Bishop Paul Lanier shares a Christian perspective on events impacting Israel and around the world.

I was thinking about what to say as these holy days of Passover and Easter approach, and a thought occurred to me: Wouldn’t it be awesome and extraordinary if all of us — our entire Fellowship family — could be together in Israel right now?

How amazing it would be if you and I could be in Jerusalem, and Yael could come and speak to all of us. You and I would see new things, things that we’ve prayed about, that we’ve read about in Scripture, that we’ve studied, but that we’ve never seen before with our eyes.

And you know one thing I think we would see that would probably fascinate us most? Each other. We’d be blown away by how different we all are. And yet, we would all be there, together, for the same reason.

Our International Fellowship

Think about Israel. There were twelve tribes. You were Jewish, and yet so different from members of the other tribes. And of course that’s something that’s not unique to the Jewish people. We in the Christian community have our own tribes. We’ve got people of different ethnicities, and doctrines, and theologies (or lack thereof). We’ve got people from different socioeconomic backgrounds. I see this same wonderful variety reflected in the congregation that I pastor, where I started 30 years ago.

But my friend, you already know that, because you’re part of The Fellowship, and that’s been our story all along. Our beloved Rabbi, of blessed memory, named this organization the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. It was meant to include people from everywhere. And as you know, when people of different experience and background get together, there can be so much conversation there that is contentious and difficult. But not with us. We are the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Within those categories there’s all these other differences. But we all know how to love. And we all know how to pray.

Our International Fellowship

And that’s what I’m going to do for you right now.

Father, I thank You for all of the glorious differences, for the diversity among us. And I thank You that all these various pieces, when they come together, create a glorious picture, a kaleidoscope, a miraculous thing that you are doing on the earth. So many of us now, in the Christian community, we pray for Israel. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We believe that You will touch, strengthen, and provide for all of us. Father, unite all of us under the One God of Israel.

I’m so grateful for all of you. May God minister to you and touch you at your point of need. Something changes in our lives when we pray together with The Fellowship. And when this happens, everyone’s going to know: there is a God in Zion.


Shalom,

Bishop Paul Lanier