ignorance is bliss

I was glad when they said to me, "let us go into the house of the Lord." Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. (Psalm 122)

I was glad when they asked me to move to Jerusalem with them. Where I am in life, I crave adventure and newness and beauty and discovery. And all of that I have found here. I have been overwhelmingly blessed here. But this place isn't easy, you have to work for it, or I should say fight for it...and everyone does. They fight and they struggle and they haven't gotten anywhere. I say "they" because, literally, EVERYONE wants something more from this place. I've written some about all of it, so I won't get into who wants what, because sometimes it gets so convoluted you can't even figure out what you want, let alone anyone else.

And what's interesting is that it's all under the surface. Tourists don't feel it. Tourists walk around and take pictures of the interesting and beautiful things, they marvel at the Hebrew and Arabic script everywhere that looks like gibberish, they cross borders and pass through disputed land, and they don't need to be bothered by the fear and anger and struggle here. For a neutral European or American, it is probably the easiest living here. But if you have any relationship with Jesus, beware of all the spiritual warfare. Because, that's what it all boils down to. This is God's holy city, for better or for worse, and that means a lot of "rulers, powers, and authorities of darkness in the heavenly realms" are after it. Of course, if you don't believe in all that, you can just live in ignorant bliss.

But I am always encouraged by the words from Hosea
Then the Lord said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans." So I bought her for 15 shekels of silver, and one and a half homers of barley. And I said to her, "You shall stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man- so, too, will I be toward you." For the children of Israel shall abide many days without kings or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim (idolatrous items of worship). Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days. (Hosea 3)

But don't take my word for it, come here and experience it for yourself.