Cairo: Jesus in Egypt & God's Unusual Leaning
God seldom gives us all we need to understand, but He always gives us what we need in order to obey. The story of Jesus in Egypt as a boy offers a...
One morning when I was in Jerusalem, I chose to have my devotions on the Mount of Olives at sunrise. Making my way through the Old City’s dark and narrow streets, I passed beside the Temple Mount and exited the city on its east side.
(Photo: Overlooking Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Photo: צולם ע, via Wikimedia Commons)
After climbing the steep ascent of the Mount of Olives, I sat near its summit as the sun began to warm my back. Turning to Matthew’s Gospel, I read about Jesus leaving the Temple, predicting its destruction, and sitting on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 24:1–5).
Looking across the Kidron Valley at the Temple Mount—now crowned with a Muslim shrine—I thought about how Jesus’ prediction proved true. Because Israel rejected Him, they ultimately lost the very objects they hoped to secure through His death—their Temple and their nation (John 11:48).
Suddenly I heard a sound that jerked my mind in another direction.
(Photo: By Fernando de Sousa from Melbourne, Australia. Standing Tall. CC-BY-SA-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Good Morning, Mr. Rooster
Far in the distance, a rooster crowed. Then then another let loose and screamed at the top of its feathered lungs. Then another.
Then I thought of myself.
(Photo: Rooster and weather vane atop the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, Jerusalem)
Sights and Sounds Applied
The sights and sounds flooded my heart that morning.
What had started as a simple time of Bible reading and devotions on the Mount of Olives had become very personal.
That rooster crowed for me.
Tell me what you think: What do you think of when you hear a rooster? To leave a comment, just click here.
This post is adapted from Wayne’s book, Going Places with God: A Devotional Journey Through the Lands of the Bible.
• These 90 devotional readings, each based on a specific place in the lands of the Bible, will help you apply the truths of God’s Word to your daily journey of faith.
• You’ll enjoy pertinent Scripture, inspirational quotes, photographs, maps, and a daily prayer.
After going places with God, you’ll never be the same.
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