The Sea of Galilee. Jesus, Are You Here Now?

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The Sea of Galilee, Jesus, are You here now? You feel so near. It’s as though I could reach out and touch You. But I can’t see You anywhere.

Today looking across this Sea of Galilee, I sense Your Presence so strong now. While I look, I have to ask, “Lord, where are You? Are You still walking across this water? Are You here with us?” Now as I breathe in this cool air, it seems like I can breathe in Your Spirit. Is that possible?

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So. . . where did You walk on this shoreline? There’s no marker saying, “He was here.”  Somehow, is it possible that there’s some molecule of water which touched your feet long ago still present today in this body of water ? I feel Your Presence now while I’m looking for You. . . . Where are You Lord? Are You watching us?
While we’re on this tourist boat sailing across the Galilee, I continue to look across the horizon and wonder, “Did You walk on that shore?  What about that shore on the other side? Did You walk there? Is that where You cooked the fish and told Peter to feed Your sheep?” . . . I sense Your Presence with us now. Are You here?

My eyes search across this Sea of Galilee. First I look across the water. Next I scan the shoreline. I’m looking for You Lord, for some evidence of You. . . Could You be with us now on this boat?

img_0073-1I feel You as I gaze over this water. Back then how did Your disciples feel when You were in their boat? How would we feel now if You were in this boat with us today?

Lord, today’s a dreary day with drizzling rain. I’ve never thought of you being cold, but I guess You were. I am now. I never realized You had winter in this land. I’ve just always assumed it was desert like and hot, but today even with my coat on I’m cold. You lived as a human here, so I guess You got cold and wet sometimes.

I feel You now as I gaze over this water and the cold wind blows across my face. Did You feel the cold wind on Your face back then? Are You here with us now?

In Your Word we read You walked on water at this Sea of Galilee so long ago. The disciples had no idea who You really were, the Son of God. I wonder, . . . how did they act when they saw You walking across the water? I can only imagine how they felt, probably full of fear, but amazed and in awe of Your power.

Would we be the same today, full of fear if You walked across the water to us? Have we become so accustomed to our special effects in movies and television today that we wouldn’t be impressed at all? We’d just think it was a trick. Lord, do you still walk across the water here? Do You walk across our lives today? Lord, where are you now?

While we float across this Sea of Galilee, we’re singing praise songs for Your glory. We’re raising our hands in worship to You because You sacrificed Yourself for us. It’s amazing that You would give Your life for us who live today, even 2000 years after Your death on the cross. Are You here with us now on this Sea of Galilee? Your Presence is so strong here now as we  worship You.

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My friend, Patty, praising God

We’re all looking at the shoreline to see where You might have been. Your Presence feels so strong. Lord, be with us now?

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My child, do you not yet know? I am with you now and always will be with you.

I AM always with those that love Me, those who invited Me into their hearts. My Presence is always with those that are marked as Mine.

I am here with all of you now, with each one that holds My love in their heart. Before long, I will call you all home with Me. But until then, share My love with the others. Share My love with those who don’t know  yet of My love for them.

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 Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy Presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore. Psalm 16:11

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
Psalm 139:7
And now to Him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in His bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes.  Jude 1:24-25 The Message

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In the Beit Yigal Alon Museum, we saw this  “Ancient Galilee Boat” discovered in 1986. This boat was carbon dated and believed to be over 2000 years old from the time of Jesus. It’s made of cedar and oak, with patches of sycamore and willow at its core. It seems the original owners patched the boat several different times with different woods until the boat could no longer be patched. Then it was left to sink. Check out  Ancient Boat  for the account of how the boat was excavated.

 Lord, could that have actually been Peter’s boat? How about James and John? Was it their boat? It really doesn’t matter, does it? What matters to us is Your love for us.

In addition to the boat, they found these are some nails and pottery at the same site of the “Ancient Boat”.

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Pottery and nails found at the boat site.

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Shalom Ya’ll !

4 comments on “The Sea of Galilee. Jesus, Are You Here Now?

  1. Debbie,
    Loved your traveloir. Keep writing and sharing.
    Did you all land on the other shore and walk there too ?
    You are blessed.
    Susie

    • Hi Susie,
      No, we only walked on the pier leading to the boat. To the left of our boat we saw modern day fishermen using the same ancient methods of throwing a net on the side of their boat to catch fish. I tried to get a picture, but they were so far away it didn’t show up. I wondered, “Jesus, is this how they fished on Peter’s boat?”
      I’m so glad you enjoyed this. My intent is to post every week about a different experience of this awesome trip.
      We are talking about another trip in 2018. I hope so.
      Deb

      • Back to the Holy Land ?
        Wow !

  2. Shalom Ya’ll!
    Just in case the Ancient Galilee Boat doesn’t link for you. Here it is: http://cojs.org/?s=ancient+galilee+boat . I’m having trouble with myself. Sigh.