(I'm a couple days late with this message, but it means all the same.)
Yom Ha'atzmaut, or in English, Happy Independence Day to our Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel. On May 14th 1948, Israel was established as a nation and recognized by the UN. David Ben-Gurion was the first to sign the Israeli Declaration of Independence and became Israel's first Prime Minister.
The picture above shows Israeli Air Force jets flying over the gates of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. The image was taken nine years ago and symbolizes God's hand in transforming a helpless people, who were all but exterminated, into a nation that can defend themselves. Being a nation the size of New Jersey surrounded on all sides by much larger hostile nations, Israel is well rehearsed in defending themselves every day.
If you told the Nazi SS in control of Auschwitz that the Jews would have their own country in four years and what they would eventually accomplish, they would laugh in your face and probably throw you into the camp. Evil may flourish for a time, but Goodness will always prevail in the end.
I may be talking about Israel, but the fight between good and evil also resides in all of us on a daily basis. We may experience suffering, trouble in our lives when we just can't seem to find the exit sign. Jesus died on that cross on the hill of Calvary for us. When our sins weigh on us, Jesus forgives. When our burdens become too heavy to carry, Jesus lightens the load.
Because the Jews are God's chosen people, we have an obligation to stand up for them. But we also must pray for them. Pray that the Jews find the true identity of their messiah, Jesus Christ.
