Supreme Being, Higher Court
God never said that our journey would be easy, but He did promise that the destination is worthwhile. With all the tumult around us, we can take comfort in Yeshua’s words:These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. —John 16:33
Dual Citizenship
During this life, we have dual citizenship. I am an American (and perhaps someday an Israeli), but I am also a citizen of Heaven. I love my country; I pray for America. Some days I mourn over the decisions we are making as a nation. Our leaders, listening to small but very vocal interest groups, feel free to ignore or override the will of the majority.It seems that America is entering the Refiner’s fire, like in the early days of the Church and of our country. Our nation needs to maintain our heaven-bound identity in the midst of pagan paradigms and pressure.Daniel did maintain his in Babylon. Taken from his home, he remained faithful to his God and the call on his life. In the midst of a pagan environment, he exalted the God of Abraham and became an asset to the ungodly king. Babylon sought to strip him of all that he knew, including his Torah training, and give him a Babylonian identity, even a new name. He was so caught up in God’s love and perspective that he was able to pray for mercy for the king’s magicians. The contemporary version of Daniel’s task is the call for us to pray for those whom we consider enemies—whether spiritual, political, or cultural. Daniel never saw Israel again but remained true to God in a foreign land—a high calling, indeed, and a model for us to follow.A difficult challenge for me is the apparent distance growing between America and Israel. This affects me on two levels: First, I love Israel, the Jewish people (starting with my husband!), and the restored Covenant Land. We are not just “selling” when we invite you to join us on tour; we know that God will deepen your love for what He loves as you walk the Land.Second, I am acutely aware of the consequences of not blessing the Sons of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) and of dividing the Land (Joel 3:2), and I fear for our nation. To stand strong as Daniel did, we Believers must see our calling to serve through the lens of the Bible. Daniel was so faithful that God entrusted him with prophetic views of the End Times! What an inspiration for us. Regardless of the ungodly pressures around us, we can stand strong for our Messiah.