Surrounded in His Arms

The Sea of Galilee, Yam Kinneret, Lake Tiberius - 33 miles in circumference, 13 miles long and 8 miles wide. Standing on the shore of En Gev to the east, at night, one can see the twinkling lights of Tiberius on the west shore.
Gulls play tag with the tourist boats as they skim the surface of the water. On a calm day, the shore receives gentle waves as they ebb and flow.
But without warning, contrasting air masses collide, causing thunder, lightning and large turbulent swells.
On this morning in December, the air was crisp and the sea relatively calm. Overhead, a thin layer of clouds spread like a canopy under a pale blue sky.

I boarded the boat along with my husband and twenty-three others from our tour group for a trek around the Sea of Galilee. No storms brewing. This would be fun.
Once we were near the middle of the sea, we took some time for worship and a teaching. A thought wafted through my mind. This wouldn't be a good time for one of those squalls to erupt. I put that notion away and stood to lead worship as I steadied my legs against the wooden bench for support. The boat rhythmically rocked with the motion of the swells.
"His holiness surrounds me...," we sang. I looked around. In each direction , I was surrounded by hills. A sense of peace and joy washed over me. My spirit heard the voice of G~d telling me this was like His arms. He protected Israel. I served the G~d of Israel. I could experience that same feeling any time - any place. And I would need it a few days later into the tour. (More on that in another blog.)

Each time I recall the Galilean hills surrounding the Sea, G~d reminds me that His arms circle around me. I am safe, protected with His peace, His holiness.

Back On The Bus

I'm beginning a series of travel blogs from previous visits to Israel with a takeaway message for the journey. Enjoy.

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Taking a tour of Israel is the best way to get your feet wet. Except for the occasional lunches not provided, and the extra suitcase you'll need to acquire for all the stuff you'll purchase, your trip has been paid for in advance.
You maneuver the airports as a group. You stay in nice hotels and eat great food - buffet style. You go from North to South, East to West, and depending on your tour, you stop at highlighted destinations that fulfill your interests. Your tour guide is full of information and keeps you out of unsafe areas. You meet new people and sometimes form lasting friendships.

Lets broaden this to - A Tour of Life.

Sometimes I get anxious about where I'm going in life. When I begin the mental trip, my Heavenly Abba reminds me...
Every morning I'd dress and head to the hotel dining room. There, I'd find a variety of delicious food to satisfy my hunger. I didn't have to hunt it down. Each meal was provided for me. I knew if I looked in the dining room, it would be available.
Now I was ready with new energy to board the bus.

Some days I knew exactly where we were going. Other days I had a vague idea and there were times when I'd never heard of the place. But our tour guide knew exactly where we were going. He'd been to each place before.
Some of the places we went to were a piece of cake to navigate. Other places presented a challenge with hills, rocks, stairs, weather. But I knew two things - our guide would be there to help and, my tour mates were there to help. We were in this together. We assisted each other. And our tour guide never took us to a place he knew we weren't ready for. He kept us safe.

This is how to navigate through life.
This is G~d's plan.

Day by day we need to be on the bus - energized and ready. We do this by reading and studying His Torah - His Word and instruction for us.
We enjoy the passing scenery - take in the view. Our family and friends are with us. We take our time day by day.
When we stop and get off the bus for a specific destination, we can be assured that our Tour Guide is right beside us with information, instruction and protection. Sometimes we're called to a specific task or challenge.
And if we pay attention, we'll hear when to get back on the bus. We can relax in the journey and enjoy the tour.