October 7

Our thoughts must be especially focused on Israel, Gaza and Lebanon today.  It was a year ago that gross brutality was perpetrated on a gathering of people at a concert and on the residents in the area of southern Israel.  It was terrible!

Now, a year later there are still hostages being held by the terrorists most likely in very inhuman places.  Those six hostages who were assassinated with a bullet to the head and recovered a few weeks back were kept in a deep tunnel without light, heat (temps around 56 degrees), adequate ventilation, a low ceiling (couldn’t stand up) and likely bad food, constant harassments, mockery and inflictions and under the threat of death.  Their existence was an evil, terrible state.

And the families of hostages!  The revelation of how those six were held compounded the horrors of the families yet crying out for their loved ones.

The invasion of Gaza might end if the 100 or so hostages still held would be released.  But as they are still held, Israel has no choice but to prosecute the war.

Then there those who were at the concert and witnessed the horrific evil done to women, children and babies.  Just the on-going nightmares from that event are ugly.

Then there are the “innocents” killed, wounded and displaced of the Gaza strip.  While the vast majority of those killed are likely fighters or in strong sympathy with the terrorists and their deeds, it doesn’t mean they all are.  There are some “innocents” suffering because of the war (not innocent in being sinless, but they are not evil-minded toward their Jewish neighbors).

And there are the northern Israel border villages with their people displaced due to the threat of attack and peoples of Lebanon being subjected to bombings who are not part of the evil, yet paying a price because of the bad of others.

It is an ugly place!

We must be sympathetic, thoughtful and prayerful.

We must be thankful that we don’t have loved ones violently murdered or being held as hostages.

We must be thankful that we are not being ravaged by war.

We must be impacted and groaning.

Lord, cause Hamas to release the remaining hostages unharmed.  Give Israel insights, foresight and wisdom as she seeks to rescue the remaining hostages and protect her citizens.  Move the United States to be good to her commitments and to know how to support the efforts of a just war (and that which is not just – to know so and say so).  Lord, Your presence be known and the peoples on both sides come to fear and submit.  May this war have a just end and soon.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.