Christians are among who deplore the bloodshed and horrific atrocities of the Hamas attack on Israel. Christians generally uphold the existence of Israel as nation state, and many also see its establishment as a fulfilment of biblical prophecy and a significant end times development. They pray for Israelis to turn to the Messiah.

However, many Christians have growing misgivings about the wisdom and humanity of Israel’s current siege, bombardment and invasion of Gaza, and the colossal loss of civilian life. It can be acknowledged that this is an extremely difficult situation, in which everyone has limited options, and there is no obvious middle ground: Hamas is determined to destroy Israel, and Israel is determined to destroy Hamas. But will this tragic war achieve anything other than further inter-generational rage and bitterness among the Palestinians, and among Arabs and Muslims elsewhere?

We can but pray. How magnificent it would be if by the grace of God these two peoples could somehow turn away from hatred and bloodshed, and discover a radically new way of living peacefully alongside each other in the same space, drawing on their common humanity, reflecting most ordinary people’s desire to live in peace, and picking up their respective values of justice and mercy. And even better, if they found reconciliation in the Prince of Peace.

Author: Gayann

Gayann and her husband, Stephen, have provided web design and email communication support to NZCN since 2006. Gayann homeschooled their two children for nine years before she was ‘made redundant’ and officially joined our staff. Stephen and Gayann currently fellowship at The Upper Room, in Newmarket.