This post comes from the Elders of Faith Bible Church who feel it is necessary to address this issue.
Today marks the 34th day of Israel’s war against Hamas. We are aware of the pain and suffering of many in both regions, and an unfathomable number of Israelis and Palestinians have been killed. The bloodshed and destruction are devastating, as is the loss of life in other areas of the world, such as Ukraine, Russia, and Sudan.
Here are a few pastoral reflections that can guide our church body and center us in Christ as these events occur.
First, we must pray. Prayer centers us in Christ and draws us to the throne room of God. Prayer is an act of love and compassion. We must pray for those who are suffering. We must pray for those who are in mourning. As Jesus taught us, we must pray for our enemies– those who wish to inflict harm, pain, and destruction on others. We must pray for leaders worldwide who engage in the day-to-day reality of war and chaos. We must pray that God’s Kingdom will come and that his will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Second, we must lament. Lament is a prayer that voices a complaint to God about distress, pleading with God to act on the sufferer’s behalf. If you remember the study we did in the Old Testament book of Habakkuk earlier this year, we learned that in lament, we anticipate the mercies and justice of God, believing that our just God will respond. Lament enables us to name the pain in our hearts, to grieve and mourn that pain and loss, and to turn it over to God to work out his mercy in the only perfect way that he can. We lament the brokenness, loss of life, hatred, and division we hear and see around the world. We trust God to act justly and to bring about his peace and divine wrath as he sees fit for all his image-bearing humans, whether Jewish, Muslim, Christian, or otherwise.
Third, we must be people of humility. It’s easy to see the conflict in Israel and Gaza (and other conflicts around the world) as simply right and wrong, good and evil. Also, with 24-7 news coverage and social media, taking sides and fostering further division is easy. History shows that through the centuries, both sides have perpetrated horrific acts against each other, and it is appropriate to condemn these acts. However, the fact is that the circumstances in this conflict are more complex than we can understand. The Bible teaches that all disputes are not just about flesh and blood enemies but about the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world and the evil spirits in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). Therefore, since we cannot fully grasp the complexity of the conflict, we must have a heart of humility.
Finally, we must seek peace. As citizens of God’s kingdom and disciples of Jesus, we must work to promote peace in all areas God has placed us in. What could promoting peace look like in the everyday? It may be serving in an organization that works with suffering peoples and nations. It might look like befriending your Jewish or Muslim neighbors. It may be taking time to pray for all the above.
The reason we consider being disciples of peace is because Scripture teaches us that Jesus “is our peace, who has made the two groups (Jew and Gentile) one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility” (Ephesians 2:14, 16).
Jesus broke down this barrier on the cross and paid the debt of all sin with his blood, making forgiveness between earthly combatants the means of true and lasting peace. In Jesus’ kingdom, all humanity can unite, putting to death the hostility by forgiving each other since God in Christ has forgiven us.
May FBC be a people who orient our lives around the ways of Jesus, demonstrating his love and peace in our words and works to the glory of God!
–The Elders of Faith Bible Church