With a little over 100 hours until we take off for Israel (a place that I have been 3 times already) I am bubbling with excitement. Not just the excitement of traveling over seas, not just the excitement of getting on a plane again, but with the excitement of being in the land where my Saviour walked!

Scrambling to make sure that our converters and toothbrushes are packed do we really take the time to prepare ourselves for what we are about to experience?

If you forget your toothbrush, your jacket or even a prescription guess what... that can be replaced while you are traveling, the corner drug store can take a prescription from your doctor and fill it, they also carry a wide variety of toothbrushes.

I encourage you to take the time learn something new, something that you plan to see while in Israel and know something specific about it to share with those around you.

This is the tomb of Absalom, many drive by it 4 or 5 times while visiting Jerusalem and yet we never seem to talk about it.

It is a 66 foot tall stone structure and commonly called Absalom's Pillar (2 Samuel 18:18)or Absalom's Monument, the rebellious son of King David. Absalom is a very interesting character in the Bible. I will let you read up on him yourself to see things that happened to and because of him.

The structure dates perfectly to be the actual pillar of Absalom, the Jewish traditional history is that this is Absalom's Pillar. What does all this remind me of, why is this important to me?

First things first, if you are looking for proof that the Bible is true and reliable... this is evidence! The very spot spoken of in the Bible is there on full display for you to see. Interestingly enough people who declare that the Bible is just a silly book written to make us act right walk and drive by this stone structure everyday and have no idea proof is right before their eyes.

Secondly, "pride goeth before destruction" (Proverbs 16:18) may it be a reminder to us to keep our pride in check. Living in a world that believes "I am number 1 and what I think is all that matters" it easy to fall into the this mantra ourselves. As this creeps into our thoughts remember this pillar and remind yourself what God thinks matters and He is number 1, what His Word is truth and the means by which we should measure all things.

Lastly, God stopped Absalom's plan to overthrow his father (2 Samuel 17). God's plan, from before the foundations of the world, were settled and nothing can overthrow the power of God not even satan himself. God knew before He even created the world that man would fall, He knew we would sin. He also purposed in His heart that He would send His Son Jesus Christ to be our redeemer and bring us unto salvation.

God has a plan for your life, He has specific purpose for you. He knew you before the foundations of the world, before you were knitted together in your mothers' womb (Jeremiah 1:5) and He loves you. He wants you to be with Him in eternity. I hope you have come to that point in your life where I and many others have, that you confess that you are a sinner, admit that you deserve that punishment of hell for eternity and place your faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross, that He took our place and paid our debt that we can spend eternity with Him in heaven!

Keep traveling!