I have wrestled with posting this story for sometime. I dont want the focus to be on me, but rather on our Lord Jesus Christ. This is about my Israel trip in September 2014. I realize that we all have a duty to share what Jesus has done for us. I was asked by a dear friend, Steve Kenney, to write this story down so I could share this with my children and grandchildren. This is a story I want to write down so I don’t forget it. It is a story of my Israel trip in 2014. We went to several biblically historical sites but the Lord met me at the house of Caiaphas. You see, I did not get a word picture from the Lord, I got a word video. I’ll relate that story to you. First of all I’m not one that gets “visions” from the Lord. God has never audibly spoken to me. However, that would be cool if He did. I do converse to Him in my prayers and He with me, but he has never, that I know of, stopped me in my tracks to show me something. However, at the house of Caiaphas it was different. We were there with our group from New Life Church and we had just walked up the steps that the Roman guards led Jesus up after they arrested Him on the Mount of Olives. We had been to the upper room that morning and talked about the last supper. We were now discussing Peters 3 denials of Jesus. To get up to the courtyard that separated Annas’ house from Caiaphas’ house you have to walk up about 30-40 yards of steps. At the base of the steps is the gate where Peter was at. At the top of the steps was a landing, which is below the courtyard Jesus was led through. Peter was unable to get in to the courtyard. Finally, the disciple John talked to the gate keeper and she let Peter in. The group I was a part of was behind me and our guide was talking to us about how Peter denied Christ 3 times. My back was to the group. I was standing at the top of the stairs and I looked down at the gate below. I could see the Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives where Jesus was arrested and it was at this time that this entire scene played out. This is what I saw. As I looked down the steps I saw Peter coming through the gate and I saw him weave his way up the steps stopping at different areas. I saw Peter deny Christ all three times. I saw him talking to the people in the courtyard and denying Christ each time they asked him if he was “one of them”. I saw Peter infuriated at the questions they were asking him and defiantly stating he did not know Jesus. The third time he was in the courtyard, right by the house of Caiaphas. I just stood there for what seemed like 5 minutes or so and I asked the Lord why I was seeing this. I didn’t receive an answer but it was pretty cool nonetheless. Our guide was speaking but I had no idea what topic he was talking about at this time. I still did not understand why I just saw this so I turned around and went over to our group. Most were sitting down in the shade so I set down on a stone wall. Our guide was explaining how Jesus first went to the house of Annas but he did not want anything to do with Jesus so he sent him to the house of Caiaphas. As he was talking to us, my show started again. I saw the two guards bringing Jesus to the house of Caiaphas taking him through the large courtyard. It appeared Jesus had been beaten as He was walking slowly and looked as if He was hurting. Peter was close to the house of Caiaphas and that is where he denied Christ the 3rd time. As they led Jesus to Caiaphas, and right after the 3rd denial, the rooster crowed and I saw Jesus look at Peter. I did not see Jesus’ face, only the back of Him. I saw the body language of Jesus as he looked towards Peter. Jesus’ body language was full of love, compassion and forgiveness as He turned His head to look at Peter. I saw Peters face as he looked into the eyes of Jesus. I saw the shame and disappointment in Peter’s eyes, but he did not look away from Jesus. I paused for a moment to again ask the Lord why I was seeing this. It was then that I looked back at Peter and realized that was not Peter. It was me the Lord was looking at. It was me He had love, compassion and forgiveness for. He was telling me, through His gaze, that He loved me so much and that nothing that I have ever done could change that. It wasn’t about being “good enough” to be loved by Him. None of us are good enough but He loves us anyway. And that is why he took my, and your, sins to the cross. So we could have a personal relationship with him. The guide was still talking about something but I had no idea what it was. I “came back” to the group after this and right when I did, a rooster crowed. It was surreal. I had tears in my eyes as I thanked the Lord right there for showing this too me.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 16:54:36 +0000
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