THURSDAY. Day 258 of Swords of Iron War.

Boom Cloud above us

20.6.24. Nahariya, Israel.

“Getting used to it”, is what people are saying now. An expected outcome of a long war, but not necessarily a good thing. It brings apathy or acceptance of the unacceptable.

We must remember that the war is the reaction to the atrocious terrors of October 7, 2023. We need to think of ways to rescue the 120 hostages that are still in the hands of the Hamas. And, we need to supply our soldiers on the front with protective covers and prayers.

We are “getting used” to the bombing, in its various loud sounds. We are expecting increased intensity of the battles. We “know” that soon the North will be in full war mode, all hours of the day. We're “getting used” to having interruptions in our network and “finding” our location situated in Lebanon or Australia.

We are even “getting used” to the antisemitic behaviour of the nations of the world.

We no longer comment on these issues. Often, we take a picture of the explosion in the sky instead of taking cover. We resume our daily activities when we know it is “over”. I remember as a child that there was a sound of “all clear” so people could get out of the bomb shelters. We don't hear such a sound in today's war, we barely hear a warning siren.

Oh, but we need to be in a state of readiness. We need to be alert.

Our army has to get ready daily. From raising the flag to cleaning the weapons, it is being prepared for action. Our army hears and obeys its commanders. The war continues in Gaza, the hostages are yet to return home, and across the North border, the front is on alert.

Same with our praying army. We need to be tuned in to our commander, hear His voice, and follow His instructions.

Some instructions don't make sense to us. We, on the front line, see events differently. Our responses and conclusions are from the view of the ground. However, the commander sees the entire picture.

Squad leaders in the Israeli army always go first. The rest of the units follow. We trust them to be in tune with central command and to follow orders as they are given. By going first into action, they announce their readiness to die first, or to be the first to reach victory.

Our spiritual leadership behaves the same way. They receive their orders and act upon them while leading us forward as per Central Command.

Our spiritual army trusts Yeshua and through His appointed leaders follows His commands, regardless if they make sense to us or not.

On Monday, I started a partial fast. It is only until June 30^th, but for me to stop eating some items is an extremely difficult task. But it was His command for me. So I obeyed.

Today, on the fourth day of the fast, I am told to forgive.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6: 14-15).

I need to remove the annoyance and the growing anger which took hold of me during the war so there will be room to allow God to work in my heart to do His good pleasure. It is impossible to understand His direction if my being is stuffed up with anger. It takes up all the room.

“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Colossians 3:13)

Forgiveness frees the person who forgives from the evil that was done to him/her. it is not an action that frees the person who acted evilly. When one forgives, one declares God's judgment on the situation and the person who wrongs another. I view it as a call to God to intervene and to judge. I take my hands off and allow God to “get them".

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. (Ephesian 1:7)

When I was able to truly forgive others, and allow God to judge, I was able to forgive myself. That is when I felt totally free to be who I was created to be and when I was able to voice my love to Yeshua not worrying about others' reactions.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Therefore, I ask for forgiveness. I ask you to forgive me when I should have paid attention to your words but was busy and did not listen. Please forgive me if I caused you to take offence or to feel neglected or if I behaved too abruptly. Please forgive me for anything I said or did not say and cause you hurt.

I plead Yeshua's blood as a cover for our relationship and ask Him to restore it to where He meant it to be.

As well, I forgive. I forgive myself for my mistakes and my stubbornness. I forgive you if I thought you deliberately came against me; I forgive my past for not being able to change it, and I forgive all who did not meet my expectations. I forgive those who I befriended and they took advantage of me and used my friendship without truly returning it. I forgive all who misused my trust.

I forgive myself, my family, my friends, and my enemies. I ask Yeshua to cleanse me from anything that causes a barrier between Him and myself.

I cannot do it by myself, I don't have the ultimate power to give and receive forgiveness, thus I ask God for His forgiveness all around. I ask Yeshua to bring His forgiveness to us all.

In Yeshua's name in His power and love, I forgave and was forgiven. Amen.