The news we are reading and seeing has many of us sad, disturbed, and praying for peace. The conflict that has developed in Israel is concerning. The headlines are relentless and horrific. A brutal attack, followed by retaliation and now a humanitarian crisis. As this story unfolds, we hope that the narrative will shift to resolution and peace. That lives can be spared.

It is a reminder to us that evil is alive and working in our world. Our attention is drawn to Israel and Gaza today, but we know there are numerous conflicts going on in many places of the world. In the end, we know that true peace will never be achieved when hate and anger dominate.

As Anabaptists, we believe that our natural human response never resolves conflict correctly. We seek to follow the directive that Jesus gives us, to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us. We believe that this directive is for us to live out today in our current world. For many of us, the conflict in Israel is far away. But this ethic applies to us in our everyday living as we connect with our neighbours, respond on social media, or share a review. What Jesus said he meant for us today, now. Forgiveness, grace, and loving our neighbour are the solutions. In the final end, it is only through the work of the Holy Spirit that true peace can exist.

The turmoil we observe around us can be discouraging, but we are not a people without hope or recourse. We serve a sovereign God who desires to work in us and through us. And so, as the conflict unfolds, let us pray. Let us pray for God’s will to be done. Let us pray for peace to be given a chance. Let us pray for a change in hearts.

– Emery Plett, EMC Executive Director