Still in the Negev. Woke up early to watch the sunrise on the Dead Sea but much needed rain clouds had moved in overnight. I couldn’t complain because they have been waiting for rain for months (just like areas of home). Today, we headed to Masada. This overwhelming rock of a mountain was originally built as Herod’s winter fortress. Some of our team decided to climb the “Snake Path” which was an overwhelming and winding path that led to the top. This rock is best known in Jewish history as the last stronghold of the Freedom Fighters as they clung to hope that Israel would be restored. There were 12 men who held fast against the Roman Empire. When defeat was eminent, the defenders’ leader Eleazar ben Ya’ir bade his fellow fighters to remain true to the cause for which they had fought so long. “Let us rather die than be enslaved by our enemy. Let us leave this world in freedom.” So lots were cast and the Freedom Fighters made a pact to kill their families and themselves rather than be taken captive and enslaved to the Romans. Can you imagine making that decision? But they saw no other way. Slavery or freedom in death? Oh, that I would see the daily choice of this decision as simply as that... slavery or freedom in death. 
Then Naphtali said, "Come, Come. We will spend some moments walking down the Roman Path to the bus. Come, Come. It is a nice walk." I'm telling you what, I don't know what Jewish men classify as "nice" but it was the most brutal stairmaster decent of a path I have ever been on. As we started down, Naphtali and the other O's fan on the trip, Steve, took compassion and/or pity on me and stuck to my pace. It was the the beginning of the end for my knees on this trip. To the left is a picture of the ramp. It winds all the way to the right of the picture all the way to the top. It looks much easier in this picture than it really was. It had to have been at a 90 degree incline. I'm telling you, it had to be!!From Masada, we began our accent to Jerusalem. The excitement as we began the drive up (both in longitude and altitude) was again just overwhelming. We arrived after dark. So the city lights were all we were able to see of this magnificent city.
From my journal: Savior, I’m overwhelmed and all I can see are city lights. I can feel Your love for this city even just in entering the city limits. I can't even see anything and my Spirit attests that this city truly is the apple of Your eye. Thank You for Your faithfulness in bringing me here. You said You would and here I am. Give me eyes to see what You have for me and ears to hear Your still-small voice and what You are saying to me.
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