We spent a good chunk of the day in Bethlehem. Our first stop was at a souvenir store!

We received a warm welcome by the shop, serenaded by Christmas music overhead.

I nabbed some earrings made of semi-precious stones.

Our next stop was the Church of the Nativity, where they believe Jesus was born.

It was the longest line we waited in, both in amount of people and wait time. Itai described it as a “clogged sink” and it was on point

Here is where they believe Jesus was born.

And here is the manger they believe He was born in.

I have to say, I wasn’t impressed with the grandeur. Skillful? Yes. Reverent? Eh.

Maybe it’s the Protestant in me or maybe it’s the fact I didn’t come across the world to look at intricate paintings and elaborate buildings.

No, I came here because I’m much more interested in getting insight into how Jesus and people around Him lived than glorifying the actual events that took place there. I want to learn from these places, not venerate them because of what occurred there.

How can I hold a place in such reverence when Jesus Himself chastised His disciples for doing the same thing (Matthew 24:1, Mark 13:1)? How can I fixate, as Peter did, on where Jesus has been when I know it isn’t the point (Matthew 17:4-5)? How can I treasure a building or a place that can be decimated when I personally know Someone that can never be destroyed?

Another place we visited was the Shepherd’s Fields. This is where Boaz’ fields were, where David tended his sheep, and where it is believed the shepherds first heard the news of the birth of Jesus.

This was a cave that would be used to give shelter to the shepherd and flock.

Here is a sign that we saw along the road on the way to our next destination: the Mount of Olives.

From here, we saw a large portion of the city. Itai pointed out several places, such as the boundaries of the old city and the blocked-up Eastern gate.

The gold dome is the mosque which is built on Mount Moriah. Here is where the first and second temples were built and where Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac.

The path we took down to The Garden of Gethsemane was similar to the one Jesus took when entered the city on Palm Sunday.

This was the place where I was the most somber so far. Despite its beauty, all I could image was Jesus, alone in His agony as He prepared for the pain, humiliation, and betrayal that was before Him. An agony so felt, he sweat blood and received supernatural strengthening from an angel (Luke 22:43-44).

This little guy rested in the shade and was unperturbed by the hoards of people that passed him by.

Itai knows a guy who makes necklaces out of widow’s mites and offered them to us. This passage has recently impacted me, so I took advantage of the opportunity and bought one.

This will remain a reminder to me that Jesus sees my heart and as He commemorated the woman for giving all that she had, though little, so I aim to follow her example (Mark 12:42-44). Give all I have, all I am, to Jesus and for His Kingdom.

We ended our day at this resting place of sorts. Coffee and tea were offered on the house and we all reclined, sighing contentedly in the comfort of the soft cushions and shade.

Across from the resting place was Absalom’s tomb. Itai mentioned that Jesus could have referred to this when comparing the scribes and Pharisees to “white-washed tombs” (Matthew 23:27).

Today’s travels included:

-Bethlehem

-Church of the Nativity

-The Mount of Olives

-Garden of Gethsemane