A Lack of Faith Hinders Progress Moving Forward

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.’ (Isaiah 40:31)

The news of President Donald Trump’s proposal to rebuild Gaza took many by surprise.  While the proposal in commendable in the great service it would do to provide the people of Gaza a great point of reset to restart their community, there appears to be too many obstacles to make it feasible, including a desire within the Gazan community to accept the help and turn away from their hatred of Israel and the United States.  There is also great pushback from the Arab nations to provide temporary residence to the Gazans while their strip of land undergoes rebuilding and renovation. 

The issue stems from the lack of Faith the Gazans have in God, and they likely don’t receive too many Christian missionaries there, in part due to the heavy influence of Islam over the Arab people and the restrictions upon travel to Gaza by Egypt from the south, and Israel from the Mediterranean Sea and to the east and north.  Israel acts as a watchdog over Gaza, since granted its autonomy in 2005.  There is more a faith in Islamic militancy than in the power of God in Gaza, due to the ‘cradle-to-grave’ indoctrination by Hamas to hate Israel and the US.  This led to Hamas green-lighting the 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel, and the counterattack by Israel to remove Hamas from power.

Since 7 October 2023, an estimated 80% of all structures in Gaza have been destroyed or heavily damaged.  The power grid and water infrastructure are no longer functional, so most of Gaza has no electricity.  Safe drinking water is also scarce.  Most Gazans have until the recent ceasefire lived in tent cities in a small enclave, the Al-Muwasi Humanitarian Safe Zone, in the southern coastal area of Gaza near Rafah.  This zone has no running water, no power, and relies heavily on international aid to supply food and water.  Despite the destruction, the Gazans cling to the governance of Hamas and not turning to God to seek relief.

The context of this verse comes from the Lord speaking to Hezekiah through Isaiah, after the Lord tells Hezekiah that a future Israelite king will fall to Babylon, but it will not be him (in Isaiah 39).  Isaiah 40 and subsequent chapters tell of Israel’s pitfalls as well as the Hope of Israel; Israel will fall down and God will allow them to fail, get exiled and humiliated, but it will be for instruction not destruction.  As with Jeremiah 29:11, God will provide Israel with ‘a hope and a future’.  But that hope, to be ‘Hope’, must include Faith in God, His plans, and His ways. 

Whether we talk about Gaza, or another failed nation like Haiti, or our own United States, we must always have Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ to have Hope.   If nations, including the US, can turn back to the precepts of God and back to Faith in Christ, we will have not only the Hope but the strength of the Lord to move forward and change the downward spiral that we are facing.  With Hope, we can have America come together, repent, and again promote the Love of Christ throughout the world.  Why are Gaza and Haiti in a perpetual state of turmoil and suffering?  Much of it relies on the lack of a foundation of Hope.  How can you see a positive future with an attitude of complacency that nothing will ever get better? 

We also face this Spiritual crisis in the US today, though we see recent improvements and a growing of Hope in our future; we see morality and ethical standards crumbling before us, even with those standards coming back under new leadership.  It is burdensome to see our nation attempt to recover from a Post-Constitutional status where the rules were made up on the fly without regard to the law, where common sense wasn’t so common, with much pushback from a vocal minority.

It must be our Hope that the Gazans can turn away from their hatred and toward the love of Jesus, and start the recovery process.  God says He will renew our strength, to give us the energy and stamina to overcome.  No matter what the future holds, know that God gives us the means to overcome as He already overcomes all obstacles.  Have Hope, have Faith, and keep moving forward to ultimate Victory!