A GOOD LAND
“For the Lord your
God is bringing
you into a good
land.” Deuteronomy 8:7-9
Israel
Pilgrimage—2006
My
children, siblings
and
friends are quick to say:
What’s so good about
it?
Suicide bombers
blow themselves up
in the marketplace
and take as many with
them
as possible
Palestinians and
Israelis
throw rocks at one
another
Bombs fly from
Lebanon
Enemies surround
and yearn to shove
Israel
into the
Mediterranean Sea
Who needs the Middle
East?
And
yet
this
is the land
where
the virgin gave birth to Jesus
where
Lazarus emerged
alive! from the tomb
where
Peter walked on water
and
lepers were healed
where
my Savior
was
crucified, rose
and
promises to return
where
the roots
of
the olive tree
that
I’m grafted into
reach
down deep
into
good soil
It’s
a good land—
nourishing
me with milk
of
the living Word
and
sweet honey hope
that
thrives
in
the center of my being
How
can I not love it?
Maude
Carolan Pych
I've been posting poems from a series inspired by my three amazing and blessed pilgrimages to Israel...I invite you to come along on a virtual tour...
The above selection is from my third trip to Israel. The year was 2006 and the pilgrimage was led by Pastor/Rabbi Jonathan Cahn of Beth Israel Worship Center, Wayne, NJ.
A Good Land is included in my chapbook, A Pilgrim's Quest. Ordering information appears at the end of this website.
