Dear friends,
The first phone call came shortly after the World Trade Center towers
collapsed. It was Abu Jihad, who in the past had been involved in a
terrorist group and spent time in Israeli prisons, and who became a close
and sensitive friend during our years in Gaza. Speaking in Hebrew, he
shared his shock and sadness at what he was seeing on television. Other
calls came in throughout the evening and into the next morning, from Gazan
families who have opened their hearts to us and simply wanted to let us
know they are with us.
However one caller admitted, when I asked him, that some Palestinians in his city were indeed rejoicing that a mighty blow had been struck against Israel's friend and defender. There is no doubt that the hearts of many, many of the Arab people have been inflamed by unceasing messages of hatred and a blood lust for revenge.
Now that evil has been starkly revealed, I want to emphasize to you our
friends that it is not unique to Muslims or Arabs. It is the same evil
which can be found in each human heart unless conquered by God's grace.
It is the same evil which found expression in "Christian" Europe
short decades ago, also linked to hatred of the Jewish people. Indeed,
the man who more than any other has steered Palestinian nationalism toward
murderous confrontation with the Jews was Haj Amin Al Husseini, the mufti
of Jerusalem who spent the war years as Hitler's guest and ally in Berlin.
Our Response
The U.S. government will seek to respond by military and political means,
but we as followers of Jesus must not set our hearts and thoughts here.
Our weapons are not of this world. The only power we have is when we respond
in the Spirit of Jesus. His word to us is clear: love and bless those
who curse and hate you. Even as I write we are working here in Jerusalem
to rush a week-old Muslim baby girl from Gaza to Israel for emergency,
lifesaving heart surgery. We must match in love the same planning, commitment,
and resources which were used in hate to bring down the Trade Center.
Moreover, Jesus paired his acts of mercy and healing with powerful
proclamation. He spoke out with great boldness against those who misuse
the name of God. Last week we received the go-ahead to produce television
spots in Arabic for a satellite channel which covers the entire Arab world.
Believers in Jerusalem are poised at the gateway to Muslim hearts, with
the necessary linguistic and cross-cultural skills to bring truth to those
who presently hear only misinformation and incitement.
I ask you to join with us in making this response to the terror attacks on America. This time of crisis and emergency is God's moment. We need prayer for the gift of God's Spirit as we address the Muslim people. We also need commitment; 65,000 dollars are still needed for heart surgeries in 2001, and the cost of quality television production will also be in the thousands.
The tremendous carnage in New York and Washington was made possible by
those willing to give up their lives; the more we stand together and pour
out our own lives, the greater our impact will be.
Your servant for Jesus' sake,
Jonathan Miles
Light to the Nations
POB 7012
Holon 58170
Israel
