Holy Land?

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God bless and protect the people who identify as Israeli.
God bless and protect the people who identify as Palestinian.

May antisemitism cease.
May acceptance that disagreement does not always equate to such prevail.

May Islamophobia cease.
May acceptance that disagreement does not always equate to such prevail.

May persecution against Christians cease.
May acceptance that disagreement does not always equate to such prevail.

Those who identify as Israelis are made in the image of God; Those who identify as Palestinians are made in the image of God.

Many Jews believe they are children of Abraham; Many Muslims believe they are children of Abraham; Many Christians believe they are children of Abraham.
The question is who is willing to be a child of God who is love and whose good news is peace?

Israelis have a right to a place to call home. 
Palestinians have a right to a place to call home.

Israeli civilians should not be targeted; Palestinian civilians should not be targeted. Christian civilians of both should not be targeted!

Israeli children are precious; Palestinian children are precious
Christian children are precious!

Hamas should not hide in hospitals; Israel should not attack hospitals.

Israelis have a right to live in peace and freedom; Palestinians have a right to live in peace and freedom.

Hamas soldiers who attack Israeli civilians are terrorists; Israeli settlers who attack Palestinian civilians are terrorists.

Palestine cannot be “from the river to the sea”; Israel cannot be “from the river to the sea.”

Israelis need better leadership; Palestinians need better leadership.

Guns and bullets do not foster peace; food and water do not foster war.

Let the aid in; keep the weapons out.

Iran must stop arming Hamas and Hezbollah; the U.S. and UK must stop arming Israel with non-defence weapons (there is a difference between bombing civilians and shooting down unmanned drones).

No more bombs; lots more bread.

War brings famine; peace brings prosperity.

Israel and Palestine must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as a plague of violence falls on both there houses.

Cease-fire now; release the hostages now.

“..the truth as to war must be more and more insisted on: the loss of time, labour, treasure, and life must be shown, and the satanic crimes to which it leads must be laid bare. It is the sum of all villainies, and ought to be stripped of its flaunting colours, and to have its bloody horrors revealed; its music should be hushed, that men may hear the moans and groans, the cries and shrieks of dying men and ravished women….” 
—Charles Haddon Spurgeon

There is no glory in this thing called war, only sin and marring of the image of God.

(Thomas Reese wrote a prayer at https://religionnews.com/2024/03/26/a-prayer-for-the-holy-land/
I have adapted it a little here to say a bit more in response to some comments I was getting from other Christians on all sides of the debate).
Follower of Jesus, non-conformist, preacher, poet, blogger, graduate of Highland Theological College, Husband, Father, Son, Brother, Friend, Learning Assistant (ASN) Outdoors. Late diagnosed Autistic.

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