Last night after arriving in Jerusalem, after supper we walked from our hotel to the Western Wall of the ancient temple in the old City of Jerusalem. It was the beginning of Shabbat (Sabbath) for the Jews and we found ourselves in a sea of people who… ” were glad when they said let us go to the house of the Lord.” In many ways it was a big party worshipping at the wall.

My companions and I made our way through a football field size area – men only, women had their own section – where thousands young, old and in the middle were singing, dancing, praying and reading scripture. It was a cacophony of Hebrew worship. It was quite surreal. One of our group was talking to a guy who was from a town not far from Jerusalem. He invited us to go to the wall and pray…. and we did. It took some time to go the twenty yards through worshippers standing shoulder to shoulder singing, dancing and reading the Torah. But we made it. While touching the wall I prayed Psalm 145 and I prayed for my family.

Now I don’t believe that there was anything ‘magic’ about praying at the Western Wall. God hears and answers prayer anywhere, anytime. Our new Jewish friend reminded us that we could go to the wall and pray… or… we could pray right where we were standing. “It’s the same God,” he said. Indeed…

“One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4