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What in the world is going on?

 It was with great dismay that I heard on the news that Israel had been attacked by the Palestine militant group Hamas. It was no surprise that Israel retaliated. However, it makes me so sad that the people being injured and killed in this war on both sides are just ordinary people trying to live their lives. With tears rolling down my cheeks I watch distraught husbands whose wives and children have been killed by rockets, women who are inconsolable when their close family members die. I watch doctors and nurses who are trying to cope with an influx of badly wounded patients and I watched with horror the hospital explosion in Gaza.

Russia and the Ukraine are also still at war with horrendous loss of life.

How does God feel as he watches man destroy man.

No matter who is in the right, how is such tragic loss of human life acceptable. In 1 Timothy 2 verses three and four we are told that it is God’s desire that all people are saved. Yet there will be ordinary people in these wars for whom salvation does not come before their death.

We are told that we will hear of wars and rumours of wars but we should not be alarmed (Matthew 24:6-14) as the end is still to come. That ‘nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.’

In this difficult time, we must pray. We must hope. We must trust. We must be sure to love others and to show kindness and compassion to all.  Do not be afraid--take heart, ask for God’s strength and live your life as a witness to the One who holds our lives in His hands.

God bless you each as you seek to obey Him and spread the good news.

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