Ahavat Yeshua
Jerusalem
“Who runs Gaza post-Hamas? How safe will the south be to live in?”
Throughout Israel one tricky and particular question keeps coming up, “What about the day after?” Scared citizens and politicking politicians are all asking what life will look like after the war ends. Who runs Gaza post-Hamas? How safe will the south be to live in? How safe will the north be? What will life look like for any of us?! Let’s take a deep breath...
First and foremost, we know that the Lord God Creator of Heaven and Earth is still on His throne and caring for every little detail in our lives.
“Aren’t five sparrows being sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7
Secondly, we can legitimately ask God what He plans for the future. We can ask if anything needs to change in our lives or our congregations. The Covid-19 years significantly altered our congregation and we’ve permanently adopted some of those changes in our community life.
So what will Ahavat Yeshua congregation in downtown Jerusalem look like the day after the war? We are a congregation whose purpose is rooted in people, primarily our members and secondarily our neighborhoods and our city – Jerusalem. The "day after" for us is about God’s master plan for humanity – relationship. For example, within each of the congregation's families, is PTSD affecting their marriage? Their parenting? Are members having trouble stilling their hearts to have quiet time? Are neighbors receiving a testimony of God’s goodness through our daily interactions? These are questions which don’t have an easily quantifiable metric or deliverable. Yet I believe that these “minor” investments into lives of on-the-ground salt-of-the-earth members is what will bring the greatest Kingdom impact. It may not be as quantifiable as books or helmets distributed, but I believe that Ahavat Yeshua is poised for tremendous Kingdom impact the day after the war. I know this because I already see it happening now, during the war.
I see it in the young, newly married woman caring for children whose fathers were killed on October 7th.
I see it in the young man who isn’t serving in the military with his friends because he was medically discharged. So instead he is blogging on how young guys can step up as men.
I see it in the determination and positivity of our group of newlywed wives who have been without their husbands for the past three months due to wartime reserve duty call-up. If they are more than overcomers during even this difficult time, I believe they will shine as brilliant lights in Jerusalem on the day after.
Thank you for your prayers and support of ongoing congregational life to expand the Kingdom in Jerusalem.
