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Fighting For Faith, Family & Freedom
Sunday, December 10, 2023
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Carol Bauer
As you know, my wife, Carol, prepares a monthly prayer alert. I hope you will share Carol's thoughts with your friends and fellow worshipers. Thank you for taking an interest in her monthly devotion. -- Gary
It has been several weeks since I last wrote a Prayer Alert. That one was sent shortly after the October 7th Hamas massacre in southern Israel. It was written in a state of shock at the brutality and inhumanity of the Hamas fighters against innocent civilians just going about their lives.
Now, two months after the attack, so many more facts have come into focus and have been confirmed. And, the world has had the time to react. The picture we see is even more shocking than the original attack.
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend an event at the Museum of the Bible featuring Christian leaders and families of some of the hostages. The event was designed to encourage support of and participation in the November 14th March for Israel in Washington, D.C.
The emotional stories from these families were heart-wrenching to hear, but necessary to totally understand the depth and breadth of what had happened. The March for Israel the following week drew 300,000 participants to the nation’s capital in an inspiring show of solidarity between peoples and faiths. It was encouraging and uplifting.
Unfortunately, this impressive event has been somewhat overshadowed by many, albeit smaller, events of angry, vocal and hate-filled pro-Hamas demonstrations on the streets of our major cities, on college campuses and even at events celebrating Christmas.
Words and actions that would have triggered public shock and arrest months ago are now being ignored and painted with a broad "freedom of speech" brush. There’s been no better example of this than Tuesday’s testimony on Capitol Hill from elite university presidents. Incredibly, they refused to condemn calls for genocide and the verbal harassment of Jewish students on their own campuses.
It feels as though there was a thin veneer of respectability covering deep strains of anti-Semitism in our society, particularly among some college-age individuals. Coupled with that is a general reluctance to stand strong with Israel in words and actions.
Faith leaders have not been as outspoken as one would have hoped. As a country, our leaders seem too mired in the “bothsideism” mantra. The calls for a ceasefire should be met with the retort that there was a ceasefire . . . before October 7th. The trajectory of the public discussion in the two months since the attack is discouraging and disheartening.
What now?
Lord, prompt us to pause and take a deep breath as we survey the shocking news of the past two months, starting with the original heinous attack through the continuing demonstrations and to the reaction of our educational institutions. Give us the resolve to acknowledge the hard truth of growing anti-Semitism in our country and the strength to fight it where we can -- in our neighborhoods, circles of friends, schools, universities and government entities.
Remind us that silence in the face of anti-Semitism can be interpreted as acceptance or affirmation. Prompt us to reach out in love to our Jewish friends and neighbors who may be experiencing fears and anxieties they never thought imaginable as citizens of the United States.
Pray for our country as we wrestle with these difficult truths we have learned about those living among us. Help us to not be discouraged and give us hope that our country can course correct.
This season of the year usually arrives with its own special magic. Heartfelt Christmas carols, living nativity scenes, jingling bells, scented candles, brightly wrapped presents and Silent Night sung in a darkened church lit with candles held by the congregants. Together, these set the mood for the heart and mind to focus on the celebration of the arrival of the infant Jesus born to die for the sins of mankind.
Yet, this year the Christmas season seems more muted. We are distracted. The news around the world is troubling, families are struggling to meet daily expenses, let alone buying presents for their families, and we seem surrounded by institutions that have failed their main mission, but are now taking on new roles to manage our lives.
Stress is mounting and running headlong into what should be a season of reflection and joy. The dichotomy of this challenging moment in history juxtaposed with the season of joy and reflection is stark.
Join me in carving out time to focus on the Reason for the Season -- the birth of the Christ child, born in a humble manager and chosen by our Heavenly Father to be the Savior of a needy and waiting world.
Ask Him to refresh your mind and soul, making space to immerse yourself in the joy and anticipation of the season. Pray that distractions would be set aside for a while, allowing each of us to focus on God’s gift.
Fill our depleted emotional stores, allowing us in turn to be those individuals who encourage, uphold and affirm those around us with God’s love. May others see the Savior’s love in us, in our words and actions. And may the Lord renew us for the challenges ahead.
A Blessed Christmas to All!
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