I prayed a lot about a word that I would keep in mind during our pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The word abide came to mind early on in prayer. To sit, remain, dwell. With all that we would be seeing and doing, I realized how important it would be to be present in each moment and intentional at each holy site.
Being fully present proved to be the only way to fully grasp all of the wonder we experienced. Being fully present. To each other. To the holy sites. To Jesus.
Some of the moments that really stood out to me were when our group would read the passage of Scripture that coincided with the site we were visiting and we would have time to sit in quiet reflection. It was in those moments, in the places where Jesus walked, that peace surrounded us.
I thought about how I could apply this to my daily life when I returned home. In the Holy Land, walking the way of the Cross, it seems so simple…but back in our busy lives it becomes more difficult.
Abide. To sit, remain, dwell.
I’m learning this slow and hard. So many things fight for our attention.
But what is God asking from us? One day at a time. One small yes at a time. Obedience.
When we take time to be with Him in prayer, we can almost feel the breeze over the Sea of Galilee and see the sunset at Capernaum. And we realize that it is His presence that is always with us, no matter where we are. It is His love, which fills us with peace, in which we must abide.
By: Libby Clyons, Holy Land Pilgrim
