Dec 6 Nazareth and the Annunciation, Mt. Tabor and the Transfiguration, Jordan River to Remember our Baptism

Today we began our day at Nazareth Village. We climbed the hill to the city of Nazareth where the angel told the Virgin she would conceive the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. We went to a Bible time museum where they reinacted with historical accuracy what was going on in Nazareth in the days when Jesus was growing up. We saw a sheepfold, an olive press, a threshing floor, a winnowing fork, a watchtower, a wine press and wine skins, a home like Jesus might have grown up in, a carpenter's shop and a synagogue....BUT BEST OF ALL we saw Hannah ... Hannah was one of the Bible time characters at Nazareth Village. She acted out the part of a woman in a house at the time of Jesus with precision... weaving ... preparing food... spinning wool ... AND SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS. Obviously the Christmas Carols were not authentic from the time of Jesus ... but her sincere heart was. As we visited with Hannah we found out she was a believer with a deep and passionate heart for Christ. Her father had been a Pastor and an Evangelist to the Islam community surrounding them in Nazareth. She told how he passionately pressed on with the Gospel even though we was shot at often and once wounded. Hannah's father passed away about 4 years ago and she spoke of heaven with a genuine longing... Her parting words to us were - I will see you in heaven - yah? I will see you in heaven... HE WILL COME ... HE WILL COME!!

This woman - tempered by persecution - and seasoned with the reality of the Gospel reminded me of the Heart of the Gospel in Nazareth, in Mary, and in YOU AND ME. The heart of the Gospel is God WITH US - Immanuel - JESUS in us and with us gives us real HOPE ... ALL OTHER PROPS ARE SINKING SAND. ... "The power of the most high will overshadow you so that the Holy one to be born in you will be called THE SON OF GOD!" Luke 1:35