Yesterday Naomi and I were sitting in the plaza enjoying our last two hours together before she had to fly home, when this dog came up and plopped down in my shadow! A few minutes later he got up and moved to the shadow of this guy sitting like 5 feet away from us. We started talking to him, at first about the dog, then Cusco, then where he was from....He was from Israel! Jonathan talked to us for the next hour-- all of us awesomely engaged in all we were talking about. He asked us, "Are you Jewish?" "No, we are Christians..." and he nodded as if that's actually what he wanted to know, but he didn't want to come out and ask us if we were Christians. He said right off the bat when I asked him what he thought of Jesus, "Don't hate me, but I think Christianity is just built on lies." Since indeed we did NOT hate him for that comment, he asked question after question, and we dialogued about Jesus Christ, heaven, good works, the bible and belief for that hour. We were sad that both he and Naomi were leaving that day, because we all felt like we could have been great friends.
I'm always sort of in awe when I talk to someone from Israel. I'm jealous they can read the Old Testament in its origional language. I sit there thinking, "Jesus died for YOU.. for YOU!!" I know He died for me too, but my heart just can't put aside the fact that the person in front of me was part of God's origional chosen people! Jonathan didn't see any of that. He desperately WANTS to believe there's a God who loves him, but just can't.
The whole conversation made me think of two specific things.
1. I need to really remember to pray for missionaries in Israel! They've got a hard job.
2. The verse, "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." (1 Peter 3:15), REALLY stuck out to me. It is so important for our HEARTS to always be prepared to give this answer!
If there's anything in your life that would make you think if Israel on a daily basis, would you please say a prayer for Jonathan in that moment?