by Levi Sweeney

I get off the plane at Tel Aviv,
Is the tarmac holy ground?
Do I hear the Lord God whispering
When nobody is around?

For among these ancient stones and sands
Happened much to praise and fear.
So when you make this desert road trip
Come on, get your soul in gear!

So was Philemon like a postcard
Which St. Paul wrote to a friend?
Or did St. John go see a doctor
When he saw the world end?

Did the Crusaders stop to wonder
When they saw the Wailing Wall?
Or did Absalom give a stump speech
Over by that shopping mall?

Should I start my trip at Nazareth
Or go straight to Calvary?
Go make a pitstop at Emmaus
And then swing by Bethany.

Take a stroll through upper Galilee
Just like those old fishermen
Then take a tour of Bethsaida
Then back to Jerusalem.

So it’s been a week, cheap hotel soap
It is making me feel sore.
There’s soldiers on ev’ry other block
There’s talk of another war.

A holy city with streets of gold
Would beat concrete any day.
Let’s have the peace talks at Megiddo
Then get on our knees and pray.

On the road to Damascus
Gonna go see something new
Sing a psalm at Antioch
Something beautiful and true
Hike through Anatolia
Take the boat over to Greece
I’ve got my marching orders 
From my God, the Prince of Peace.

I’m headed home, economy class
Thinking on the empty tomb.
I learned so much in the holy land
Of the fruit of Mary’s womb.

Don’t let this song be your only guide
To the Good Lord’s Promised Land.
Start by looking up to Father God
And just take his open hand.

Levi Sweeney is a blogger, poet, novelist, and comic book writer who resides in Seattle, Washington. He has been published in The Agape Review and Behold the Faith, and his debut comic book, The Son of the Teacher, is available from Third Day Comics.