I had long wanted to visit Israel. The obstacles are formidable-danger, distance, and dollars, to name a few. There always seems to be turmoil between Israel and Palestine. Bombs bursting in air never seemed like a vacation to me. Truth be told, my fear always won out.
In 2019, Steve Holdaway, pastor at Lifespring Church in Bellevue, Nebraska, announced that he would be leading a tour to The Holy Land in February 2020. No second guessing myself; I’m in! This time it is Faith over Fear! My overwhelming objective was to walk where Jesus walked. I mean my-bare-feet-on-the-ground where my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ walked on Earth 2000 years ago. And I did it!
Of course, we know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and spent the majority of his 33 or so years on Earth in what we now know as Israel. Scripture records many places where Jesus was known to have spent time, but many of those places are fairly large. For example, Luke 22:39 records that Jesus and his disciples went to the Mount of Olives following The Last Supper. Matthew 26:36-56 records that Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. The Mount of Olives is still, to this very day, the Mount of Olives. And the Garden of Gethsemane is still the Garden of Gethsemane. However, they are both fairly large tracts of land. Although I believe that Jesus was there, today no one can be certain ‘exactly’ where Jesus stood on the mount or in the garden. Contrast that to the very narrow road that connects the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane. This road has always been the road and is most certainly the way Jesus walked between the two, many times. I was honored to walk this road barefoot.
View from the Mount of Olives 
Garden of Gethsemane
Road between the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane
The beautiful gold dome that shines brightly in many pictures of Jerusalem is known as the Dome of the Rock. The Muslims captured Jerusalem in 639 and built The Dome of the Rock on top of the Temple Mount. The Muslims regard it as one of their three most holy places. Non-Muslims are not allowed in the Dome of the Rock. However, the Western Wall, otherwise known as the Wailing Wall, is open to the public. The Western Wall is a part of the wall Herod built around the west side of the temple. Non-Muslims come here to pray because it is the closest that they are allowed to get to the site of the Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount. The Southern Steps were the main entrance to the Temple Mount at the time of Jesus. Jesus walked these steps many, many times.
Luke 2:41-52 records that Jesus visited the temple for the Festival of the Passover with his parents at age 12. After finding that Jesus had not returned home with them, his parents returned to Jerusalem and found Jesus teaching in the temple courts. When questioned by this parents, he replied, “Didn’t you know that I would be in my Father’s house?” This same passage records that Jesus’ parents, Joseph and Mary, “made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem every Passover.” Although the Torah only required men to attend, one can assume that Mary and Joseph took their children to Jerusalem with them every year.
The Apostle John wrote that Jesus appeared at the temple courts “where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.” (John 8:2)
In Luke 19:45-46, the Apostle Luke states, “When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. “It is written,” he said to them, “My house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.”
The Bible records many, many more occasions when Jesus went to the temple. The Southern Steps were the entry way to the Temple Mount. Although they are over 2000 years old, and some have been repaired, a good many of the steps are the original steps where we can be certain Jesus, walked, sat, and taught. I was thrilled to walk barefoot, sit, and learn more about Jesus on these very steps!
The Southern Steps to the Temple Mount 
My bare feet on the Southern Steps
As a Christian, I am not bound to live under the laws God gave the Jewish people in the Old Testament, one of which required pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Because of the life, death and resurrection of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I live by His grace. And he is so, so good to me!
I am forever thankful for the opportunity to learn more about the State of Israel, the people of Israel, and life of Jesus as he walked this Earth.
One serious thing I learned: The Jewish people are very deliberate about living out the laws of their religion.
One fun fact: Camels are very tall.
One “good to know”: Israelis do not drink iced tea!