Author: Aaron Rich

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Precipice

The circuitous route which God has led me on offers me a view into social circles I would not otherwise have. These circles consist of both faith and secular groups. Some faith groups are faith-based “in name only” and some groups I count among the most devoted followers of Yeshua on the planet. The secular groups span a similar spectrum going from loosely moral to more rigid in their morality. It’s quite the eclectic bunch! 

Most of these social circles only manage to intersect via social media and the majority of these circles I no longer take an active role in, but I still pay attention. While I have many reasons to deeply despise social media, it has the benefit of offering a view into the various parts of the world I would otherwise not have. Why does that matter though? 

I pay attention to the world around me, but I try to do so with a very specific order of influence and order of authority. I read the articles that are sent through various blogs, I read from a variety of news sources, and I observe the attitudes of people in my midst. If I get consumed with it all, I end up with a mess of knotted up information and pointless opinions. However, if I step back and try to take it all in at a bird’s eye view the picture becomes instantly clearer.  

From the high level view it would seem the world is on the precipice of its next Great Leap Forward. Evidently those three words mean something to more people than just me, because my spell check capitalized them for me without even asking.  

If you haven’t noticed the division between people, between people groups and even within nations, you aren’t paying attention. History speaks toward what we’re seeing, and I wager we are at a very uncomfortable point in the historical cycle of time. Whenever you see this level of division and baseless hatred (yes, even from you toward those you don’t like) history suggests that short term, we’re in for a real nightmare. Long term though – we are in for a real treat!  

History repeats itself often.  

You can often follow the headlines of the news from week to week by reading the pages of Scripture. No, I’m not exaggerating. Last year, I read a news story about locust swarms in Africa with a really curious quote from a man living in the midst of it. He said “even the cows are confused.” Have you read Joel 1:18 recently? I mean – right off the pages of Scripture!! In December, I read of a politician speak with three ominous words that most every Believer in Yeshua recognizes. Speaking of coercing people to follow the expected behavior he used the words “buy, sell, and trade” in terms of government limiting the abilities of those who do not comply. 

Coincidence? Only if you’re willfully blind.  

Sometimes it’s blatant as though God gives you the words right out of the mouth of those speaking them. Other times, it’s more subtle and you won’t see a direct quote, but the repetition of history is still apparent in daily life. God knows the evil plans of mankind and in the end He wins and the forces of evil lose. Every. Single. Time. This time will be no different. 

For the last several years we have been following the Torah cycle. We read a weekly portion of the first five books of Scripture, study it, talk about it, dwell on it – and we strive to live by it (often failing). When we get to the end of the five books, we start over again. It’s invigorating in a dozen different ways.  

That’s not so crazy I guess. It does get more crazy though. It took a couple of years to see it, but eventually it became apparent. As the Torah cycle begins again, so does the news cycle. Maybe not with the exact names, or the exact location. I would struggle to say the dates don’t align because they usually do. It’s crazy to think it, but pay attention long enough and it’s quite apparent.  

Coincidence? Maybe the first time. Every year? Yeah, there’s something deeper at work. It’s really quite fascinating to watch how it unfolds from year to year. You may not catch the exact event in the news that aligns with your portion one week, but then the next week you pick it up with the next news story. For those of you that join us in the Torah cycle I’d be curious to see how many of you have noticed this phenomenon?  

While observing a variety of news sources and social circles I often see some people frantically preparing for the next great event of history. Others appear to meander through life partaking of every distraction they can experience because life is “too stressful.” Then there are some that dissect the words of each news channel to decide how they should live their lives and get angry when a news anchor doesn’t align with their worldview and political opinion.  

Take a moment to consider. In the face of history unfolding around us, how do you tend to respond? Are your actions “reactionary” or “intentional”? 

Although I sometimes catch myself reacting in a negative way, I strive to take a different view. I look at what is happening from a Scriptural viewpoint through the weekly Torah portion. It makes the hair on my neck stand up at times – but it works. 

Take this week’s Torah portion for example. This week we’re in Tetzaveh which is from Exodus 27:20-30:10. This portion is all about Moses listening as God is describing the intricate details of the priestly garments, the consecration of the priesthood and the incense alter. It’s a lot of fun to study once you really dig into it. Moses is getting ready to set up the Tabernacle of God so He can dwell with His people.  

Now put that into terms of our current existence. Are you sitting on the proverbial Mount of God receiving instructions for building a house of worship? Or is your heart stirring with the masses below preparing for outright rebellion against God? In reality, these are your two options. There is no middle ground. 

If you fall in the place of preparing for what is to come, I would ask if you are a prepper out of fear or if you are preparing for the building of the Kingdom of God? These two things are quite different.  

If you are the news junky – are you watching in order to build your own worldview and complain about your political adversaries?  Or are you observing the patterns of history and striving to hear from HaShem about your current assignment? I struggle to see a middle ground on this point as well.  

The signs of the times point to a precipice. When the entire world is divided, we can see ourselves approaching a time where the Messiah will speak the words of Moses and ask “who is on the Lord’s side.”  That is next week’s portion.  How will that play out on the pages of history I wonder? 

As you pore over the news stories, stay curious not presumptive. There’s a comical story in 2nd Kings 6 where the King of Aram thinks he has a traitor in his midst because his plans are always foiled. Will you be reading headlines in the news that come straight from the pages of Scripture? I would argue yes. Just pay attention.  

What hour are we in? Are we standing on the precipice of the next leap forward in history? Is it simply our generation’s era of war or are we at the end of the sixth day? The sunset of this day will ring in the Sabbath day – the return of the Messiah and the establishment of His Kingdom in Jerusalem. It’s always hard to go into a season of darkness. Most of those living have not experienced that darkness yet, but I have little doubt that it is coming. We are at a season when the love of many has grown cold. Warm your heart and stand with the Creator. He will win in the end – whether this is just another battle or the conclusion of the war.  

Bo Yeshua 

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Count the Blessings

Over the past several weeks Earlene and I have continued to re-establish our new life in Missouri. It’s a strange experience to press pause on significant parts of life and then return three months later to reestablish things in a new state with new jobs and a new home. There’s no amount of legwork that would have prepared us for this new challenge and cleared the path of all obstacles. 

In many instances, I find myself in an odd state emotionally and spiritually. I miss Israel. My soul longs to return there and to dwell there until the Kingdom comes or until I take a dirt nap. However, this is not what HaShem seems to have planned. 

Since I could not stay in Israel, my second choice was to serve the Kingdom by working with a ministry in Marshfield. Based on conversations we had and intense times of prayer, I found myself in a place of expectation. I had this vision of how life would come together when we got back and the approximate area we would end up living in once we settled in Missouri. My expectation was to return from Israel and to have an immediate position working for the Kingdom in a tangible way. 

This is not how it turned out. Not at all. Perhaps I will say “not yet” – but really, only God knows.

The way HaShem has lined up our lives, it’s obvious that He had a hand in it so I’m confident we aren’t wandering our own path apart from Him. I still can’t help entering into a bit of a funk on some days where I speak with God and say “this isn’t what we discussed” – as though, I really had a say in how things were going to happen. When you strive to live a life of “hineni” or “here I am,” you don’t direct the path, God does.

The moments I find myself in that place of frustration and doubt, I have to begin recounting the blessings. “Count your blessings” is a common idiom, but do you ever really stop to consider the blessings of your life? Without reviewing our blessings, we may find ourselves adrift in our own misunderstandings. When we review the path He’s given us, and we count the blessings He has bestowed, the picture becomes clearer and some of the misunderstandings are reconciled in truth. 

Since returning to the United States we have both been blessed with jobs. We have been blessed with a beautiful home that we own without a bank’s involvement. We get to see Earlene’s parents weekly. Our Torah Club is having some of the most incredible discussions and we have seen (and continue to see) evidence of God moving in the midst of that small group. I won’t bore you with the whole list, but the blessings are abundant. Who am I to say to God “this isn’t what we discussed”? He seems to have it all well in hand. 

Our prayer list is extensive as we seek His continued guidance. 

He moved us from Colorado and planted us here in Missouri after a spectacular time of refreshing in Israel, but we don’t really have much more to go on in terms of planning. 

We are yearning for a faith community in Joplin. We miss our “mishpacha” (family) in Golden, Colorado immensely. However, Messianic communities here are few and far between. Are we supposed to seek out a congregational community here even if it’s not a similar congregation to what we had previously? Can our Torah Club small group hold us steady for the interim? How do we ensure that we are growing deeper roots instead of becoming withered and shallow in this time of transition? 

We are yearning to serve the Kingdom in a more tangible way, but what does that mean from His view? He is presenting opportunities daily in smaller ways. Perhaps we are serving the Kingdom as necessary at the moment. But, what is the long-term goal? What is the purpose of the jobs we’ve been given? 

What are we to do with this blog? Are we to continue posting random life experiences such as this as part of our ongoing testimony? Are we being led to share a weekly post on our Torah portion thoughts to fill a gap left behind by not having our congregational community? 

Who can we share the joy of Shabbat with in Joplin, Missouri? We don’t know anyone nearby. We are still establishing our Shabbat routine and incorporating some of the lovely elements and impactful songs we were introduced to while we were in Israel. But right now, it’s just a Shabbat for two. 

When these questions and prayers come to mind and the doubts start to creep in, I have to remind myself to count the blessings. To review the path He has laid out is to recognize the epitome of what this website was named for. Our journey is His path as long as we trust in Him to lead in spite of our uncertainty and frustrations. We may not be satiated with the full list of our fleshly demands, but HaShem is going out of His way to provide for us exactly what we need and in His timing. All we have to do is continue to say “hineni” or “here I am.”

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Testimonies

Scripture has Biblical subdivisions within the text that you likely don’t know are there. It is not a subdivision that is marked by chapters and verses, nor is it a division that is highlighted by the big bold letters that you probably see at the top of a major story in your Bible. There actually is a Biblical division of the Bible. It’s not as apparent to you and I, but God sees it.

God often speaks of it when He specifies something like Genesis 26:5 where HaShem says of Abraham that he “obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” Each of these words are a God ordained subdivision of Scripture. Each word carries tremendous meaning and purpose and shouldn’t be neglected in deep study. Those aren’t all of them either, there’s several more. The one that the Father has been speaking to me about recently is “testimonies.”

Over the past 5 years, He has often pulled me into the Hebrew word and taught me the deeper context through that. Recently, He’s been taking a different tactic with me and He’s been speaking to me through this English translation of testimony. I’ve never sat and dwelt on it before, but it actually carries some deep context. Usually I’m irritated and frustrated by English in that it’s just too shallow to convey the full meaning of what Hebrew is saying to us. It lacks the depth and purpose required to convey God’s full message. The example I often use is the word “shalom” which English usually translates as “peace.” Peace conveys such a small message compared to the word shalom. A person would likely need to write a book to convey the full message that inhabits this single word because it speaks of a fullness of life that is given by the Father in a way that “peace” simply doesn’t accomplish.

Testimony, however, seems to be different; at least for me over this short time that the Father has been bringing my attention to it. This word carries with it some deeply profound legal context, but a lot of faith context as well. As I think through how to explain this, I realize this post could easily expand into a series by itself, if not an entire book. In short form, I understand in the grand scheme of things that God Himself is on trial in the Heavenly Court. Long ago the accuser (satan) accused God of being an overbearing dictator and now we’re in an elongated court case where the testimonies are being given by the various witnesses.

Now I realize that these are deep concepts that could no doubt lead to many hours of discussion as we all try to piece together the mysteries of God, so I’ll leave that for another time. What He’s really been showing me recently is how our testimony (yours, ours and every other person on the planet) tie into this concept. It’s really super fascinating, beautiful and all-too-often tear jerking.

During our time here in Israel, we have had the opportunity to meet no less than 50 people. (I think HaShem is stirring a blog post in Earlene’s heart on this…but maybe I’m wrong.)  For many of them we’ve had the opportunity to sit over meals or coffee and really get to know them. There’s a common theme that seems to drop constantly. It’s a common phrase that I personally have never noticed, but I now realize we need a lot more of.

“I want to hear your testimony”

It is constant. I didn’t hear it in this way initially, but over our weeks of being here, I realize just how important this is. Put this in synonymous form. “Tell me your attestation” – “tell me your evidence” – “tell me your proof.” Google “synonyms for testimony” and there’s likely a dozen more legal terms wrapped up in this. It’s replete with legality. Heavenly legality.

Perhaps you are beginning to see where I’m going? I’m still not confident I can put into words what’s in my heart on this topic.

Biblically speaking “every matter is proven by the testimony of one or two witnesses.” The more we listen to others stories the more we hear testimony to God’s existence and His faithfulness to those that follow Him.

In Scripture we get a view of hundreds of men and women who are each deeply flawed humans. Each of them falls prey to their own snares in life whether murder, theft, idolatry, false doctrine and more. Yet each of their lives are spread across the pages of Scripture for you to see all their proverbial dirty laundry. They don’t get to hide the embarrassing parts. They don’t get to share only the success stories. You see it all.

During our time here and the various testimonies we’ve heard, we see the very same phenomenon lived out in modern day. Each of the people have told us of their emotional roller coasters, their falling into evil ways, their repentance and discovery of The Way, The Truth and The Life. Each story seems more random and difficult to believe because the stories are just so astonishing. If you walk away and don’t see the hand of God reaching into these individual lives, you are willfully being blind.

In the American church that I’ve experienced, there’s not enough of this. Each of these testimonies are not just a fantastic life story, they’re evidence. They aren’t just going to be evidence used in the High Court of Heaven either! Each of these testimonies should be regularly shared over a meal, coffee or email. These testimonies build each other’s faith.

If I were to meet a random person on the street and hear any one of the testimonies that I’ve heard in the last few weeks, I would walk away and say “that person is a bit off their rocker, stay clear.” But if you put them all together you walk away with two choices. Either all of these random people, who don’t know each other are a bunch of liars and crack pots about their life story or they are testifying to a living God. A God who is not just active and pushing this world toward the Kingdom of Heaven, but a Master that is intimately involved in your personal story.

I remember about six years ago when we were trying to start a church with a group of folks. Each of us were given the opportunity to share our story. I recall myself saying something about how vanilla my life had been and my story wasn’t actually that fascinating to share though I don’t remember my exact phrasing. I wasn’t very polished at sharing my story (and I’m still not) because I am not accustomed to talking about myself that much. I want to hear other people’s stories, not tell my own. Nevertheless, I finally shared mine after avoiding it as long as possible. I don’t really remember what I said, but a response that one of others said afterword sticks out pretty clearly even now – she said “that’s a really great testimony.” At the time I thought it was strange and *only* since being here has that come back to mind. It’s strange how HaShem uses random memories as a teaching moment.

Since that time Earlene and I have been on such a wild ride in our walk of faith and I think we’re both gaining confidence in telling that testimony when we’re asked. Our day-to-day lives are rather boring, but over the period of time it’s a fantastic story of how God has taken us to another level in this journey. Why shouldn’t we share that when people ask?

For myself, I’m realizing how much it’s actually a boost to my own faith hearing others share theirs. It’s a continuing lesson for me and it’s something I know HaShem still has some more details to share on, but testimonies are important. Not only are you testifying in the Heavenly Court when you share your life story and walk of faith, but you’re also boosting the next person to help them maintain their faith as well and even helping to bring those who doubt into the Kingdom.

The big lesson for me here is don’t hold back asking people for their testimony and sharing your own. By sharing with each other, you are building each other up through your own experiences. It is a bit addicting though. Who can I have coffee with next to hear their story? Or who can I share a meal with again to hear the next “episode” in their unfolding journey? More and more I realize this simple truth – I want to hear your personal testimony. Anything and everything that you’re willing to share.

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Temple Mount

Our trip to Jerusalem a couple of weeks back culminated with an ascent up the Temple Mount. Perhaps for some of you that wouldn’t be a culmination of a few days in Jerusalem, but it was for me. Is it strange? Perhaps. But perhaps not as well. It depends on how you approach it and where you are in your walk of faith.

For me, my soul feels attached to that place. I can exist anywhere in Israel for months at a time and love every moment, as I have for weeks now, but it’s the Temple Mount that holds my heart. It’s a place that I expect to spend a lotof time some day in the future. It’s a place that prophecy speaks a great deal about and much that’s left incomplete, not least of which is Ezekiel’s portrayal of the Temple. My soul longs to see the completion of these things and I can see a daily advance toward that goal in the pages of modern events.

During our trip to Jerusalem we knew that the Temple Mount was on our list. It’s not a place Earlene currently enjoys, but for my sake and my heart, she consented to join me. It’s no surprise she doesn’t like it of course. We made the mistake of side-hugging each other in 2017 while a friend was taking a picture of us. The problem was, we were standing in front of the Dome of the Rock. The Temple Mount is a holy place and not just for the Jewish people. Americans, unfortunately, have a complete lack of understanding about “Holy” and that certainly included us at the time (I think we’ve learned a little since then?) As we were getting our picture taken an Arab man came running at us and scolding us for touching. That was probably one of the scariest moments of our collective lives. We didn’t realize it, but touching one another on the Temple Mount is highly frowned upon. That was our first experience and Earlene has a strong memory of the incident so she wasn’t excited about returning.

We arrived in Jerusalem late on Wednesday and we attempted to ascend the Temple Mount on Thursday as our first stop. As it turned out though, it was Muhammad’s birthday so the normal schedule was interrupted. The site is also closed on Friday and Saturday each week, so we ended up having to wait until Sunday to ascend the mountain. When Sunday came, we had to leave our rental apartment by 11:00 a.m. so we rushed to the Western Wall complex to ascend the mount once it was opened.

When we arrived at the security checkpoint, we had to go through the metal detectors as is the usual protocol. This time was a little different though. I have been twice before and in those instances we went through security and then ascended the long ramp up to the Moors Gate which is the only gate non-Muslims are allowed to enter. (Sidenote: there are TEN gates for Muslim believers to enter.) In this instance, however, another security guard stepped out in front of us and stopped us before we continued. He initially suggested that it was a pretty bad time to visit the Temple Mount and asked if we would come back another day. Not that we weren’t welcome, I think he was just concerned for our security. As it turns out, they just had a riot over the weekend because of all the issues going on in France. We were undeterred so he ran through a security briefing to ensure we knew the expectations – like not touching each other (I wish someone would have suggested *that* in 2017) and covering knees and shoulders and such. Once he finished running through that we were allowed to continue.

We ascended the ramp and got some good pictures of the Western Wall complex taking our time and looking at things in a way we weren’t able to previously. There’s usually a long line going up this ramp, but in this case the ramp was vacant. It was only us and the guards at either end.

Once on the Temple Mount we were on a sparsely-populated complex. There were so few people that it felt like we had the space to ourselves a couple of times. We had plenty of space and time to just stop and enjoy ourselves. For those who haven’t been there, I should explain that this area is not small (it is a 37-acre complex.). Even on our previous visits, when it was “crowded”, it was obvious the mountain could hold tens of thousands more worshippers. In this case however, there really were entire sections of walkway where we were entirely alone.

We were able to walk and pray and just enjoy the space that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has set apart for His Name. One day this complex is going to be so full that it won’t be possible to move about so freely so I was enjoying my time where I could. It’s among the greatest blessings we’ve had since being here in the land and at times it felt like a private audience with the King of the Universe.

Why was it the culmination of our trip though? Aside from being the place that my soul yearns for, it’s because God used a nuisance to bring great blessing. In this year of COVID, more obnoxious than almost anything I’ve experienced in life, HaShem used the masks to provide blessing.

In normal years, prayer on the Temple Mount is highly restricted to only Muslim worshipers. If there is even suspicion of non-Muslims praying it tends to lead to a quick trip off the Temple Mount in shiny silver bracelets. It’s more show than anything as Israeli police are always striving to keep the peace, but an experience with metal bracelets isn’t high on my to-do list regardless.

Ah, but the year of COVID seems to have backfired in the adversary’s face in this regard. The evil powers of this world may be trying to prevent prayer on the Temple Mount, but this year they are spoken freely. Our mouths are covered the entire time so no one has any idea if you’re praying or not. I couldn’t resist the opportunity! I turned my face toward the center of the Mount and uttered my prayers. Quietly, yet audibly.

Why do I consider this important? It’s because Scripture considers it important. At the dedication of the first Temple in 1 Kings 8, Solomon mentions praying toward the Temple several times and in several fashions. Whether it is Jew or Gentile, Solomon beseeches HaShem to hear the prayer “when they pray toward this place.” It’s something I had never considered until a few years ago, but if one pays attention, it’s throughout Scripture. Even Jonah, from the belly of the great fish says “I will once more pray *toward* your Holy Temple.” There’s an importance God has given to praying toward this place and I desire to participate in that wherever possible.

Solomon realized the history and the prophetic future of his people and he included those understandings in his prayer. He said that when his people are outside the city “and they pray to Adonai toward the city” that He would answer their prayers. He even said that in exile if they “pray to you toward their land that you gave to their fathers,” He asked that HaShem would answer.

Several years ago, when we found ourselves among a new congregation it really surprised us and confused us when everyone in the assembly turned east for a portion of the service. It turns out, all these generations later, the Jewish people are still adhering to these words of Solomon. Wherever they are in the world, they turn toward Israel, Jerusalem or the Temple Mount to utter their prayers. So in my view, scripturally, there’s still benefit to turning toward the twice and future Temple and praying to our Father. When we are in the U.S., we turn east. When we are in Israel, we turn toward Jerusalem. When I’m on the Temple Mount, I turn toward the place I understand was the Holy of Holies. To have this opportunity to utter audible prayers toward the place that God dwelled and will dwell again…I couldn’t resist. And that is why the Temple Mount was the culmination of my time in Jerusalem.

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Serving a Tortured Generation

Last week we had an experience that was simultaneously humbling and exalting. Perhaps you know the type of event I’m talking about. I’ve personally experienced similar events in my life:  a promotion a work that I felt others were better suited for, a leadership role in our congregation that I felt entirely unworthy to fill, the honor of being a groomsman at weddings or being the person to receive a phone call seeking life-altering advice. There are countless events that bring out that introspection and hesitation where I’ve wondered if I am the appropriate person for the task.

Few things in life would rank higher on my list of impactful events than what we experienced last week. We were invited to help with a “Shalom House” which is a ministry that specifically caters to survivors of the Holocaust. During our time with these incredible people we were blessed to serve them a meal and participate with them in some worship. While our friends translated, we exchanged heartfelt words and gifts and even received the occasional fist bump. As with so many things during our journey in the land, no words seem sufficient to describe the experience. We were given a precious opportunity to serve a generation of people who were tortured simply because of their genealogical origins.

Due to COVID restrictions and fears, this Shalom House gathering was different from normal. This is the first time they had been able to host anyone in months. They were still recreating the proverbial wheel in a few ways in order to maintain adherence to current COVID guidelines which included hosting the entire gathering outdoors and serving food in single-serving containers. They were also limited to 15 survivors in order to allow for sufficient staff and distancing requirements. In spite of the precautions, the time was touching and nearly elicited tears from both Earlene and I several times. Ok…fine. In truth I was the one that cried and she managed to hold it in. Make fun if you need, but the experience was overwhelming.

The survivors in this group were from a Russian-speaking background and from various countries of origin. For those from Russian speaking countries, in many cases their persecution didn’t end with World War II. It continued. They lived through multiple governments dictating their lives and the allowable movements with entire nations hating them for the perceived crime of being Jewish. It was only in 1989 that they were finally able to begin their mass emigration south to Israel. It was only then that their hopes of escaping the persecution would come true.

I’m sure that you have experienced difficulties this year as everyone has, but your plight likely has no comparison to that of a holocaust survivor. Their past has included more torture and harsh treatment than most of us can imagine. This year, they are receiving nightmarish flashbacks. Governments, both in Israel and around the world, are dictating whether or not they can leave their homes. They are taking their jobs by force. They are shutting down businesses for the crime of opening their doors in an effort to make a living. These survivors are hearing through the news that if they choose to travel outside their homes they will be fined and punished. Some are being denied proper medical care due to overrun hospitals and clinics. Many are being distanced from their family, friends and neighbors. For you, these things may sound “prudent” depending on your stance on this divisive topic. For a holocaust survivor, they are reliving what they experienced as children and what they experienced as young adults in Russia or their ex-Soviet country of origin.

If that wasn’t enough, these poor people also hear through the news how New York and other “safe havens” in the United States are targeting Jewish communities for being super spreaders of a virus. They are hearing about the rise in anti-Semitism abroad and wondering what the future holds for their families. You may choose to believe whatever the news tells you, but these people have flashbacks of a time when their families’ businesses were falsely accused of tax evasion, theft, larceny and any number of other false accusations. For a holocaust survivor to live through this year of COVID, is to relive history.

However, in this time of darkness for many of these survivors, they have not given up hope. The survivors we met last week were so moved that our small group of servants chose to spend our time with them. They’ve been isolated for so long this year that it has become all too easy to believe that they have been forgotten. In a world with so much uncertainty and hate, these people don’t want to feel abandoned again. To have another person loving on them is a gift and a blessing. Here, they live among their people, but that’s not the case in other countries. You may have holocaust survivors in your area as there are still many among us. If not, you almost certainly have people who have experienced more hardships as a result of COVID-19 than you have. How are you showing them that they are not alone? How are you comforting others in spite of your own suffering? Are you participating in condemning these innocent people for their religious gatherings or are you participating in loving them regardless of what the media is saying?

The events unfolding in 2020 are not about COVID-19. The issues at hand this year are steering the direction of the impulses of the people. We have seen the stake of division that is being pummeled into the heart of the country and the world. But we have a choice in how we react to this division. Will we reach across the divide and bring healing?

History repeats. When the chasm of time comes full circle, will you participate in love or hate?