Sunrise on the Sea of Galilee

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Waking up to the sunrise on the Sea of Galilee a beautiful and meaningful experience. The Lake of Kinneret is full of life—the result of the Jordan flowing down from Mount Hermon from the north and settling 600 ft below sea level. It's where Jesus met the first disciples, James and John, sons of Zebedee, and Andrew and Peter, all fishermen on this lake. Today we will go to Capernaum, Jesus' home-base, a border town that included Centurions and tax collectors.

Across the lake to the east are the Golan Heights in our day, and in Jesus' day it was the Gentiles—the Decapolis, Kursi and pigs. This is the place of faith testing—Jesus walking on the water with Peter, calming the storm, checking for fish on the other side.

This is the countryside. Quiet. Calm. Peaceful.

Yesterday, we drove up from Tel Aviv where we spent the night after our 14 hour flight from San Francisco. We started at Joppa, or Jaffa, where Jonah found a ship to run away from God, and where Peter ran toward Cornelius to share the good news of Jesus. Driving past surf beaches and embassies, we enjoyed the awesome Caesarea, the massive first century BC port and palace build by Herod the Great. This is where Paul left and returned for missionary journeys, and was brought bound from Jerusalem on his way to Rome.

Muhraka on Mount Carmel where Elijah battled the 450 prophets of Baal because he trusted in the power of God is one of the most panoramic spots. The roof top of the Monastery provides a view of the Mediterranean, where Elijah's men said they saw a cloud the size of a man's fist, the Kishon Brook where the 450 were slaughtered, and across the Jezreel, or Armageddon Valley, the significant mountains of Tabor, Gilboa and Moreh. Over one mountain range is Nazareth, where we will visit Friday.

We ended the day in Akko, a port with no biblical reference, but the capital city of the second Crusaders Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was a port town that welcomed pilgrims and traders, and where Hospitalers and Templar Crusaders built awesome moats, fortresses and halls for protection and hospitality.

But coming to Galilee is my favorite way to start the trip. This is where Jesus called the disciples to follow him, become fishers of men, be blessed as peacemakers and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. This is where Jesus walked.

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