in awe in Turkey

Any preconceived notions I might have had about Turkey; i.e. shish ka bobs, hookah, muslim calls to prayer and burqas were proved terribly wrong. Not only was the country full of great food, and breath taking scenery (see my albums on facebook), but many of the young people were as hip and stylish as anyone in Malibu or Manhattan. The country of course is home to vibrant and diverse culture and cuisine (Arab, Mediterranean, European) yet, it was absolutely mind blowing how surrounded I was by biblical, religious, and spiritual history.
Ararat, The plains of Shinar (Nimrod), the Hittites, Antioch, Constantinople, Ephesus, Colosse, Galatia, etc… How did we forget? Over time, and due to many conquests, genocide, and persecution this Biblical world has nearly perished from our collective memories, forgotten by all but a few historians and tour guides. Yet, not completely. Standing in the ruins of Ephesus reminded me that God speaks through history. The spiritual investment by Paul & John here resulted in the evangelization of the entire province of Asia (see Acts 19:1-10, 20; 1 Corinthians 16:9). In Miletus I was reminded of how heavy Paul’s heart must have been as he said farewell to the elders of the Ephesian church when he said, “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there” (Acts 20:22); they tried to kill him there btw. These guys were spiritual studs. They were willing to lay down their lives and their luxuries for the Great Commission. They are still around. I was blessed to meet several gentle but bold leaders who knowing the risks involved told me, “Yes we are willing to die for Jesus.” May we not only recover our spiritual memory of what God has done, but may we also make the most of the present. Carpe diem. “…making the best use of your time because the times are evil.” Ephesians 5:16