Sam Clemens (known by his pen name of Mark Twain), as a young writer of 33, took one of the first documented ‘Holy Land Tours’ in 1869 to what was then entirely the state of Palestine. He travelled by a small luxury liner with a group of 70 fellow travellers to document the experience of travelling to and through the holy land and wrote about it in a book titled ‘The Innocents Abroad – or, The New Pilgrim’s Progress’ (it’s full title). This book turned out to be the largest selling of the many volumes he wrote through his lifetime. The original printing of 70,000 copies sold out quickly with many more editions to follow.
Ever since, there has been a steady procession of ‘Holy Land Tours’ to Palestine and Israel, that any of you who’ve read the travel section ads of any major newspaper perhaps have dreamed about taking some day. Tourism remains an important industry there, and despite some periods of conflict and civil unrest, the demand has remained fairly consistent. Those I know and those I have read accounts of, who have taken such tours, often return saying it was a life changing experience. It should be pointed out that this often has been the result of being exposed to ways of life that were somewhat unexpected and at times troubling.
In placing this holy land tour at the staring point of our story, we place a busload of tourists driving along a road in Palestine, close to the city of Bethlehem. Although the story was written in a present tense form of Christmas 2006, it could well apply to a visit there this year as well.
The travellers are eager to journey ‘off the beaten path’ into fresh experiences, which for most of us would also mean changes of attitudes and perhaps in some former beliefs. How we expect things to be is often ‘rose coloured’, but if we are truly open to experience the truth of how things actually are, we are often open to some transformations in ourselves as well.
Holy Land Tour
Holy Land Tour
We’re off the beaten track on a Holy Land Tour
Off the beaten tracks in the footsteps of our Lord
Off the beaten track on a Holy Land Tour
Who knows what for us is in store?
Maybe we will be transformed
We’re off the beaten track on a Holy Land Tour
Off the beaten tracks in the footsteps of our Lord
Off the beaten track on a Holy Land Tour
Something waiting every day
Bible scenes in every way
Give us something true to say, Lord
Give us something true to say
For we sing, ‘Hallelujah’
And we sing, ‘Thanks to you Lord’
For giving us new directions
As we listen for your word
You can be a guest on our Holy Land Tour
You can hitch a ride as we travel the road
Who know what we’ll find on our Holy Land Tour?
Something waiting every way, now
Something waiting every day
We sing, ‘Hallelujah’
And we sing, ‘Thanks to you, Lord’
For giving us new directions
As we listen for your word
We sing, ‘Hallelujah’
And we sing, ‘Thanks to you, Lord’
For giving us new directions
As we listen for your word
Your word
Written by David A. Buckley (SOCAN) © 2006 all rights reserved