I was blessed with a trip to Israel last month with the tour being led by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn. It was ten days total and several of those days required less than ideal travel time. Let's face it, the pandemic has changed the landscape everywhere. Airports were never fun in and of themselves, although the anticipation of a vacation can put a positive spin on the experience. So...a pre-trip covid test, another when we arrived in Tel Aviv many hours later, and an antigen test the day of departure in order to re-enter the United States. 

As one of our tour blue bus groupies (the best group ever) declared, "It's like drinking from a fire hose." It being the spiritual and physical aspects of the journey. The days were filled to overflowing and our minds, bodies and senses were maxed out. The Sea of Galilee, the Mediterranean, the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. The Synagogue of Capernaum, the ancient Synagogue of Chorazim, Nazareth and Bethlehem. Jerulsalem and the places Jesus walked and taught and healed. The Pool of Bethesda, the Garden Tomb, Masada and the Temple Mount. I am not including every place we went on this remarkable trip but enough to see how a body might become weary. Oh yes indeed, I was weary and had managed to jam my leg 3 days before we left. Jerusalem is where we spent those days and roughly hewn stone covered the streets, pathways and stair steps. Beautiful, but unyielding. By the time I returned to Wisconsin my body was in all out protest. After giving myself week or so to recover and heal, I made my way the Medical Center. My sciatic nerve was inflamed to the point where sleeping had become a challenge. 

I was given a few prescriptions to help but unfortunately there was no significant change in my condition. I was scheduled for Physical Therapy, evaluated and was given one exercise to do at home. Are you ready for this? I'm sure some of you have had PT at some point and have had exercises to heal an injury or to recover from surgery. My PT "homework" was to relax. To let go and allow my lower back and hip to just.let.go. Sure, I'm in intense pain from my lower back, down my leg and over top of my foot and I should relax? 

This morning I was nearly in tears and trying my best to let go. The Lord spoke to my heart and said, "Yes. You need to release to find peace." This is when I sighed loudly and listened. My physical pain was unbearable and I just wanted it to stop. My surrounding muscles were tensing and somehow I needed to let go and melt into pain free peace. My emotions have been pretty raw as well. One doesn't return the same from walking where Jesus lived his life on earth. I was exposed to Scripture where it happened and that impacted all of me. Now I'm home. I'm physically in pain and with that, I'm emotionally vulnerable. Release doesn't come easy to me. Physically or emotionally. The Lord graciously gave me a real-time and personal prescription and it worked! My intense pain melted into peace and my mind and emotions understood. Let it go, lay it down, relax and ignore the need to control prompts. Then and only then, will his pefect peace overtake you. 

What sort of pain are you experiencing? Is it a physical, emotional or relational pain? There are countless ways we can find ourselves in pain. However it may look in your life, the remedy is the same. Release "it" to Jesus. He is our Healer and He is our peace.