Much happened in Israel and Hamas. I do not wish to comment on the politics of Middle East in this brief reflection. We ought to be corned for and praying for people in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Yet, Hamas targeted innocent civilians. Hamas butchered young people dancing at a music festival. Hamas murdered elderly people and toddlers and babies, reportedly in the most sadistic ways imaginable. There is no “contextualization” needed to condemn that, to recognize Israelis (and innocent Palestinians) as victims here, with Hamas as the evildoer. Hamas is genocidally evil. Their charter calls for the killing of all Jews across the world. They and their co-conspirators are solely responsible for their actions. Whatever our views on Middle East policy, whatever our thoughts on military strategy, let’s not be afraid to say that. And let’s not forget our God’s justice and mercy overcomes the wickedness of humanity.
With that, I wanted to share a prayer that is part of my Book of Prayers that will soon be published by Wipf & Stock.
Lord, I pray for an important part of the people of God. Every culture in every part of its history has something special about it that makes its people a gift to this world that could also become a gift for the people of God. Only one such people became the people out of which came Jesus, the Jewish Messiah and therefore Savior of humanity.
· Preserve the Jewish people from the prejudice and persecution of the church, but today especially the mosque, and secular governments.
· Forgive humanity of its sins against them in the past.
· Give them peace and freedom after the many centuries of persecution and oppression; give them a safe home in Israel.
· Give their children the “Shalom” in its full sense of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
· I pray especially that you give to the Jews the generosity of heart to keep forgiving others for the cruelties and atrocities to which we have subjected them.[1]
Lord Jesus, enable the church to honor them today
· by advocating for them,
· to stand by and with them,
· and to fight fiercely against all forms of sin against them.
Help me as a person of faith in Christ to give thanks that Israel taught us to look for and to expect a messiah. Help me, in every aspect of my life, to be faithful to your love, not only believing in you as the Messiah, but also following you as my Lord and Savior.
Amen.
