Please continue to pray

Please continue to pray concerning the recent terror attacks.  As many, if not most, of you have heard by now, we have experienced the most horrific attack this morning in Jerusalem.  Two palestinians from an arab neighborhood only a few kilometers from where we live brutally murdered four people  in a synagogue in the western part of Jerusalem this morning while they were worshipping.  Three of the men were Rabbis who lived on the same street, with a total of 24 children amongst them - who are now fatherless.  The community, city and nation are in shock and in mourning.  

Here's a link to local news if you're interested.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com

Before we could even leave from work today, the funerals had already taken place, and by this evening, the congregants were once again in the synagogue praying.  

This evening as we walked through Zion Square, at the bottom of Ben Yehuda Street, 

there was a prayer vigil.  The sign says "Enough!"

Candles inside the circle.

As our hearts were hurting sitting there, we couldn't help but feel as we did just a few months ago, the evening of the funeral of the three boys who were found dead after they'd been kidnapped.  And also the same as that night, along with the prayers and mourning, tonight was also a time of anger, frustration and protests.  On our way home from our office near the strings (harp) bridge (not so far from the synagogue), there were the beginnings of a protest by the Jewish people.

Short video of the protest as we drove by.

So as the Jewish people mourned today, the palestinians in Gaza and Eastern Jerusalem were rejoicing at the martyrdom of their people and passing out candies.


When Linda went to the bank this morning it was with a heavy heart, as the attack had just occurred a few hours before.  In talking with her bank contacts, Linda shared the Psalm she read this morning at our daily staff devotional time:

For the leader. By David. As a reminder:

God, rescue me!
Adonai, hurry and help me!

May those who seek my life
be disgraced and humiliated.
May those who take pleasure in doing me harm
be turned back and put to confusion.
May those who jeer, “Aha! Aha!”
withdraw because of their shame.

But may all those who seek you
be glad and take joy in you.
May those who love your salvation say always,
“God is great and glorious!”

But I am poor and needy;
God, hurry for me.
You are my helper and rescuer;
Adonai, don’t delay!

Psalm 70

And as Linda had a hard time shaking the heaviness of it all, her friend at the bank encouraged her, showing her the verse from above:

But may all those who seek you
be glad and take joy in you.
May those who love your salvation say always,
“God is great and glorious!”

And said to her, "Linda, smile, that is what they want from us (the enemy wants us to be sad).  God - He will help us.  You need to do this scripture."  She then got up from her desk, and came around to give Linda a hug of comfort.  This is a true example of "Israel" being a light to the Nations in a time of despair.

God - the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - 

He is great and glorious.  

He is the helper and rescuer of Israel.