Eye Witnesses
I love travel. Seeing new sights, experiencing new food, meeting new people, and being able to disconnect for a while are all reasons to enjoy visiting far-off places. However, some of my favorite travel destinations have been special, not necessarily because of the location itself, but because of what happened there. I’ve been able to stand in the grove of trees where William Miller wrestled with God about his call to preach. I’ve walked down the street where Ellen Harmon was hit in the face with a rock. I’ve stood on the walls of Fort Sumpter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, and Fort McHenry, where the flag flew which inspired the writing of The Star Spangled Banner. I’ve also stood at the spot where the first shots of the American Revolutionary War were fired and gazed upon the beach where the Mayflower landed. I’ve watched the Pacific Ocean from the very spot where Lewis and Clark first caught a glimpse of their journey’s goal. I’ve crawled into a cave where the Waldenses worshipped God and stood in a Scottish church where James VI, King of Scots, was crowned in a Protestant coronation during which John Knox preached. There’s just something about being in the spot where something significant happened. I’m going to Israel with a group of our pastors next week and I am so excited to stand in the spot where so many incredible things have happened.
As I think about my trip, my mind goes to something that the apostle Peter said. “For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father” (2 Peter 1:16, 17). Whether you have the opportunity to visit the places of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection or not, know that incredible things have happened. And we can read about it in the Bible - not from people who heard about the events described, but from those who actually saw them take place - who stood in the very spot as they occurred. What a gift the Bible is!
