"A Blessing"

Genesis 12:3 says, "And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." This extremely important verse of Scripture illustrates our Lord God speaking to Abraham as part of establishing the Abrahamic Covenant showing that The Lord desires for the Jewish people to be a blessing to all peoples of the earth.This has been illustrated by the Jewish people over and over again in the past and in the present. For example, the Jewish people have been the recipients of 22% of all Nobel Peace Prizes while making up only 2% of the world's population. Israel is always one of the first countries responding to help during disasters.

The tactics of the Israeli Defense Forces during the recent Gaza War also is a prime example. Medical tents were established at the Gaza border to actually treat injured citizens of Gaza. The I.D.F. did all they could do to avoid any casualties within the citizenship of Gaza. 

This so far has been a little bit of a history lesson since I know I have covered these concepts in other blogs. However, in today's message I want to share how the Israelis function among themselves in Israel and especially during the Gaza War. We need to first realize that the population of Israel is annually rated among the happiest, healthiest and most educated in the world. Life expectancy in Israel significantly exceeds America's and that of most European countries. Unemployment is low, the economy is robust.

During the duration of the Gaza War, youth movements, Synagogues, businesses and individual citizens sent food and supplies to the soldiers in Gaza. They also visited wounded soldiers, sent food to bomb shelters and visited bomb shelters to entertain and play with the children. A major concern among Israeli citizens was to reach out to what was known as "Lone Soldiers" meaning those who have no family in Israel. Israelis went out of their way to visit these soldiers in hospitals and to attend their funerals.

Yes, God's Chosen People have taken their calling to be a blessing to all peoples of the earth seriously. However, another very important part of Genesis 12:3 is for us which states, "I will bless those who bless you." We can do this with our continual and fervent prayers for God to take care of them and protect them.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care This Day,

Frank