Holiness in the Holy Land

Where is God in all of this? This "Holy Land" often seems anything but holy. Incitement blinds both Muslims and Jews with hatred of the other: bumper stickers on some Israeli cars read, "No Arabs, no problem," while hard-line Palestinian demonstrators call for the end to the Jewish State. How can these peoples be reconciled in the midst of so much hatred? Thankfully, we believe in a God who can calm storms, heal incurable diseases, …

…And I want to encourage you to challenge yours. Next time you read an article about the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, read it through a second time, having crossed out all adjectives. When you see or hear news reports, notice inflammatory words--used against both sides--and try to get past them to the heart of the story. But most important, pray for peace--not only the political kind, but the "peace of God, which surpasses all understanding" (Phil. 4:7, NRSV).