Very Heavy

“Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.
For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.” 1 Samuel 5:11

The Philistines could not carry the weight of the ark of the Lord any longer.

Lord, we thank You that the hand that is heavy against your enemies, is also careful to gently lift us. And here is a simple poem . . .

His Own Place

Let the ark and His presence
return to its place

among the hearts of His people
those who seek His face

for His splendor and His glory
cannot be denied

nor shared with any idol
He alone is magnified.

Inside Israel – Emotional Rollercoaster of Sukkot

Hi! Welcome to a look inside Israel today. I goofed this weekend and accidentally posted an Inside Israel yesterday. oops. But, maybe that is as it should be, so we could finish up J of Jerusalem’s Sukkot sharings. This last one is so powerful. Praying that it stirs your heart for Him and His as well. God bless you as you read and pray. Now, here’s J . . .

I find myself wondering if you already KNOW what an emotional roller coaster this day has been for us here in Israel. I am assuming that most of you were able to watch the dramatic events that unfolded today as the world media covered it so very widely. The sampling of the foreign media coverage that I caught in between work and sukka guests, was compassionate, generally speaking, but it is hard to experience something like this ‘up close’ and not be softened to some extent, and world media was here in force! I am speaking, of course, about the release this morning of our soldier, Gilad Shalit, ending 5 years and four months of captivity in Gaza, apparently in solitary confinement.

As I wrote last, the events surrounding the release were controversial, dramatic and painful…but all of that took a ‘haf-seka’ today, that is…a ‘break’…everything ground to a halt and emotions other then …hum…what emotion is this HUGE ‘feeling’?? It is ‘love’, ‘heartbreak’, ‘joy’, ‘quiet compassion’, ‘pain’, ‘wonder’, ‘thanksgiving’…all rolled into one. Most people had their tv, computer or radio on by 6am this morning. Although it had been announced that the swap would begin at 11, we know our country and that didn’t mean anything. It turns out that they began shuttling prisoners down to the Egyptian boarder by midnight last night. By 6am we realized that ‘things were moving along quickly’ and every eye turned south. We heard at around 10:30 that Hamas had officially turned Gilad over to Egypt, and a short time later we heard that he was in Israeli hands…and 15 minutes later…back on Israeli soil! That meant only one thing; He was ALIVE! And that was the unspoken collective ‘breath holding’ hinge…would he be another cruel joke and be turned over to us in a box, as were the 3 captured by Hizbolla shortly after he was. But no…he really was ALIVE, and that was the word that went out everywhere: “Hoo HI!” (“He is ALIVE!”)

Someday those words will be spoken about Yeshua…Jesus. Someday there will be the same awestruck barely able to believe wonder spoken at the same moment by the whole country…”HE is ALIVE!”…but it wasn’t about Yeshua- not YET…Today it was about Gilad Shalit…every Israeli’s son today.

Do you need me to describe the events? I doubt it. I suspect that every one of you followed it to some extent or other. If I am mistaken, please ask me to send you information. You likely know that the Egyptian tv interview with him was ‘forced’ and had not been expected. You likely saw how he is so pale and thin and yet happy. We were all told to ‘keep back’ and to ‘leave the family alone’ but the streets were lined with flags and people threw flowers at his passing car. There was dancing in the streets.

At the same time…455 terrorists passed into Arab territory or a third country. They were greeted as heroes by huge crowds…many thousands…rejoicing and celebrating. In contrast to Gilad’s emaciated and pale body, they appeared very well fed and sun tanned. They proclaimed this as a great victory…and yet…on England’s BBC (of all places) an interview took place that took a surprising turn and startled even the interviewer. An Israeli woman, who had survived the Park Hotel Passover night bombing, but lost her entire family, was being interviewed. She was asked about ‘her emotions’ since the murderer of her family was being released. She looked very sad, traumatized, yet said that she was so happy for the Shalit family. The interviewer pushed further; ‘But the killer of your family is released. Aren’t you scared?’ she asked. ‘Ofcourse I am scared, we are all scared, but keeping him won’t bring my family back and now the Shalit’s won’t have to feel the pain that I live with.’ The interviewer was surprised ‘Well that is very generous of you but how can you back such a deal? It is not fair. Aren’t you angry at the government?’ She answered ‘Fair? Listen. One of our people IS worth 1000 of them and they know it and I know it and we have our son back. We honor life…they honor death. The government was brave.’ The interviewer was shaken.

And today this was echoed around the world. It is a philosophical argument. In this world where ‘life is cheap’, Israel paid a heavy price for one skinny boy. Our Prime Minister spoke briefly and quoted the prophet Isaiah 9:2 “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” I wondered if The Light to the nations was shining in hearts…if there was a ‘pause’ through out the world just as there was a ‘pause’ here. Would The Lord use this to speak to hearts in the middle of our chaotic world where right and wrong are turned upside down…could this all speak to hearts somehow for His kingdom?

And…did He answer our prayers and manifest Himself to Gilad Shalit during those 5 years and 4 months? He is a prayer answering God…but it remains our part, to simply pray.

I was at work through out the release and could only follow the events of the day on the computer edition of the printed media (we can not access video media at work) but I watched the patients. One called in to order prescriptions and gave me (literally) a ‘blow by blow’ account of what she was seeing and what was being said on tv. Another 80 year old woman came in rejoicing and telling me that it was ‘her day’ to ‘man’ the protest tent that Gilad’s parents had been living in near the Prime Minister’s office for the past year and a half, but instead she would be hosting a lunch party at her home for volunteers. ‘We call our children to protect us and they are willing to die doing it. In turn we promise them that there will not be ‘one left behind’, and today we restored their belief that we mean it. We have strengthened the hands of the army- our children- today.’ Said yet another.

So I went out into the sukka to read my Bible some more when I came home from work. Several couples from our fellowship came over to ‘sukka sit’ with us, and we took time to pray…sitting in a little tent covered with palm branches for a roof so that we can see the sky…can look up and think of Him Who watches over us and CALLS US to ‘WATCH AND PRAY’… in this little tent all decorated with fruit and flowers and the goodness of His abundance – some say it is like sitting inside a Christmas tree! – we worshiped Him in the middle of Jerusalem and wondered and paused and wondered again. And pray we did; for Gilad and his family – for victims of terror – for the terrorists (yes, we did) – for the government – for the body – for Lord to be glorified and for so much more. Kind of makes you wonder what tomorrow will hold! What a Sukkot!

It’s after midnight and I’m off to be. God bless you, dear dear brothers and sisters. Love, your sis in Jerusalem

ani b’derek

What Does This Mean?

“Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, ‘What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?’” 1 Samuel 4:6
“When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, ‘What does the sound of this tumult mean?’” 1 Samuel 4:14

Our youngest daughter is very sensitive to sound. She regularly asks, “What’s that?”

Lord, we thank You that when we hear a great noise and a tumult arising, we can come to You and ask, “What does this mean?” You are faithful to answer. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Bigger Battles

One moment, loud rejoicing
the next, cries of pain

as the ark that was with them
is suddenly taken away

and in the ups and downs
we ask, “what does this mean?”

That bigger battles are being waged
for the glory of My name.

Inside Israel – Sukkot part 2

Hello and welcome to a look inside Israel through the eyes of believer, J of Jerusalem. J has blessed us again, sharing as He leads her about what is happening around her. Thank you for coming and praying! Now, here’s J . . .

Sukkot, as I said, is my favorite holiday. OF COURSE…I have to qualify that by the fact that I love most of the others as well…and they are nearly ALL my ‘favorites’ at one time or another. Our sukka has been very busy this year as we have been BLESSED to have guests for almost every meal…and at three of those meals our table in the sukka was filled with old (and new) friends from Alaska (a different group each time)…SO encouraging and edifying! Such a gift to us! Last year I was able to attach photos of our sukka for you. If you are still vague as to what they look like, http://realjerusalemstreets.wordpress.com/ is a lovely site by an amateur photographer who documents Jerusalem in her photographs weekly. This week will be full of different types of sukkas…and you can also catch a view there of our ‘lite rail’…which is something that none of us could do today!!!

Yep! As our streets are FULL to overflowing with worshippers, and celebrating Israelis from all over the country and tourists from all over the world…our brand new rail drivers went on surprise strike! The resulting traffic nightmare was a real test of the character that The Lord planted in me as it took me over an hour to get home from the shuk (!) with many buses so full that they passed us by.

And speaking of ‘tourists’, that is one of the highlights of sukkot… the filling of Jerusalem with BELIEVERS, CHRISTIANS from all around the world, pouring in to celebrate the ‘Feast of Tabernacles’ at any one of a number of Christian ‘feast conferences’ going on during this time. The city is ‘relieved’ by His Light in them flooding our streets, and our loads ARE lightened and it is a great blessing! On my crowded bus I got to speak to two young Christians from Hong Kong…so sweet and their sweetness overflowed to me. As they got off, two BIG guys got on bedecked with black leather vests and black tee shirts stating; ‘DISCIPLES! JESUS IS LORD! Motorcyclists for Jesus…Norway’. They looked like wrestlers and I had to giggle watching everyone look at them in amazement. Oh Lord, BLESS those who come and those who couldn’t come but pray! Let this city be flooded with Your Light and testimony…and bring forth fruit to Your Glory!’

The Jerusalem March is usually the biggest and most encouraging event where the Christians are able to so encourage the country, but this year’s march will not be what it has been in years past…for it is taking place on Tuesday…and Tuesday is a day that will sum up the mixed emotions that are playing out all around us…for on Tuesday is the scheduled prisoner exchange for Gilad Shalit.

Approaching this subject is difficult for me as it is so charged with emotions larger then I feel that I have the ability to express, and those emotions are currently spread out, raw, over the country…pouring out into the streets and burying deeply into each heart. There is not one Israeli who is not happy that Gilad Shalit is coming home…and we are praying that it will not be in a box, (as were our last three, though we expected them to walk out of the waiting car at our Northern border).

I told you that the ‘ransom price’ being paid for Gilad is 1,027 prisoners, including some several hundred with ‘blood on their hands’. As the list of prisoners has been printed, details are coming out…and being relived. I guess that this is the anatomy of ‘trauma’ or ‘post traumatic stress’…and it is very real. Please see http://www.ynetnews.com/home/0,7340,L-3083,00.html to help understand some of the emotions.

Mine broke when I heard that the killers from the lynching in Ramala in 2,000, at the very beginning of the intifada, were being released. I had never seen anything like that…I had never seen such blood thirst. I had never seen a man pulled apart with bare hands, and pieces of him thrown out of a window while crowds cheered…I had never known what that felt like…and I relived that horror as I simply heard the announcement. And as the crimes were spoken of again…each one re-produced that ‘tightness’ in my chest and knot in my stomach. And I remembered the attack that I was at on Jaffa Road.

The first inkling of what the response was going to be came late last week when a 25 year old man went to the Rabin memorial in Tel Aviv and, with onlookers as witnesses, poured white paint on it, wrote ‘price tag’ and ‘free Yigal Amir’ (the assassin of Prime Minister Rabin who was responsible for the ‘Oslo ‘peace’ accords’). When he was taken into custody and asked why he did this he said ‘You are releasing those who murdered my parents’ … and it was obvious that his grief was being relived. He was released. They are reliving their grief…both the mourners and those who were injured…and those who were near…and those who watched on television…the entire nation is reliving the horrors of the murders committed. Please watch the 15 Oct 11 video interview with the woman responsible for the Sbarro Pizza attack that killed 15 mostly young people and children. http://thisongoingwar.blogspot.com/ She is being released.

So…I can not write about why the parade will not be well attended this year. Most people will be glued to their televisions waiting to see if Gilad Shalit is alive…and so many…too many…reliving horrors deeply engraved in their hearts as the families of the killers of children rejoice.

Yet they are not being released ‘just for one soldier’…they are being released for ALL of the soldiers…who count on the government…the country…to do whatever it takes that ‘not one left behind’- the motto of our armed services – will be reality. We count on our soldiers and they must trust us. What a price!

Please hold the nation in prayer at this time. It is terribly emotional. I am not ‘wise’ enough to give you prayer points, but The Holy Spirit IS. He might have you pray for the government to be able to withstand this painful process…or for the children who lost their parents and siblings,…or the parents who lost their children…or for Gilad Shalit’s mind and spirit, or for his family…or for the salvation of our nation…or any manner of way that The Holy Spirit, Who searches the hearts of men, can lead…for He KNOWS the needs far better then I do.

And in the midst…it is Sukkot…and HE COMMANDS US TO REJOICE…and I WILL for I know the end of the story!
God bless you DEAR sisters and brothers. I cherish you. You are HIS! May He be blessed and glorified in each of us.

ani b’derek

Here I Am

“And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow dim that he could not see,
and before the lamp of God went out, in the tabernacle of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down to sleep,
that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, ‘Here I am.’” 1 Samuel 3:2-4

When our youngest falls asleep on the couch, she wakes often and calls for me.

Oh Lord, may I stay close enough to hear You and respond. And here’s a simple poem . . .

He’s Calling

You are calling out our names
may we be listening

You have words for us to speak
may our mouths be willing

may we trust You even more
respond quickly and obey

not allowing time to come between
diluting what You say.

I Can Smile

“I smile at my enemies
because I rejoice in Your salvation.” 1 Samuel 2:1

It was good to see our youngest daughter smile again after a recent time of seizures.

Lord, we desire to walk, talk, pray and sing like the saved. And here’s a simple poem . . .

All Bow Down

When the enemy attacks
I can forget who I am
one of the saved, the redeemed
blood bought by Him.

Thanks for reminding me
I’m more than a conqueror in You
and though the enemy stomps around
he must bow down too.

Desperate Giving

“Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” 1 Samuel 1:11

Hannah kept her promise and gave back the son she so desperately wanted.

Oh Lord, I desperately want to put back into Your hand everything You have given me. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Returned

Asking for a gift
I can give to You

something of use
that has meaning and value

like Hannah gave up Samuel
and You, a Son too

let me think first of the Kingdom
and surrender all I do.

Open Doors and Adversaries

“But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.
For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” 1 Corinthians 16:8-9

Beginning to see how open doors and adversaries go hand-in-hand.

Lord, please show us how to stand and not be afraid of the attacks and the tactics that come against us this day. And here is a simple poem . . .

Woe Is Not Me

Beginning to see more and more
just what’s going on
and I’m not about to crumble
into some sad sob song.

Woe, woe is not me
no, I’m not giving in
ready to fight today
standing strong in Him.

“I Am What I Am”

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10

I am one of those in whom the grace of God has had to work more abundantly.

Oh Lord, I pray Your grace has its way in me more and more. And here’s a simple poem . . .

The Grace Miracle

I am what I am
by the grace of Thee
and what I once was
is disappearing
though I don’t deserve it
You keep blessing me
pouring out Your love
working miraculously.

Inside Israel – Sukkot in Jerusalem (part 1)

Hi! Welcome to another Sunday look inside Israel, thanks to J of Jerusalem, a Jewish believer. Today is part one, dated from October 12, of her heart stirring letters concerning this year’s Sukkot celebration. Thank you for joining us as we let J take it away . . .

SUKKOT – 12.11.2011
Sukkot…my favorite holiday…is ushered in this year by the dramatic announcement made last night by our Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, that a deal has been struck with Hamas for the release of our captive soldier, Gilad Shalit. The whole nation watched with such a mixture of emotions. He has been captive now for more then 5 years. There are to be more then 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners released for his ransom…including more then 200 serving life sentences with ‘blood on their hands’. The Prime Minister told us that the changes in the Middle East have resulted in a sudden serious concern for Gilad’s life and they were convinced that there would be no better deal in the future. Some of the issues that cloud the joy that would be expected with such an announcement reflect the complexity of the matter. There are thousands of bereaved families that will be having their loved one’s killers released (each of the major prisoners are responsible for hundreds of dead and many more maimed). There is concern for the Gilad who is to return home…after all that he has been through…who will this be and what lies ahead for him…IF he returns home alive at all. There is concern with the compromised position that Israel has put herself in in the eyes of the terrorists, who consider this a ‘win’ for themselves and a sign of weakness on our behalf.

But in the midst of this there in not only REASON to rejoice…a son is to return home…there is also COMMAND to rejoice!

DEUT 19:13-15 “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles (‘booths’, Sukkot) seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates. Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to The Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses, because the Lord your God will bless you and your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice.”

LEVIT 23:40-43 “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of date palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.”

Sidewalks, yards, rooftops and balconies are all clothed with a wide assortment of sukkas. They come in all shapes and sizes, and bring with them an inherent sense of joy. Somehow, just looking at them makes me want to smile. Some are like little wooden play houses made of wood with palm branch roofs standing on the side walk.

As I walk by I can hear people setting up house inside. Others, like ours, are more tent like with cloth walls. Our clothes line becomes the ‘foundation’ for our palm branch roof. One year I invested in several yards of material printed with symbols of Sukkot to brighten our sukka. It makes up the back side with several bright table cloths serving for 3 other sides. Under the palm branches (from the clothes line) I have hung fresh dates and pomegranates, grapes, flowers and fragrant leaves, as well as some ‘fruit like’ decorations that we have acquired over the years. Many people put up Christmas lights and all sorts of Christmas like decorations. We have a woven rug for a floor, a table and as many chairs as we can fit in because the sukka is open to all who would like to come in and sit and rejoice with us. It is open to friend and stranger alike and is such a good time to get to know people. I have pinned the scriptures above to the ‘walls’ in English and Hebrew and it does sometimes inspire stirring conversation.

The sukka… this ‘vulnerable’ little dwelling with a ‘roof’ through which you can see the stars and the moon… a commandment to rejoice before The Lord… a time set apart to sit under His ‘hugeness’ and consider our ‘smallness’ and to remember that in HIM…we “live and move and have our being”…WHAT A HOLIDAY!

And, OF COURSE, it rained a slight bit this morning. And OF COURSE the temperature dropped a great deal today. To me these are such ‘symbols’ of His BLESSING after the long hot dry summer.

Our dinner was served as a Thanksgiving feast, and we spent many hours together outside rejoicing.

The kitchen is clean and I will go to bed, but I hope to write to you several times during Sukkot…and share with you heartbeats of this most precious holiday.

I do humbly thank you for your comments over this past ‘emotional roller coaster’ of a week. I am so thankful for His body! Lovingly, your sis.

ani b’derek