When they heard this, everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They got up, drove Him out of town, and brought Him to the edge of the hill that their town was built on, intending to hurl Him over the cliff. But He passed right through the crowd and went on His way. (Luke 4:28-30)

We stood on Mount Precipice outside Nazareth.

I thought of Joseph’s words: “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result–the survival of many people.” (Genesis 50:20)

God’s plans prevail. “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the LORD’s decree will prevail.” (Proverbs 19:21)

Mount Precipice is a daunting place. Unlike many other mountains (more like large hills, but they classify as mountains in Israel), the side we stood on wasn’t a gradual decline. I couldn’t see the ground, so I walked a short distance beyond the platform among the large boulders to get a better look. I still couldn’t look far enough over the edge to see the drop. I decided I could miss that vantage point, and I stepped back. This was no rolling hill. If anyone was pushed over (or slipped as she was straining to see over the edge), it wouldn’t end well.

Yet the view was beautiful. We could see Nazareth by night…

Mt. Tabor…

And Afula with Tel Meggido in the background across the Valley of Armageddon…

Pieces fit together as I looked at the relationship among places. Because I had stood on Meggido a few years before, I could follow roads and mountains and make connections.

Journeying through Israel isn’t about going to all the places that make us feel warm fuzzies because we’re walking where Jesus walked. If we walk where Jesus walked, we’re uncomfortable at times. There are risks. After all, He took risks for us.

Walking in Jesus’ footsteps isn’t limited to Israel. We have His footsteps in God’s Word. If we’re willing to go with Him, we’re not always going to have warm fuzzies. Faith isn’t about feeling good. It involves being bold. It’s risky, because faith isn’t safe. We can be secure with Jesus, but we’re not always safe by the world’s standards.

I’m glad I stood on the precipice. As I stepped near the edge, my heart quickened. And that’s okay. If I hadn’t walked to the edge, I wouldn’t have seen the view.