Yesterday I read the news from the fighting in Gaza.

The item that struck me most was learning that a Messianic Jew who grew up and worshiped in the area of Haifa, Israel, had been killed while fighting in Gaza.

Israel Today reported the funeral for Shai Kushnir was attended by 10,000 people, including generals in the Israel Defense Force (IDF) and members of his local Messianic congregation.

So far 63 IDF soldiers have been killed in Gaza.

This story reminds us of two important needs for our world.

First, we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and we need to pray for a solution to terrorism and the conflict generally in the Middle East.

Second, we need to pray that the gospel would go out to Jews and Muslims and that Christ would be known by all. Israel Today estimated that there are 15,000 Messianic Jews living in Israel today, including who serve faithfully in the IDF. They also estimated that worldwide there are over 300,000 Messianic Jews.

Messianic Jews are those who believe in and follow Jesus as the long awaited Messiah.

Those of us who know Christ and the power of His resurrection should be encouraged to know that more Jews are coming to faith in Christ today than any time since the the crucifixion and the resurrection was being proclaimed for the first time in the first Century A.D.

God has promised that there will be an awakening among the Jews. While different Christians interpret that event in different ways and at different times, we should all take heart to know that God continues to speak and that the human heart continues to respond to the wonderful news of God.

How can we do our part?

We can pray and ask God’s blessings on those who do not yet know Him.

While we may have little opportunity to go overseas to take the gospel, we can do our best with our friends, family, and neighbors, helping them to know Christ and the power of his resurrection.

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