On Palm Sunday I walked the Via Dolorosa through the streets
of Jerusalem; a city where religious cultures collide and hats and head
coverings are political statements as much as they are symbols of spiritual
commitments. Nested atop Judean mountains the “City of Peace” knows little of
it. My heart is moved with compassion for all of the peoples and cultures pressed
together in the Holy Land and disturbed by the complexity of workable solutions
for peace in Jerusalem and in Israel as a whole.
Much talk is made about Biblical Promises made by God to the
Jews, and rightly so since it is an undeniable fact. Many believe that the
Bible is simply not true and should be ignored. Others believe that it may serve as a guide for moral
insight, but should not be accepted as factual evidence of God’s will. But if
one accepts that the Bible is the revealed Word of God, then it must be taken
seriously and followed to the best of our ability.
We live in a political climate of mantras of “Land for
Peace,” and “Two State Solution.” Considering the plight of Muslim and
Christian Palestinians, there are plenty of legitimate ways to explain why one
must choose peace over holy territory. But for the person who believes the
Bible is the Word of God, no matter how complex or uncomfortable the matter
becomes, we cannot choose geopolitical expediency over covenant promise. So I
am left with little choice: I must compassionately work for the good of all Israel’s
inhabitants and stand firm for the right of the Jewish people to live in and govern
the Land of Promise.
As Passover, Goody Friday and Resurrection Sunday approach,
Lord I earnestly pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
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