Pray for Peace

In March 2014, I was privileged to travel to the Holy Land. I would not be able to go today. With travel advisories and flights being cancelled, it is no longer safe to make this pilgrimage.  Sacred spaces are being violated by guns, rockets and bombs.That saddens me. This trip was important to me on so many different levels.  I was able to understand Jesus in relation to his surroundings.  So many of the Bible stories came into clearer view.  I want to go back - but not now. This picture was taken in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Here Jesus surrendered himself to death on the cross.  Let this "thin place" be a conduit for our prayers for peace and understanding.

Before our trip we read Blood Brothers, by Elias Chacour.  He writes from the viewpoint of a Palestinian Christian - a viewpoint I had never considered.  I encourage you to read this book, or one of the many others like it.  There is another point of view.

While we were in Israel we were exposed to the Palestinian people - do you know any? They are people just like us.  The majority of them are not terrorists or members of HAMAS. They are confined to a small area in Gaza, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights. They possess no citizenship and no rights.  This is not justification for violence, but not an unexpected consequence.  I'd never considered that before.

Modern-day Israel is a land of warning signs and checkpoints.

Armed soldiers and/or military drones were at all the places we visited.

As we traveled to the Jordan River to renew our baptismal vows, we were reminded that the surrounding area is still heavily mined, very recently serving as a military area.

 

The Church of the Nativity was guarded by a Palestinian soldier.  The sacred and secular collide at every turn.

This is a complicated situation and there are no easy answers. Please pray for God's guidance for those in power and for those without power.  Pray that calm can return to the land where our Savior walked. Pray for peace!