I have read this recently. Sorry for it's long length.
It is an extract taken from the book "Light Force" written by Brother Andrew, first published in 2004.
I havent actually read much of the book. I opened the book at these pages at random and thought they were important in the current climate.
The primary need of these people was a universal issue. They need love! I went to pray for one woman who had severe headaches. After we had prayed, she asked, "Did God show you anything about me?" Yes, I said. He showed me how much He loves you. She broke down and cried in a very bad way. "God loves me?" she asked. "Why? Nobody loves me". That's what so many people here believe - that nobody loves them. That nobody wants them.
'Jesus ministered to people through their needs. He went to sick people, not to the healthy people - people sick in spirit, sick emotionally. That's mostly what we have here in Beit Sahour. We have people with broken hearts. Most believe that God doesn't love them. They think God loves the Jewish people, but He doesnt love the Arabic people. They are not the chosen people, so they dont deserve God's love. All Arabic people feel that way, especially Muslims.'
'How do you address that?'
I read the Bible to them, the verses about how God loves the world. I explain the work of the cross, how He loves you and me so much that He went to the cross - for everybody, even criminals. So everybody is loved by God, but it's up to you if you accept His love or not. Most of the people accept His love, because that's what they seek, that's what they need. Some people have asked me why I dont tell about judgement. These people already know about judgement. They're already in hell with this situation. What they need to understand is God's love. One person told me she never heard about this word love, that she only knew about sexual love. Everybody wants to know that Jesus loves him, even with his condition, with his situation, with his circumstances.
And what does Nawal do after people respond to the love of Christ? 'I give them Bibles, and we used to have neighbourhood meetings'. Because of curfew, such meetings were now infrequent. When the time comes that restrictions are lifted, Nawal wont do the typical Western-style meeting where a general invitation is issued for a Bible study."If I minister to a woman in her home, she doesnt want anyone outside to know what's happening there. I dont want to force her to come to meetings and share this with other women, so I say to her, "I will come to you next Wednesday. Okay?" And she is free to invite any women - neighbours, aunts, nieces, anybody who needs help. Sometimes, two or three people come. Sometimes six. Sometimes ten or twelve. I minister to all who come...
We wanted to know if she had anything to say to the Church in the West.
I've said to God, 'These people outside have to hear our cry.' We are crying because we feel that we are alone. Because we are Arabic people, we feel we are not welcome anywhere. But the Israeli people, oh, they are welcome. We feel we are totally rejected, even the Christians. It's like we are not human beings.
Nawal soberly expressed sadness that parts of the part of the body is being ignored. 'Let's say we are the finger of the that body. We are hurt. Why doesn't the body help? They don't do anything or even say "We love you". So many times I cry to Jesus hard from my heart. Women tell me they need help for medicine or food, and all I can say is to pray to Jesus, and I will pray with them and we cry out together. But somebody has to bring food, so they will know that Jesus loves them. That's the work of the Chruch, of the body of Christ. I believe with all my heart that Jesus loves the Palestinian people. Jesus hurts for them. Jesus cries for them and wants to help them. But He cant do it without the Church - they are His hands, His legs, His eyes.
Later when Al told me about his visit with Nawal, I told him how deeply saddened I was to hear those words. We agreed that Nawal was right, that God loves His Church, every part of his body, whether it is in the West or Middle East, whether Palestinian or Jew. Nawal was doing exactly what the Church needed to do in this region, but she was only one person. We needed a thousand more Nawals. Maybe then there would be hope for peace. But if the rest of the body didn't help, how could it happen?
Have you ever been to see a Spiritualist
What time do you get up and go to bed?
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