From Idumea to Galilee
Song seven on The Calling of a Priest
From Idumea to Galilee. (Mark 3:7-8; Is. 53:4-5). 25-26 April 2005. On the 25th I wrote the first verse. We were soon going to travel to Atlanta from Novosibirsk and I was thinking about the traveling, and how hard traveling such distances can be. And as I read verse 7-8 I thought about how those in that area in those days mostly walked, or sometimes rode donkeys or horses or camels, but I think the average person probably walked. And I thought about how hard that journey was, and how so many people made the journey just to see HIm. Sitting on planes and in cars for todays long distances can be grueling, but not compared to walking. And maybe they didn't have as far to go as we do, did, from Atlanta to Novosibirsk - but, they were walking.
On the 26th I wrote the chorus.
He “came a long way” to see us - to be with us - and to save us. And now we can be with Him wherever we are, we don't have to travel but just turn to Him in our hearts for healing. But just as His calling required Him to “leave” and come down to us, our calling also sometimes involves traveling great distances to be part of what He doing, of what He has called us to. All of those distances crossed - once they seemed like such a long way to me. They can still be grueling, but they don't seem so far anymore to me, “to be where He is”. It's a small thing to travel them. And His presence and peace meet us in all these places.
**The Ob is the river that runs through Novosibirsk. The Chattahoochee is the river that runs through Atlanta.
From Idumea to Galilee Lyrics
It's a long way from Idumea to Galilee
when you have to get there on your own two feet
and it's a long way to the Ob from the Chattahoochee
Not so easy to get there
But it doesn't seem so far anymore to me
to go where He is
And from this place we find ourselves in
We see we're so needy for a touch from Him
And like a hungry crowd we keep pressing in
Maybe we can touch the hem of His garment
or throw ourselves down in the dust before Him
to ask for His mercy upon us
Maybe, oh maybe, He will heal us
Oh, He will surely heal our wounds
Take up our infirmites and carry our sorrows
be pierced for our transgressions
The punishment was upon Him that brings us peace
From Idumea to Galilee
From the Ob to the Chattahoochee
It's a long way from Idumea to Galilee
when you have to get there on your own two feet
And it's a long way from the Ob to the Chattahoochee
And sometimes it's hard to see
what we could be doing in this place
But I want to see His face
And it doesn't seem so hard anymore to me
To go where He is
And from this place we find ourselves in
We see we're so needy for a touch from Him
And like a hungry crowd we keep pressing in
Maybe we can touch the hem of His garment
or throw ourselves down in the dust before Him
to ask for His mercy upon us
Maybe, oh maybe, He will heal us
Oh, He will surely heal our wounds
Take up our infirmites and carry our sorrows
be pierced for our transgressions
The punishment was upon Him that brings us peace
From Idumea to Galilee
From the Ob to the Chattahoochee
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