up until this point the disciples had witnessed some miraculous healings and were amazed by Jesus teaching, but here in this little journey with Jesus to the other side, they discovered he even has power over the natural (the storm) and the supernatural (the demons).  If they wouldn’t have taken the risk, they wouldn’t have received the new revelation.
I wonder how much revelation I have missed by refusing to get into the boat in order to “go to the other side.”  Jesus longs to take each one of us on a journey to the other side in order that we might experience more of him.  He wants us to experience so much more of the abundant life than we want for ourselves.
A couple of questions for you: How badly do you want to receive all that Jesus has for you?  Have you really accepted Jesus’ invitation to get into the boat with him?  Really?  And if you were to cross over to the other side in order to engage a pagan, where, or who would that be?
Often times the fear that comes with following Jesus is the uncertainty of where he will lead me or how he might want to use me.  However, I never want fear to keep me from experiencing everything that Jesus has for me.  May we all be quick to risk jumping into the boat to go to the other side!
Following the Master into mission, Mike

I interrupt my series of insights from our trip to Israel to share these thoughts from the recent storm.
Wow! Although, nothing like the destruction of a tornado, earthquake, or tsunami, isn’t it heart breaking to see the devastation left behind by the recent ice and snow storm. Limbs and branches of every size ripped from tree trunks under the enormous weight of the ice and snow. Power line poles busted off like tooth picks. Roofs damaged, rain gutters smashed, fences crushed, and in some cases cars dented. Many without electricity scrambled for generators or alternative places to stay.
The storm certainly added another dimension to the annual spring cleanup as some homeowners immediately began dragging downed branches to the curbside while others will wait for warmer days.
My heart feels sad as I reflect on the damage to God’s creation. In many cases, what took years to develop was ripped down in a matter of hours. And, although I was fortunate to have minimal damage, I feel sorry for the extra financial burden it will be for others to clean up the mess.
Well, as I was driving around community, the Holy Spirit impressed on me that the desolation on the outside of people’s homes, was in many cases a reflection of the relational, personal, and emotional damage going on inside the homes in Luverne. Although often hidden, our relationships within our homes are heavily burdened by financial debt, addictions of every kind, sexual, physical and emotional abuse, sicknesses, and disease.  Marriages and families are torn apart by every kind of sin imaginable—rebellion, selfishness, pride, greed, adultery, apathy, anger and rage.
The effects of the fall of mankind into sin are heartbreaking. And even more heartbreaking to a Pastor is that so few people know how to begin cleaning up the mess. And then in addition to ignorance, what grieves me is the number of families and individuals who choose to ignore or hide the ugliness of what’s really going on behind closed doors.
My encouragement for those of you who are tired of hiding the mess in your home; I want you to know that God is longing to redeem your painful situation. Like with Adam and Eve, he’s calling out to you right now, “Where are you?”
God has sent his Son to proclaim the good news to the poor. Jesus wants to come and bind up your broken heart and to reveal to you how you can be set free. Jesus can break your chains of bondage and set you free from the issue or person of which you’re being held captive. He wants to replace your spirit of despair with a garment of praise. He can rebuild the ruins of generational sin in your family. He longs to restore those places in your heart and in your relationships that have been devastated. Jesus is longing for you to invite him to create a pure heart, and to renew a steadfast spirit within you.
And how do I know that? Because those are all the things God has done to repair the damage in my life and in my family.  And here is the neat part, yes it will take some effort on your part, but God’s offer to bring healing and restoration to you is free. All you have to do is call. Let me encourage you, don’t wait another minute, come out of hiding, get on your knees right now and ask for help.
Struck down, but not destroyed, Mike

Since returning from our trip to Israel in February, I have been sharing my ten most significant insights of our trip.  This week I will be writing about insight number six: Like Mary, may I be under-blessed and overcommitted.
On the second day of our journey we had the pleasure of traveling to Nazareth.  At the time Jesus was born, Nazareth, a small village of 20-30 homes had only been in existence for about 100 years. The tiny town of Nazareth in Jesus day is now covered in its entirety by the Basilica of the Annunciation which was built by the Franciscans. Nazareth is now mostly an Arab community of nearly 66,000 people.
The story about Mary found in Luke 1 is one of my favorite stories in the Bible, not only because of the significance to Mary, but also for its promises to you and me.
26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”34″How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God.” 8″I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Let me highlight some significant truths from this text.
By God’s grace he makes himself known to us through his only begotten Son. In this particular case Mary was the recipient of God’s favor. By his mercy and grace, God also reveals his favor towards you and me, not only with the gift of salvation, but also with the honor and privilege of bearing his name.
Even though she was the recipient of God’s favor, the effect of Mary becoming pregnant before she was married would have caused people to perceive her as “under-blessed.” May each one of us humbly receive God’s invitation to join him in mission.
While Mary is the only person to physically give birth to the Christ child, by faith and through the power of the Holy Spirit, you and I also have Christ living in us. God’s call on our lives requires our submission in order that he might live his life through us.
Becoming pregnant and giving birth to Jesus seemed impossible to Mary since she had never had intercourse with Joseph. Often times God gives us assignments that seem impossible. God’s glory is displayed when his power is made perfect in our weakness. Mary’s story reminds us that nothing is impossible with God!
Although the calling seems overwhelming to this young, innocent girl from the tiny town of Nazareth, Mary surrenders herself and commits to fulfilling her role as God’s servant. May we too, surrender ourselves as humble servants, giving God permission to do whatever he chooses with our lives.
Under-blessed and over-committed, Mike

From our trip to Israel, insight #7:  Worship in its truest form is accepting God for who he is, while idolatry is making God who we want him to be.
Another one of our interesting stops was near the ancient city of Arad. The city of Arad which only covered 27 acres had two eras of occupancy, the first inhabitants were early Canaanites in 3000 B.C., while the second occupation began around 950 B.C. Eventually Solomon conquered this area and built a fort near the city in order to protect themselves from the invaders such as the Edomites who came from east of the Jordon River.
What made this site unique is that is was home to a Jewish temple, the only existing temple in the world. Everything was built according to the instructions as found in Exodus 25-27. More than likely Solomon allowed a special temple to be built in this location so that the soldiers could stay and protect that part of the country without having to travel to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. Although the walls had been knocked down to about 5 feet, we could clearly make out the outer court of the temple, the Holy Place where the priests were allowed to go, and then the Holy of Holies. I also found it interesting that there was evidence that the Sons of Korah also spent time in this location. The Sons of Korah were King David’s favorite worship band that inspired the writing for the contemporary song, As the Deer Pants. (See Psalm 42-43)
In order to understand why I found this site so profound, I would like to share what our tour guide, Dr. Widbin, taught us about the meaning of the 3 R’s of temple sacrifice.
1. Release your sins onto the animal. To sacrifice is to release yourself from sin in order to become what God wants you to be. When the people would come to worship, they would do so for the sake of seeking God’s face. Although there was no certainty of God showing up, their desire was to experience his presence. When gathering for worship, they would enter the outer court where the altar was and the head of the family would lift up their offering (usually their finest animal—like a pet) indicating they were presenting something highly valuable to God. They would never come empty handed. When releasing their offering, they would put their hand on the head of the offering which became representative of releasing their sins.
2. Remove your mud pies from the altar through the blood of the atonement. Then the priest would take the sacrifice and kill it on the altar and the blood would run down a groove and would be caught in a container. Imagine now, a person’s sin was as though he/she were throwing mud pies at the altar. The Levites then would take the blood and sprinkle it all over the altar representing the cleansing of the altar of the person’s sin. The blood was actually considered more of a cleansing agent for God because our sin hurts him more than it hurts us. The result of the blood covering the person’s sin then opened the door to a renewed relationship with God.
3. Reconciliation with God by eating with him. Finally they would gut the animal and barbeque it and the smoke would ascend as a sweet aroma to God. It was at that point a portion of the sacrifice was taken off the altar and the people would eat it as if they were sharing a meal with God. The sharing of the meal was an indication of forgiveness, a symbol of reconciliation.
As you can imagine this was a powerfully moving experience as we stood in the same place where men and women of thousands of years ago sought the presence of God hoping he would show up. And then to think, because of Christ becoming the “once for all sacrifice,” we now have the presence of God living in us and can daily enjoy the sweet fellowship of God.
After explaining the significance of the temple sacrifice, Dr. Widbin showed us the Holy of Holies, and much to our amazement stood two standing stones (one big, one smaller) signifying that God protects by fire and smoke. The people of Arad had adopted a pagan belief system that God had a wife whose name was Asherah. It was a fertility figurine with the name Asherah on it. They had made an attempt to conform to the relevant worship of that day; in fact Ezekiel makes reference in chapter 8 of the detestable things that were being done in temple worship. The thing that struck me was how idolatry so subtly slips into our theology and into our worship. Dr. Widbin went on to explain to us that idolatry is not necessarily finding another god, rather it is what we do to God. Idolatry is making God who we want him to be or to do what we want him to do.
The question I found myself asking on that beautiful day out in the Judean desert, the question I continue to ask myself today: In what ways do I commit the sin of idolatry by rejecting God for who he is? In what ways have I tried to shape God into who I want him to be? What areas of my life do I refuse to offer as a living sacrifice?  In what way is our worship little more than a game of charades?
Covered by His blood,  Mike

The amazing thing about the land of Israel is its long history. For instance Jericho is believed to be the oldest city in the world with some evidence of settlement dating back to 9600 B.C. This of course provides many ruins to check out which leads to my eighth most important insight: Even the greatest of man’s glory can be reduced to rubble in a matter of seconds.
Many of the ruins we saw were the efforts of King Herod. Herod had a goal to build a kingdom greater than any other person ever had before. We first visited Caesarea where we sat in a massive outdoor area which is built right on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Closely connected was his palace that extended into the sea. Because there was no natural port for the city, Herod had one built. As we looked to the north of the city, we could see the remains of a massive water aqueduct system that brought in water from the mountains nine miles away—an aqueduct that sloped one inch per 300 feet.
We then traveled to Beit Shean. Again, in an attempt to create the most elaborate and luxurious life possible, Herod included rows of massive columns that were made and imported from Egypt. We sat in the double tiered stadium which had room for seven thousand spectators. There was an outdoor swimming pool and an indoor sauna. And if that wasn’t spectacular enough, we sat in a forty stall co-ed bathroom complete with a running water flush system. Oh that’s nothing! Also inside the restroom was an open area where musicians would play while a person relieved themselves. (I know it seems weird, but maybe the music was beneficial for those who had stage fright). One can only imagine the beauty of that city, however what struck me was that it was all destroyed in 50 seconds by a massive earthquake.
And then a final stop at Masada, one of Herod’s greatest getaway fortresses. Located in the Judean Desert, the fortress sits atop a mesa-shaped rock that towers 1300ft. above the western shore of the Dead Sea. Between 37-31 BC King Herod built two beautiful palaces on it along with a huge swimming pool, several large cisterns, one of which was a million gallons. (Imagine if it was your job to crawl up a 1300 foot embankment with drums of water attached to a donkey in order to fill that million gallon tank). Mesada is now Israel’s most visited tourist site.
The Herodian Dynasty included many other great building achievements and yet they’ve all been dismantled; they’re nothing more than popular tourist sites. As I reflect on my own God given desire to make a difference in this world, I thought of I Peter 1:24, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall.” This verse is a reminder that much of what we work for will have no lasting value.
I understand we all need homes to live in, vehicles to move about in, and shops and buildings to work in.  We also enjoy church buildings to worship in and stadiums for pleasure, but my prayer for each one of us as we fulfill our created purpose in life is that “…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” My prayer is that you and I would be investing our time and energy into the kind of kingdom work that has eternal value; into kingdom treasures where moth and rust do not destroy.
Grace and peace from your fellow sojourner, Mike