One word: Remember.

Day 9 – Monday, March 8 The “Sides of the North”

CINDY

WOW. Another day of really indescribable beauty and depth. It was 90 degrees today and we hiked through the refreshing coolness of shaded trees and springs. Tel Dan was beautiful. The path was made out of smooth stones that the water ran under and through. He hiked for about 30 minutes this way from stream to stream from spring to spring. The water was so pure and cold. Wearing my Tevas was an absolutely great choice! Lol. I would jump off the path right into the freezing springs. Sigh.. and then jump back on the path to keep up with the others.





Biblically Dan is where Rehoboam (Solomon’s son) set up the idols of the calves so that people would not go to Jerusalem and worship but would stay in the Northern Kingdom. As we sat there in the temple where they excavated an altar, Lisa gave her devotional. She read from 1 Kings 12 where Rehoboam tells the people that these were the gods that brought them out of Egypt. Ugh! … it must have been like a knife piercing God’s heart.. some calves brought them out of Egypt?! What in the world?! How dare he! How could he say such a thing?.. and the striking thing is that ppl listened to him. They flocked to Dan to worship and sacrifice to the calves. Why? … maybe outright rebellion? .. maybe.. maybe it was because they had forgotten.. they had forgotten who God is, what He had done in their lives.

Remembering is not just in our thoughts. It’s not just an inward action but an outward action. We remember God with our mouths, our praises, our testimonies, our prayers, our loving others,... We need to constantly remember.. or else we may forget and stray far from the path and begin to attribute gratitude or honor to things that have nothing to do with us. As we sat there under that massive tree on the steps of the temple facing the altar those words just struck my heart. I could not but ask Holy Spirit to continually help me to remember all that God has done in my life… that I would not look to my own strength or that I would not begin to attribute my salvation or even victories in my life to none other than Him.. and then I couldn’t help but think of my children. I want to be a good mother who constantly reminds my children of all what the Lord has done. Being here in Israel, I don’t understand how there can be “secular” Israelites or Jews. There is such a rich history with God.. how could they forget or not know.. you know Solomon started out right but by the end of his reign he too began to worship idols.. no wonder his son did the same. Jesus, help me to be a good example to my children of remembering your faithfulness and who you are at all times. Let my remembering remain in the hearts of my children so they too would remember and never forget you Lord..and their children’s children.. and their children.. for all generations.. Amen.