Yom Rishon Tov

 

OK, for starters, guess who I stand for? Yip, G-d's people, bene Yisrael - the sons of Israel, of whom Yeshua HaMashiach is one. To love and follow Yeshua (also known as Jesus) one has to also love His family, the Jewish people. He simply cannot be separated from them. 

    It breaks my heart to see and hear so many Christians say they love Israel and they serve Yeshua but yet are so against the Jewish people in a multitude of ways. I would like to see a young person marry into a family that they "hate". Not going to work.

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On this Yom Rishon, I woke up fully refreshed for the first time in months. As I came through to the living area and picked up my phone on my way to the bathroom, I had a very unexpected and very welcome surprise. A friend who lives a continent away from me had just sent me a message asking if we could do Shacharit together - I hastily and happily agreed.

    We chatted and prayed for about 2 hours - it was so wonderful. We put before Adonai our families and G-d's holy nation who are so needful of Him right now. Although there were only 2 of us in the room, it truly felt as if we were living in Acts 2.

    I had a whole list of things I had to do this Sunday - it's usually my prep day for the whole week. However, just as we finished praying I got a message from my daughter to say they were on their way to fetch me to visit my mom, who is currently struggling with her health. I love my family and I don't see them nearly often enough, so without a moment's hesitation, I got myself ready to go. We had such a lovely visit. My heart was soaring at having spent such valuable family time together. Never, ever take each other for granted. Repair all the relationships that you're able to - tomorrow is never guaranteed.

    I arrived home just in time to be 20 minutes late for our Sunday Shiur, and, as always, the teaching on the Torah portion - Vayeira - was excellent. I took a few minutes to have dinner, watched some updates from our Jewish Messianic Rabbi, and connected with the same friend from earlier to watch a movie called Left Luggage. What a poignant story. Thereafter another friend who lives nearer to me - although still not in the same country (I love technology!) - and we had a study on the Book of Matthew through Jewish Lenses. The shiur was just over an hour and we got through a whole 18 minutes of it in 45 minutes - never a dull moment!

    Thinking about my day, I am so thankful to HaShem that He allowed me to have such a beautiful, peaceful, and happy day - even with all the bad things that are happening in the world. Have no doubt friends, that what is now happening in Israel can soon be happening in your neighbourhood, no matter where you live in the world. Radical Islam is already in place, worldwide, with the sole intent of forcibly converting everyone to Islam or killing them. This is the reality we are now living in. Sides have to be taken. I take the side of Am Yisrael. I, too, am a daughter of Abraham and as such can do no less, no matter the cost.

    May ADONAI guard and protect all who love Him.

    May ADONAI give us sweet sleep and wake us in the morning to a good life and peace. B'Shem Yeshua, Amein & Amein

    Layla tov