By Jennifer Waddle
As news headlines cause us to wonder where things are headed in the world, and what to expect for the beloved nation of Israel, there is one question we can ask ourselves.
What does Jesus expect of us, in standing with God’s people?
Through prayer and study of the Scriptures, there’s an undeniable “pressing in” by the Holy Spirit, for all Christians to take an active, vigilant stand with Israel, no matter what cultural challenges arise.
It reminds me of the ancient process of pressing grapes for wine—not crushing them—but pressing them just hard enough to break the outer skin. In this way, the grapes burst open to let their sweet fragrance pour out and begin the fermentation process. In essence, we can liken this to the Lord, pressing on our hearts just hard enough to break through the outer layer of complacency and begin the process of Spiritual maturity.
One of my favorite accounts in the Bible, is the one of young Samuel, in 1Samuel chapter 3. He hears the Lord calling him, but doesn’t recognise His voice. Finally, after wise counsel from Eli the priest, Samuel hears the Lord and responds with, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.”
“Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.”
What a beautiful opening statement towards a life-long discourse in service of the Lord! In fact, this very statement may be the answer to our question:
What does Jesus expect of us, in standing with God’s people?
Here are 3 expectations we can all assume, as we heed the call of obedience
We are expected to ASK God to speak to us.
This requires spending time in communion with God, seeking His will, and asking for His ways above our own. It involves searching the Scriptures and asking hard questions about our active roles in the lives of our Jewish brothers and sisters across the globe.
We are expected to LISTEN for His answer.
If you’re anything like me, you are really good at asking, but not so good at listening. Let’s change that dynamic. After seeking God’s will, let’s eagerly await His answer with open ears and open hearts.
We are expected to HEED the call.
Follow-through has never been one of my strengths, but as I’ve walked this Christian journey for more than thirty years, I’ve realised the importance of not only saying, “Here I am, send me,” but actually moving forward in the call of God on my life.
No matter what we see in the news headlines, we can remain steadfast in helping our Jewish brethren across the globe. By asking the Lord for direction, waiting for His answer, and walking in His ways, we cannot fail. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to press through our despondency and raise us up to say, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.”
