Spiritual Deadness

Alright, believe it or not we are in Jerusalem. 

It was a grueling trip.  I had a picture of Scott sleeping on the plane, but I know to everyones dissapointment he deleted it. 
I am so tired it is ridiculous.  It is about 11:15 p.m. in Jerusalem and I am about to go to bed but tomorrow night I hope to have some pictures ready to rock and roll.  Today was an interesting day.  I was able to get a exit row, which may not mean much to some but if you are taller than 6 foot 3 you understand the joy in knowing that.  As I sat down overjoyed at my leg room I realized my two travel companions were going to be orthodox jews.  The orthodox jew.  I have always been fascinated with the religious jew and how they thought and how they lived.  Immediately they began their readings from the Torah.  One of the mans names was Abraham.  I  could never understand the other guys name.  Abraham seemed irritated talking to me right away.  He asked me why I even wanted to go to Israel.  Once I told him I was a follower of Jesus he told me that I should have travelled to the Vatican in Rome.  This was about as far as our discussion ever went on spiritual matters, but what I observed over the next 9 hours or so was heartbreaking.  I witnessed the prayers, the discussion, the Torah, the prayer shawl, the tefillin, and alot of religious deadness.  It broke my heart.  At one point I managed to fall asleep just to wake at one of their prayer times.  I was on the front row of my section and I looked up and around 6 or 7 orthodox jews had gathered around me doing what they would define as worship. I sat there quietly amidst the prayers and the commotion, privately thanking God that by His grace I am His child.  In reflecting on what Christ has accomplished on the cross and on what He has done in my life it made the scene in front of me even more tragic.  Men who were steeped in their religious activity but spiritually dead.  As I sat there and prayed, it reminded me of why God accepts my worship.  It has nothing to do with Steve, but is rooted in what Christ has accomplished for me at the cross by grace through faith.