Whatever is Lovely
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| The Red Sea at sunset - from Dolphin Reef, Eilat Photo: Talia Good |
This week has been 'fairly uneventful' in Israel - just the usual acts of terror, incendiary kites, fires and trouble on the borders, bombing raids, corruption scandals and what seems like the daily inching towards inevitable war. How sad it is that it seems like an 'uneventful week'. How quickly one becomes accustomed to terrible things. Yet it takes its toll. I think every resident of Israel, Jew, Arab or other, suffers from some degree of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), only it is not 'post' trauma but rather continuing, ongoing, seemingly never-ending trauma. It is easy to slump into despair and sadness. Sometimes I feel like that 'Fiddler on the Roof' trying to keep my balance.
The writer of the book of Philippians also lived in desperate times full of violence and sadness, but he had an antidote to sadness, as we all do if we walk with God. There is still much of beauty and loveliness in the world if we turn off the news broadcasts, and take time to seek it out.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4: 4-9
Some years ago I was invited to speak at a conference of Ethiopian believers. Right up to just a few hours before it began I still had no inkling about what I would say. In one last desperate attempt to hear from the LORD, I got on my knees and after a short time found myself laughing and crying all at once. Just as well I was in the privacy of my bedroom at the time or perhaps someone in a white coat might have locked me up! However, I soon realized this was my message. Surely this is the heart of God. When he looks upon the works of his Creation he must cry for the darkness, the evil and the destruction which we have brought upon it by our sin, but he must also laugh with joy over those who have accepted his redemption gift. My Ethiopian brothers and sisters were going through a terrible trial. Many had just arrived in the country after a horrendous journey through Sudan on foot during which many died and others, many of whom were family members, were captured and still held in Sudanese prisons in terrible conditions with little hope of rescue. There were many tears at that conference but the Lord had me speak about the laughter and joy that we can still experience even in the midst of the worst suffering. We too can cry and laugh at the same time, if we have the heart of God. We can keep our balance 'on the roof' if we consciously look with a thankful heart on the good, the beautiful and the pure things around us.
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| At the Dolphin Reef where you can come to swim with wild free dolphins |
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| One of Eilat's lovely beaches |
This week the gardeners finished (almost) the work of landscaping my garden. No longer an overgrown, weed chocked 'wasteland' it is now a beautiful corner of rest and restoration. As soon as the flowers were planted several different varieties of butterflies arrived. I was filled with thanksgiving to the God who had made the flowers and the butterflies, for my landlord and friend who had paid for the work, and the gardeners who had worked so hard and skillfully to create this beautiful space. Here is a picture of part of the almost-finished garden - they still have to stain the deck.
Last week I took myself off for a little holiday, to get away from it all, down in Eilat. For three short days I played the tourist - lounging on the beach, eating in restaurants, sharing fellowship with a good friend who lives there, and enjoying the beauty of the desert and the Red Sea. It was very refreshing and I felt a little more balanced when I returned. I had gazed on things that are lovely and saw God.
Some of the animals I saw at the Hai Bar Reserve where they breed near-extinct animals, some of which they have already successfully released back into the wild.
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| Dorcas gazelle |
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| A herd of white oryx |
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| Onager |
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| A really mean ostrich lady who tried to eat my camera |
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| Addax |
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| Somali wild ass |
You may be wondering what has in fact been happening in Israel whilst I have been lounging on the beach. So here is a brief summary of events:
1. The 'war of the kites' continues and we are now averaging between 15-20 fires per day in the vicinity of the Gaza border. The terrorists are now using balloons instead of kites as they fly further into Israeli territory carried by the sea breezes. Last Sunday alone some 20 fires were started by incendiary kites or balloons and hundreds of turkeys in a coop in a kibbutz died from smoke inhalation (1). The IDF has modified equipment designed to detect drones so that it can now detect incendiary kites and balloons, they have also begun firing warning shots over those preparing to launch such devices. Shortly after midnight on Tuesday the IDF attacked three military installations of Hamas and in response Hamas launched a barrage of 45 rockets and mortars towards communities in Israel. No one was injured but damage was sustained. Residents in the area spent the night in their bomb shelters. The following day, Wednesday Israel attacked 25 Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip (2).
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| A police sapper handling a mortar shell that had landed beside a kindergarten (Photo: Eshkol Security) https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5292044,00.html |
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| Beehives on fire (Photo: Nature and Parks Authority) https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5292044,00.html |
On Monday six Gazan terrorists attempted to infiltrate Israel but were stopped by IDF booby traps. Five were injured and one killed. The IDF has studded the security fence with booby traps in order to deter the upsurge in infiltration attempts and the sabotaging of security installations and equipment which has occurred since the beginning of the "March of Return" which began some two months ago (4).
All this terror activity is costing Israel a great deal. Apart from the loss of crops and farm equipment and stock, damage to nature reserves and the environment caused by fires, Israel is currently constructing a security wall designed to prevent tunneling under the border. This wall will cost around 3.34 billion shekels. A marine barrier is also being constructed to prevent infiltration from the sea. The damage to wildlife and the natural systems of the area is incalculable.
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| Reptiles fall victim to fires (Photo: Nature and Parks Authority) https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5288946,00.html |
2. Last Sunday the Shin Bet, IDF and Israel police foiled a cell of some 20 Hamas terrorists, based in Nablus (in the West Bank), which was preparing to carry out a suicide bombing in Jerusalem, remotely bomb targets in Tel Aviv and attack the settlement of Itamar and carry out shooting attacks elsewhere in the West Bank (4) . Since January this year, the security forces have similarly foiled around 250 significant terror plots and arrested some 400 individuals planning isolated terror attacks (5).
3. This week Sarah, wife of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was indicted for corruption charges. Mrs Netanyhu is suspected of ordering private meals from high-end restaurants and having the State foot the bill of some 350,000 shekels ($US96,000). This is just the latest of attempts to convict the Netanyahu family for corruption. Although I am all in favor of stamping out corruption this latest episode all seems rather politically motivated to me and nit-picky given what the Netanyahu family has given to the State over a long time period.
4. All eyes are glued to television sets as the Mondiale Football (Soccer) World Cup matches are played. Last week Israelis were disappointed when the Argentinian team, with their star player, Messi, cancelled a pre-Mondial friendly match here in Jerusalem after the players and their families received threats from Palestinian sources. Although I understand their fear the cancellation of the match is being seen as a great victory by the Palestinians and the BDS movement. It is also bound to impact Israel's hope of holding the next Eurovision Song Contest in Jerusalem.
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| The heart-wrenching photo of the mother with the dead child. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DdOPSMLX4AAFLwa.jpg |
5. Do you remember the little Gazan baby who was 'killed by tear gas inhalation' during one of the March of Return protests? Of course this 'incident' hit the world's media headlines with Israel being made to appear monstrous. This is the headline as it appeared in the British Independent online paper:
Gaza protests: Eight-month-old Palestinian baby 'dies from tear gas inhalation' after ‘massacre’ at border
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/gaza-protests-palestinian-baby-dead-tear-gas-israel-soldiers-jerusalem-border-us-embassy-a8351971.html
This week Israel captured one of the baby's cousins trying to infiltrate Israel and, during interrogation, he admitted that the girl had died of natural causes and the family had been paid 8000 Israeli shekels ($US2,200) to say the child had died of tear gas inhalation at the border riots (6). This is just one exposure of the way that Hamas and other Palestinian sources are manipulating the media and 'massaging' the facts in their continuing propaganda war against Israel.
6. On Tuesday 'someone' carried out an airstrike in a town near the Iraqi border in Syria. Fifty pro-regime fighters, including 20 members of an Iranian-backed Iraqi paramilitary group, were killed. Syrian forces and Iraqi forces blamed the US-led coalition for the forces but an anonymous US official pointed the finger at Israel. Israel has declined to admit or deny its involvement. If it was Israel it is a departure from its activities up to now which have targeted Iranian and Hezbollah military sites near to the Israeli border. On Sunday last week Netanyahu, however, did tell the Cabinet that Israel was “taking action — against efforts to establish a military presence by Iran and its proxies in Syria both close to the border and deep inside Syria. We will act against these efforts anywhere in Syria." (7). Whatever the case this attack represents a further increase in tensions between Israel and Iran.
I will end with the reminder that though it is good to be informed of things happening in Israel and the world around us, we need to always be careful to keep our balance. Take a moment to give thanks for the beauty and goodness that remains in spite of all Satan's efforts to wreak destruction.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
References:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/hundreds-of-turkeys-choke-to-death-on-smoke-as-fires-rage-near-gaza-border/https://www.timesofisrael.com/17-fires-extinguished-near-gaza-after-incendiary-kite-attacks/
(2) https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5292044,00.html
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5288946,00.html
(3) https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5290428,00.html
(4) https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5289788,00.html
(5) http://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/34580
(6) https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/247799
(7) https://www.timesofisrael.com/iraq-denounces-mysterious-syria-airstrike-attributed-to-israel/
