All at sea?

The fall out from the Israeli raid on ships carrying supplies to Gaza rumbles on. These are enormously complex issues with economic, political, historical, ethnic, religious overtones. President Obama can acknowledges the need for a permanent solution, but successive attempts by different administrations over a long period of time have failed to secure one.

A superficial look at the Judges readings this week could lend support to the idea that the land, including Gaza, is God’s gift to Israel and that the Palestinians have no place there. But a more thorough reading comes up with a different conclusion.

The whole point of Judges is that the gift of the land is not absolute but conditional. When Israel broke the covenant the land was occupied by oppressors. Indeed, Judges goes further; other nations are allowed by God to remain in order to test Israel’s resolve to remain true to God (Judges 2:20–23).

Keeping the covenant requires loving one’s neighbour (Leviticus 19:18), and caring for the alien (Exodus 22:21). This may cause us to think more deeply and pray more carefully.

In the verses we shall read on Saturday Paul reminds us that we are to accept one another (Romans 15:7). This brings it closer to home.

We may not feel that we can do much to foster Middle East peace (although we may be able to do more than we think), but we can live our lives knowing that God’s grace requires that we keep his covenant. And if individuals start to do that, who knows what the wider effect might be?

John Grayston