Capernaum, the Town of Jesus

I love Capernaum, Israel! Nestled on the northern edge of the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum is the place where Jesus was headquartered for much of His earthly missions work. It is here that Jesus healed the sick and declared that He was anointed to proclaim the gospel to the poor.

Here you can walk on the same stones Jesus walked on. You can see the ruins of the house of Peter’s mother-in-law, which was converted to one of the earliest churches in Israel.

I find myself in Capernaum getting emersed in the presence of Jesus. Now, I find myself seeing the scenes from the Chosen here. I love to walk down to the shores of the Galilee and touch the water where Jesus walked, relive the fishing that occurred here before and after the resurrection.

The northern shore of the Sea of Galilee at Capernaum

An archaeological site now, I can feel the presence of my Lord. It is a place that calls out to my soul, begging me to stop and ponder the eternal role this city, which was condemned to be destroyed by Jesus, has played in the life of every Christian who has ever existed.

It is here that Jesus worked miracles and laid the foundation for His kingdom. It is here where we pause and learn about the life of Jesus in this place.

Here in the shade of the trees, we share a solemn moment from the life of Jesus. Here we wonder through the ruins of the Synagogue where Jesus shared from Isaiah and revealed himself for a second time to the sons and daughters of Israel. From here Jesus took His disciples to Bania, Caesaria Philippi in northern Isreal, right off the border of modern-day Lebanon.

This is a place of peace for me. Our time here is never enough for me. I would love to stop here and dwell in the ambiance of the history that exists here in this place, but the call of the road is too strong, and more adventures await.

Every time I have been the sun is shining and it is bright, as if it were begging us to come and stay. The next time I go we are staying in the David’s Harp Hotel just up the hill from the ancient site.