Sunday
Christ Church owns a guest house in Galilee called Beit Immanuel. It is located in the traditional village of Magdala where in Jesus’ day a woman named Mary Magdalene was born. There is much archeological evidence of life typical to people who lived along the sea. There is a museum nearby which houses a boat dating back to the time of Christ. Two fishermen found it when a drought lowered the water level in the Sea of Galilee. This boat which had been buried and well preserved in mud for two thousand years, was revealed. Archeologists spent 7 years preparing it for display and today they call it the Jesus boat. It was very probably the type of boat used by the fishermen of Galilee from which Jesus taught the crowds, calmed the storm and helped his disciples catch a load of fish. He no doubt swam there on occasion as well. God uses the basic stuff of life, like water, boats, bread and fish, to call his people to faith.
The most memorable moment for us was in the afternoon when we made our way down to the shore of Galilee, through a Kibbutz, to swim in the Sea of Galilee. It was surprisingly cool but enormously refreshing to our hot, tired bodies. How wonderful to feel those waters about us which long ago also sustained and perhaps even on occasion, cooled the body of our Lord.
Click the photos below to view them full-size…
Mosaic from a chapel at Magdaa
Magdala Church with a boat altar and the Sea of Galilee in the background
A man worshipping the Lord at the Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee