Day 142 Let Us Bow Down

 5/22/2025

"Come, let us bow down in worship,

let us kneel before the Lord our Maker."

Psalm 95:6 

Early this morning before I went to bed, I received word from a source in DC that a young couple, staff members at the Israeli Embassy were shot at close range and killed as they left an event at the Jewish museum. The suspect, 30 year old Elias Rodriguez murdered this young couple Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, both in their 20's, who were planning to become betrothed. Yaron had already purchased the ring. As the assailant was arrested and taken away, he was heard shouting, "free, free Palestine." This is one more act of antisemitism that is ravaging our nation and the world. It is not new, because racial hatred has existed since the beginning of time. Meanwhile in Israel, bombs had been intercepted by the Iron Dome several times in the late evening and during the day. I have an alert app to notify me of sirens going off in the country, so I can pray specifically. It is disconcerting, to say the least, that these precious young people, who only desire peace, were treated with such cruel hatred. In Iran I watched a news clip of the Iranian supreme leader, Ali Hosseini Khamenei, speaking before a large crowd announcing the following words, "Death to America, Death to America, Death to America, Death to America." The next words are "...is a Zionist regime, which is the lethal cancerous tumor of the region. It has to be uprooted. It will be uprooted for certain. "Death to Israel, Death to Israel, Death to Israel, Death to Israel." And yet, after October 7, 2023, when Israel was viciously attacked and hundreds of innocent men, women, children were massacred, and infants butchered and burned alive in ovens, the world chose to take the side of the evil regime who planned and executed this vicious attack on a sleeping, peaceful nation. My heart breaks, as does any human being with any moral conscience and human dignity. How can we, and how can the Church turn its back?!

As I opened my devotional this morning, I read, "Worship isn't just a moment; it's a lifestyle." I certainly try to live my life in the presence of God, recognizing that His Holy Spirit dwells within me, directing my steps. And I am so grateful for the life He has given me, and the heart He has planted within my body. May it ever beat for Him and for others. Pastor Jack encouraged our day with a verse from Psalm 26:7, "That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wonders." As he prayed for our day, he recalled a portion of scripture found in Malachi 3:16-18 known as A Book of Remembrance: 

"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,

And the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance

was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name.

'They shall be Mine,' says the LORD of hosts, 'on the day that I make

them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son

who serves him.' Then you shall again discern between the righteous and 

the wicked, between the one who serves God and one who does not serve Him."    

 

As I busied myself with making my bed, preparing for my day, trying to bring my thoughts captive, trying to think on the good, pure, lovely things, anger began to build within me as memories came to mind, former hurts, and I cried out God, "Why is the body of Christ so busy and never make time for others, especially those of the household of God; especially for those who were once closest friends. A mega church stands between him and helping a friend in need." Sadly, this is not an isolated circumstance, and I have seen it happen within families. What has happened to common decency, to leaving the ninety-nine to go after the one? Perhaps if kindness and compassion became the immediate response to cries for help, our world would be a better place.

"The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,

and His ears are open to their cry.

The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,

To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears,

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

The LORD is near to those who have a  broken heart,

and saves such as have a contrite spirit."

Psalm 34:15-18