Amplify The Light

I have hesitated to post about the current war between Israel and Lebanon, which has permeated much of my prayer and thoughtful moments this past few weeks, as I imagine it has for many. The human beings are dying on streets much like ours, in towns and houses and seaside villages like our own, with children just like ours, and hopes to live in peace just like we do. Those are children, men, women, entire communities losing their lives for a war they do not support, understand, or want. People are dying and being pumelled with rockets even as I write this. It makes my stomach want to turn inside out and just SCREAM with beastial ferocity.

My heart is mournful for this wanton death, for war, destruction, and the overzealoius pursuit of conquering egos and ideologies at play in these two nations whose borders contain innocent people caught in the crossfire.

I have not hesitated because I have no opinion, no thought, nothing to add, no prayer, no meaningful gesture of hope. I have hesitated because I am weary. I have hesitated because I am not sure I am willing to engage in a discussion of this present war from my decidely un-bullet-riddled vantage. I have hesitated because I want to offer something of value to those in harms' way - something of peace and love and God, who has not abandoned either Lebanon or Israel, even as they singe one another and cause such deep pain to their nations, to their people, to their future.

I have hesitated because I believe that we should speak only as it improves the silence. And because I believe that we should be circumspect in choosing to voice our positions about a war when that war is wracking up casualities hourly. Since I have no brilliant, magical solution to this current crisis, I have felt myself slipping into uneasy and conflicted silence. I find myself wanting to loudly exclaim my love for the Lebanese and Israeli people. I wish I could just lift out the heart of Lebanon and Israel and carry it to a safe, peaceful land, one where the precious children of those nations not live in fear of the reality of war in their own backyards. I want to love BOTH sides of this conflict. I reject becoming mired in the "well, Israel over-reacted", or, "Lebanon gave Hezbollah legitimacy" discourse. Though I am sure those are worthy discussions, they don't get to the heart of it, and accomplish little more than to solidfy the Us Vs. Them mentality that permeates much of the historical Middle Esatern conflict since the days Jesus walked the sands of Galilee.

On the left: Isreali children inscribing bombs to be dropped in Lebanon **** On the right: Hezbollah trainees in Labanon, some as young as 8

Instead, I've been reading and I've been calling, emailing, writing, and praying.

Reading: writings from the countries and regions in conflict - from people who are neck-deep in this particular war and those with God-inspired commentary to offer. Whoa. Talk about a revolution in thought. I want to know these people, to understand their hearts, their souls, their anguish, their need, their hope. I want to make their struggle, MY struggle. I do not want to delude myself into thinking that because we do not have bomb fragments imbedded in our homes and the peace of my family is not under seige at this very moment, that this is somehow not my war - not my concern. What is happening in Israel and Lebanon calls out to all human beings who seek after the Lord Jesus Christ to love one another. To respond in that love.

Calling, writing, and emailing: the State Department (48 minute hold time), my Congresswoman, the White House, the Red Cross, World Vision, among others - asking how I can help the people of this war. My heart is convicted and I am done being quiet. But I seek to end the silence not with words, but with actions. We can all do something. A raging waterfall begins with one tiny dewdrop of water that is joined by others. That powerful force has been known to carve rivers over solid granite. Certainly we can colletively find a way to compassionately carve rivers in the granite in Israel and Lebanon right now.

Praying: to the Lord my God who is not the only solution, but the salvation.

May God bless and keep the beloved people of both Israel and of Lebanon. May the only way to peace be CLEARLY and undeiably a God-given miracle and acknowledged as such. May His name be glorified and His will be sowed as the lasting solution to this crisis. May Christians get off our collective butts and HELP the people upon whom war is being made. May we deomstrate love, compassion, and mercy. May we focus not on the punch and punitiveness of our words, but the power of love, compassion, and meekness. May we use our spiritual gifts to their utmost and change the shape of the planet. I am convinced God is here, in the midst of this awful fighting, working to set out candles in the darkness.

Let's amplify the light.

Please join me in prayer that whose wills are not submitted to Him and who have declared open war upon one another, with the price paid by the blood and suffering of innocents, be vanquished. And that peace that passes all understanding is embraced by all people, regardless of our geographical or cultural lines. May we seek to end this war by the power of God, manifest in the hearts of his people. MAY WE BE INSPIRED TO DO SOMETHING TO TANGIBLY HELP OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL AND LEBANON.

Let's amplify the light.

Prayer for peace inscribed on the Isreal-Lebanon border