Catholic truth about Reiki - Problems with Reiki
Friday, November 13, 2015
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Love Beyond Human Limits
By M. Fontaine
Link
Audio length: 6:41
Download Audio (6.1MB)
“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”—1 John 3:181
Consistently thinking of others and trying to help others, especially when that involves personal sacrifice, is a tall order! It’s so easy to be lazy, selfish, and self-centered. Most of us are that way naturally. Our first reactions are usually about ourselves—what we want and what will make us happy. But if we ask Jesus to help us and put forth a genuine effort, we can develop new habits and reactions, which, with time, will help us become more loving, caring individuals.
Jesus understands that we don’t naturally have enough love to live in the manner He has said we should, but that’s really no excuse. Just because we can’t do it doesn’t mean He doesn’t expect it of us, because He will do it for us and through us if we want it badly enough and ask for His help. He is happy to give us all the outgoing love we need, because that’s what He wants for us too.
It’s human nature to be self-preserving, self-seeking, self-satisfying. It’s human nature to put our own needs and survival above others. But here’s where those who have received God’s love in Jesus have a great advantage, because the Bible promises, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”2 Jesus helps us break those natural circuits. He rewires our minds and hearts to do His bidding, which is to love others.
What a marvelous thing that is! Jesus told His original disciples, “By this all will know that you are My disciples”—followers of His teachings—“if you have love for one another.”3 In that day, the love Jesus’ disciples had for each other, their friends, and even strangers drew much attention and was a powerful example to others of the Lord’s love, and it spread.
Many people in the world are dying for the kind of love Jesus talked about and lived and offers us. This is why He challenges us to manifest deep, sacrificial, impartial love for others, even though He knows such love is far beyond our human capabilities. It’simpossible for us to show such love on our own, and if we try to do this ourselves, we’ll be disappointed, frustrated, and wear ourselves out trying. But if we will simply ask Jesus for that love for others and then be willing to put it into action, He will give it to us.
To become the example of God’s love that you desire to be, ask Him for a willing mind and heart and a believing spirit, and then follow through with small deeds of unselfish love. As you begin to do your part, you may likely find that you think more of others, feel their needs more readily, and have more genuine concern for their happiness and well-being. More wonderful still, you may even find yourself gladly giving up some of your own plans or things you once held dear for the sake of others.
When you give of yourself, when you go out of your way to be a friend, when you take time to talk to someone who is lonely or comfort someone who is sick, when you sympathize and help someone with their problems, when you make someone feel needed, and when you point someone to the source of this extraordinary love—Jesus—you will find that it brings you a special kind of satisfaction and reward of spirit. Through performing these little acts of love and unselfishness you will be blessed personally with happiness that can’t be gotten any other away—the happiness of knowing that you have been a blessing to someone in need.
In loving and giving unselfishly, you not only allow God to use you to help others, but you allow Him to pour His blessings upon you, for He blesses unselfishness and giving. He blesses those who are giving, and He withdraws some of His blessings from those who selfishly always think of themselves first and insist on having their own way. “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”4
Human love can only go so far. To be all we can be and accomplish all we can, we need to be filled with the love of God. He can fill our hearts with more love than we’ve ever dreamed possible, if we will only believe, receive, and then be willing to put it into action.
So let’s let Jesus’ love for others shine through us. Let’s love one another more. Let’s do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Let’s let the Lord’s love be manifested in more forgiveness, understanding, communication, support, sympathy, and practical, loving, caring action. Let’s give of our time, be a listening ear, and open our hearts and lives to others. Let’s be swift to forgive and forget. Let’s do our best to be our brother’s keeper. Let’s be a strong shoulder to lean on or cry on. Let’s not jump to conclusions or judge unfairly, but instead give others the benefit of the doubt. Let’s try with all our hearts to set a good example of the Lord’s unconditional love. Let’s bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill God’s supreme law: love.5
Adapted from the writings of Maria Fontaine. Published on Anchor November 2015.
Read by Debra Lee.
1 ESV.
2 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV.
3 John 13:35 NKJV.
4 Proverbs 11:24–25 ESV.
5 Galatians 6:2.
Link
Audio length: 6:41
Download Audio (6.1MB)
“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”—1 John 3:181
Consistently thinking of others and trying to help others, especially when that involves personal sacrifice, is a tall order! It’s so easy to be lazy, selfish, and self-centered. Most of us are that way naturally. Our first reactions are usually about ourselves—what we want and what will make us happy. But if we ask Jesus to help us and put forth a genuine effort, we can develop new habits and reactions, which, with time, will help us become more loving, caring individuals.
Jesus understands that we don’t naturally have enough love to live in the manner He has said we should, but that’s really no excuse. Just because we can’t do it doesn’t mean He doesn’t expect it of us, because He will do it for us and through us if we want it badly enough and ask for His help. He is happy to give us all the outgoing love we need, because that’s what He wants for us too.
It’s human nature to be self-preserving, self-seeking, self-satisfying. It’s human nature to put our own needs and survival above others. But here’s where those who have received God’s love in Jesus have a great advantage, because the Bible promises, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”2 Jesus helps us break those natural circuits. He rewires our minds and hearts to do His bidding, which is to love others.
What a marvelous thing that is! Jesus told His original disciples, “By this all will know that you are My disciples”—followers of His teachings—“if you have love for one another.”3 In that day, the love Jesus’ disciples had for each other, their friends, and even strangers drew much attention and was a powerful example to others of the Lord’s love, and it spread.
Many people in the world are dying for the kind of love Jesus talked about and lived and offers us. This is why He challenges us to manifest deep, sacrificial, impartial love for others, even though He knows such love is far beyond our human capabilities. It’simpossible for us to show such love on our own, and if we try to do this ourselves, we’ll be disappointed, frustrated, and wear ourselves out trying. But if we will simply ask Jesus for that love for others and then be willing to put it into action, He will give it to us.
To become the example of God’s love that you desire to be, ask Him for a willing mind and heart and a believing spirit, and then follow through with small deeds of unselfish love. As you begin to do your part, you may likely find that you think more of others, feel their needs more readily, and have more genuine concern for their happiness and well-being. More wonderful still, you may even find yourself gladly giving up some of your own plans or things you once held dear for the sake of others.
When you give of yourself, when you go out of your way to be a friend, when you take time to talk to someone who is lonely or comfort someone who is sick, when you sympathize and help someone with their problems, when you make someone feel needed, and when you point someone to the source of this extraordinary love—Jesus—you will find that it brings you a special kind of satisfaction and reward of spirit. Through performing these little acts of love and unselfishness you will be blessed personally with happiness that can’t be gotten any other away—the happiness of knowing that you have been a blessing to someone in need.
In loving and giving unselfishly, you not only allow God to use you to help others, but you allow Him to pour His blessings upon you, for He blesses unselfishness and giving. He blesses those who are giving, and He withdraws some of His blessings from those who selfishly always think of themselves first and insist on having their own way. “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”4
Human love can only go so far. To be all we can be and accomplish all we can, we need to be filled with the love of God. He can fill our hearts with more love than we’ve ever dreamed possible, if we will only believe, receive, and then be willing to put it into action.
So let’s let Jesus’ love for others shine through us. Let’s love one another more. Let’s do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Let’s let the Lord’s love be manifested in more forgiveness, understanding, communication, support, sympathy, and practical, loving, caring action. Let’s give of our time, be a listening ear, and open our hearts and lives to others. Let’s be swift to forgive and forget. Let’s do our best to be our brother’s keeper. Let’s be a strong shoulder to lean on or cry on. Let’s not jump to conclusions or judge unfairly, but instead give others the benefit of the doubt. Let’s try with all our hearts to set a good example of the Lord’s unconditional love. Let’s bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill God’s supreme law: love.5
Adapted from the writings of Maria Fontaine. Published on Anchor November 2015.
Read by Debra Lee.
1 ESV.
2 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV.
3 John 13:35 NKJV.
4 Proverbs 11:24–25 ESV.
5 Galatians 6:2.
Acredite em Mim Agora
Link
Steve Hearts
Eu andava sobrecarregado pelas circunstâncias que não eram do meu gosto. Estava inquieto, perturbado e ansioso, procurando uma saÃda, contudo sem encontrar nenhuma. Orei o mais que pude, mas me sentia como se estivesse gritando, tentando ser ouvido acima de uma tempestade que rugia ao meu redor, que é a descrição perfeita do meu estado de espÃrito na ocasião. Meus pensamentos eram um amontoado nebuloso e confuso. Por mais familiares que muitas das promessas de Deus são para mim, a sua verdade, consolo e garantia pareciam-me distantes. Minha força foi diminuindo a cada dia conforme a luta para manter a cabeça acima d’água se intensificava. Eu me sentia só e abandonado.
Esta manhã, desesperado para encontrar algo no qual me agarrar, decidi ouvir a música “Believe Me Now”, de Steven Curtis Chapman. Eu já tinha ouvido algumas vezes e a mensagem havia me inspirado. Mas eu não estava tão desesperado como agora, e talvez o significado só devesse tomar vida para mim neste momento. Coloquei a música para tocar e não fiquei decepcionado. Não poderia ter sido uma mensagem mais apropriada para mim, dita pelo próprio Senhor:
Você olha além das águas turbulentas
Certo que suas esperanças estão do outro lado.
Ouve o inimigo se aproximar
Sei que não tem forças para combatê-lo,
Mas tem fé para aguentar?
Acredite em mim agora, creia em mim aqui
Lembre-se de todas as vezes que lhe disse em alto e bom tom
Estou com você e do seu lado
Acredite em mim agora, acredite em mim agora.
No desenrolar da canção, vi claramente que nos últimos dias eu estava fazendo exatamente o contrário de acreditar. Não era de admirar que estava praticamente me afogando num mar de desespero e desânimo. Estava lutando com meus próprios pensamentos em vez de descansar nos braços de Jesus e simplesmente crer nEle. Lembrei-me das primeiras palavras de Hebreus 4: 3: “Porque nós, os que temos crido, entramos no descanso.” Por que eu tinha experimentado tantas perturbações espirituais e mentais ultimamente? A resposta era simples: porque eu tinha deixado de acreditar. Evidentemente, agora era hora de pôr fim à quela luta ferrenha contra meus próprios pensamentos e que até agora era uma batalha perdida. Eu devia entregar tudo a Jesus e simplesmente crer nEle agora, confiando que Ele iria de alguma forma resolver as coisas. Só então eu seria plenamente capaz de “entrar no descanso.”
Comecei a repetir para mim mesmo vez as palavras, “Eu creio, Senhor! ajuda a minha incredulidade.”[1] Este exercÃcio foi mais do que uma repetição de palavras conhecidas. Era uma declaração sincera, de todo o coração ao Senhor, de que eu desejava voltar ao caminho da crença novamente, e que precisava da ajuda dEle para não me desviar.
Através da música, Jesus estava me dizendo exatamente a mesma coisa que disse a Jairo quando parecia que já era tarde demais e sua filha tinha morrido: “Não temas, crê somente.”[2]
Quando os dois cegos vieram a Jesus implorando por misericórdia e para receber sua visão, Jesus perguntou-lhes se eles acreditavam que Ele era capaz de fazer isso. Quando eles responderam que sim, receberam a sua petição.[3]
Ao pensar sobre isso, percebi que eu também tinha me permitido momentaneamente ser cegado pela dúvida e descrença, como todos nós fazemos às vezes. Mas a névoa e a confusão provocada por meu estado ansioso e duvidoso estava agora se dissipando desde que escolhi seguir pelo caminho da crença e confiança em Jesus.
À medida que me esforço para ter uma atitude de acreditar mais, sinto-me mais incentivado e espiritualmente energizado. Em vez de estar preocupado com o negativo, esforço-me para me concentrar em Jesus e nas Suas promessas. Isso não me permite necessariamente ver a estrada à frente e saber exatamente como tudo vai acabar. No entanto, agora consigo confiar que não estou sozinho. Não só estou sendo acompanhado em minha jornada, mas estou sendo conduzido e guiado por quem vê e conhece o caminho à frente. Tudo o que tenho a fazer é acreditar nEle agora, confiando que Ele está comigo e também luta por mim.
[1] Ver Marcos 9:24.
[2] Ver Lucas 8:40–56.
[3] Mateus 9:27–30.
Steve Hearts
Eu andava sobrecarregado pelas circunstâncias que não eram do meu gosto. Estava inquieto, perturbado e ansioso, procurando uma saÃda, contudo sem encontrar nenhuma. Orei o mais que pude, mas me sentia como se estivesse gritando, tentando ser ouvido acima de uma tempestade que rugia ao meu redor, que é a descrição perfeita do meu estado de espÃrito na ocasião. Meus pensamentos eram um amontoado nebuloso e confuso. Por mais familiares que muitas das promessas de Deus são para mim, a sua verdade, consolo e garantia pareciam-me distantes. Minha força foi diminuindo a cada dia conforme a luta para manter a cabeça acima d’água se intensificava. Eu me sentia só e abandonado.
Esta manhã, desesperado para encontrar algo no qual me agarrar, decidi ouvir a música “Believe Me Now”, de Steven Curtis Chapman. Eu já tinha ouvido algumas vezes e a mensagem havia me inspirado. Mas eu não estava tão desesperado como agora, e talvez o significado só devesse tomar vida para mim neste momento. Coloquei a música para tocar e não fiquei decepcionado. Não poderia ter sido uma mensagem mais apropriada para mim, dita pelo próprio Senhor:
Você olha além das águas turbulentas
Certo que suas esperanças estão do outro lado.
Ouve o inimigo se aproximar
Sei que não tem forças para combatê-lo,
Mas tem fé para aguentar?
Acredite em mim agora, creia em mim aqui
Lembre-se de todas as vezes que lhe disse em alto e bom tom
Estou com você e do seu lado
Acredite em mim agora, acredite em mim agora.
No desenrolar da canção, vi claramente que nos últimos dias eu estava fazendo exatamente o contrário de acreditar. Não era de admirar que estava praticamente me afogando num mar de desespero e desânimo. Estava lutando com meus próprios pensamentos em vez de descansar nos braços de Jesus e simplesmente crer nEle. Lembrei-me das primeiras palavras de Hebreus 4: 3: “Porque nós, os que temos crido, entramos no descanso.” Por que eu tinha experimentado tantas perturbações espirituais e mentais ultimamente? A resposta era simples: porque eu tinha deixado de acreditar. Evidentemente, agora era hora de pôr fim à quela luta ferrenha contra meus próprios pensamentos e que até agora era uma batalha perdida. Eu devia entregar tudo a Jesus e simplesmente crer nEle agora, confiando que Ele iria de alguma forma resolver as coisas. Só então eu seria plenamente capaz de “entrar no descanso.”
Comecei a repetir para mim mesmo vez as palavras, “Eu creio, Senhor! ajuda a minha incredulidade.”[1] Este exercÃcio foi mais do que uma repetição de palavras conhecidas. Era uma declaração sincera, de todo o coração ao Senhor, de que eu desejava voltar ao caminho da crença novamente, e que precisava da ajuda dEle para não me desviar.
Através da música, Jesus estava me dizendo exatamente a mesma coisa que disse a Jairo quando parecia que já era tarde demais e sua filha tinha morrido: “Não temas, crê somente.”[2]
Quando os dois cegos vieram a Jesus implorando por misericórdia e para receber sua visão, Jesus perguntou-lhes se eles acreditavam que Ele era capaz de fazer isso. Quando eles responderam que sim, receberam a sua petição.[3]
Ao pensar sobre isso, percebi que eu também tinha me permitido momentaneamente ser cegado pela dúvida e descrença, como todos nós fazemos às vezes. Mas a névoa e a confusão provocada por meu estado ansioso e duvidoso estava agora se dissipando desde que escolhi seguir pelo caminho da crença e confiança em Jesus.
À medida que me esforço para ter uma atitude de acreditar mais, sinto-me mais incentivado e espiritualmente energizado. Em vez de estar preocupado com o negativo, esforço-me para me concentrar em Jesus e nas Suas promessas. Isso não me permite necessariamente ver a estrada à frente e saber exatamente como tudo vai acabar. No entanto, agora consigo confiar que não estou sozinho. Não só estou sendo acompanhado em minha jornada, mas estou sendo conduzido e guiado por quem vê e conhece o caminho à frente. Tudo o que tenho a fazer é acreditar nEle agora, confiando que Ele está comigo e também luta por mim.
[1] Ver Marcos 9:24.
[2] Ver Lucas 8:40–56.
[3] Mateus 9:27–30.
'There is great fear in the air': What's happening in Burundi?
Lucinda Borkett-Jones CHRISTIAN TODAY FEATURES EDITOR 06 May 2015
Reuters
Protestors clashed with riot police in Bujumbura during a protest against the ruling party's decision to allow President Pierre Nkurunziza to run for a third term in office, April 27, 2015.
Riots have erupted in Burundi's capital over the president's decision to stand for a third electoral term, raising fears that violence could become ethnicised.
On April 25 Burundi's leading political party, CNDD-FDD endorsed current president Pierre Nkurunziza as their candidate in the national election on 26 June. This meant Nkurunziza would be standing for a third term, despite the constitution only allowing a president to be elected for two terms.
Opposition supporters took to the streets of the capital Bujumbura to demonstrate against a decision that was seen as being unconstitutional. Reports suggest that at least 12 people have been killed in the protests, although the police say the figure is lower, but the disturbance continued throughout the week. The United Nations said today that nearly 40,000 refugees have fled into neighbouring Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last month.
Nkurunziza argues that his first five-year term doesn't count as, owing to the transitional process at the end of the civil war, he was chosen by parliament and not the people of Burundi. Yesterday the constitutional court ruled in his favour, although there are widespread reports that members of the court were pressured into agreeing with the President. The court's vice-president fled to Rwanda because he refused to sign the ruling.
The foreign and commonwealth office said in a statement today: "Reports of intimidation against members of the Constitutional Court do not give the impression of an independent court that was able to come to an impartial decision. This is not in the best interests of Burundi or its people."
US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Nkurunziza to abandon his election plans. On Monday he told reporters: "We are deeply concerned about President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision, which flies directly in the face of the constitution of this country."
The Burundian government has described the protests as "insurrection". Police arrested leading human rights activist Pierre Claver Mbonimpa and Human Rights Watch said on Friday that more than 400 people had been detained.
It is the worst uprising in the country since the end of the 13-year civil war in 2005, in which an estimated 300,000 people died. Since independence in 1962 there have been ongoing tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi populations, leading to fierce violence between the two ethnic groups in 1972 and again in the 1990s.
There are fears that the protests could spread and that they could become ethnicised. But Simon Guillebaud, the founder of Great Lakes Outreach who has lived in Burundi for 16 years, told Christian Today that Burundi has "moved on" from ethnic conflict, although he said there are "a few people who are trying to make it an ethnic issue."
Speaking of the situation before the protests, he said the Arusha peace agreement, signed in 2000, and the subsequent constitution had been effective in making Tutsis feel safe. He added that the political parties were not divided along tribal lines.
"What we've experienced has been less than Baltimore," Guillebaud said, criticising John Kerry's remarks for being "out of order". He said that the international press had been "more alarmist than the realities on the ground."
Even so, Guillebaud wrote on his blog last week: "There is great fear in the air. It's impossible to predict how things will pan out, and whether this might be quickly resolved or drag on for ages and even spill over into other nations. Optimists are few and far between, and the stakes are incredibly high for the nation and beyond."
In a message to supporters on Saturday he said that demonstrators had set up barricades on their street but they had not been targeted but had spoken with the protestors. He added: "We'd obviously prefer constant calm, but sometimes a storm comes along. Whether for us that's this Monday or not, God has done so many amazing things in Burundi over the years. Some of his finest troops are Burundian. So let's continue to be in faith, not in fear, recognising the realities but pleading with and trusting God for breakthroughs and solutions that through our own eyes are hard to discern as things stand."
The World Council of Churches and the All Africa Conference of Churches issued a joint statement calling for peaceful dialogue and prayer for the nation. "The current atmosphere of division places in jeopardy the peace agreement which has aimed at bringing an end to conflict," they said in the statement. "While reasonable people may differ on the specifics of the road ahead, it is essential that violence cease and dialogue be re-established, so that justice may prevail.
"Beyond the issues at play in the current confrontation, it is not only the peace and security of Burundians which are at stake but also the stability of the Great Lakes region."
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
A Realidade Central
Link
Palavras de Jesus
“Os passos do homem são dirigidos pelo Senhor. Como poderia alguém discernir seu próprio caminho?”—Provérbios 20:24[1]
Neste mundo disperso e fragmentado Eu sou a Realidade central que tudo agrega. Quando mantém o foco em Mim, sua vida tem significado e beleza. Sem Mim, o mundo seria completamente desolado, sem significado ou esperança. Eu vim ao mundo para mostrar-lhe o caminho para o Pai, o caminho para a vida eterna. No entanto, sou infinitamente mais do que um sinal que aponta na direção correta. Eu mesmo sou o Caminho. …
Seus passos são guiados por Mim, apesar de sua viagem muitas vezes parecer aleatória. O caminho que está diante de você agora é velado na incerteza: Você tem escolhas a fazer, mas muito pouca informação para ver o caminho que deve seguir. Dar o próximo passo parece arriscado—é como pular para o desconhecido. A melhor coisa que você pode fazer em tais ocasiões é se apegar a Mim.
Embora não saiba o caminho a seguir, conhece Aquele que é o Caminho. Fique perto de Mim e não tem como errar. Porque Eu sou soberano na sua vida. Na verdade, guio seus passos e faço com que sejam certeiros, mesmo quando parecem aleatórios para você. Fale Comigo sobre sua incerteza, o medo de fazer escolhas erradas. Lembre-se que a escolha mais importante que você faz a cada momento é ficar em comunicação Comigo. É assim que agarra Minha mão. É assim que confia na Minha presença orientadora à medida que segue passo a passo pelo caminho que não consegue ver.[2]
Criado exatamente
“O Senhor apareceu no passado, dizendo: ‘Eu a amei com amor eterno; com amor leal a atrai.’ Por isso não desanimamos... Pois os nossos sofrimentos leves e momentâneos estão produzindo para nós uma glória eterna que pesa mais do que todos eles.”—Jeremias 31:3, 2 CorÃntios 4:16–17[3]
Eu o criei precisamente de acordo com a Minha vontade. Suas fraquezas naturais no corpo, mente ou coração podem na verdade ser uma força aos Meus olhos—porque então sou capaz de viver, mover e pensar através de você. Porque quando você está fraco na sua própria força, a Minha força pode ser manifestada e aperfeiçoada em você.[4]
Não tema! Eu amo você exatamente como você é! Eu o amo porque você é você. Entendo os profundos anelos do seu coração e tudo a seu respeito. Eu conheço o ritmo de cada batida cardÃaca sua, a sua pressão sanguÃnea, o som do pulsar e latejar de cada batida. Tudo isso encontra-se nas Minhas mãos, sob os Meus cuidados.
Não se preocupe, pois assim como o ajudei a transpor águas profundas na sua vida, Eu o ajudarei a transpor esses problemas momentâneos que está enfrentando, e o guiarei a um plano mais alto. Eu o conheço, o amo e Me importo com você, e nunca deixarei de sustentá-lo. Eu o amo de eternidade a eternidade.
Depender do Senhor
“O Senhor é justo em todos os seus planos e mostra o seu amor fiel em tudo que faz. Ele se aproxima de todos os que pedem a sua ajuda, que clamam por Ele com um coração sincero.”—Salmo 145:17–18[5]
Viver dependendo de Mim é uma aventura gloriosa. A maioria das pessoas corre de um lado para o outro ocupada, tentando realizar coisas através de sua própria força e capacidade. Alguns têm grande êxito; outras fracassam imensamente. Mas ambos os grupos não entende de que se trata a vida: viver e trabalhar em parceria Comigo.
Quando você depende de Mim continuamente, toda a sua perspectiva muda. Você vê milagres acontecendo por todas partes, enquanto outros veem apenas as ocorrências naturais e “coincidências.” Você começa cada dia com uma alegre expectativa, esperando para ver o que vou fazer. Você aceita fraqueza como um presente da Minha parte, sabendo que o Meu poder se liga mais prontamente à fraqueza consagrada. Você mantém seus planos como tentativas, sabendo que Meus planos são muito superiores. Você conscientemente vive, move e conecta seu ser a Mim, desejando que E viva em você. Eu em você e você em Mim. Esta é a aventura Ãntima que lhe ofereço.
Eu o tenho amado com um amor eterno. Antes do começo dos tempos, já o conhecia. Por anos você nadou num mar sem sentido, buscando amor, esperando encontrar amor. E durante todo este tempo Eu buscava você, ansiando envolver você num abraço em Meus braços compassivos.
Quando for a hora certa, Eu Me revelarei a você. Eu o tirarei deste mar de desespero e o colocarei sobre um alicerce firme. Você à s vezes se sentia despido—exposto perante a luz reveladora da Minha presença. Eu o envolvia em um manto de arminho: Meu manto de justiça. Eu cantei uma canção de amor para você, cujo começo e fim são velados na eternidade. Eu infundi significado na sua mente e harmonia em seu coração.
Junte-se a Mim cantando a Minha canção. Juntos tiraremos os outros da escuridão e os levaremos para a Minha maravilhosa luz.[6]
Seu coração, Meu templo
“Pois vocês são o templo de Deus, a casa do Deus vivo, e Deus disse a respeito de vocês: ‘Eu morarei neles e andarei entre eles; serei seu Deus e eles serão meu povo.’”—2 CorÃntios 6:16[7]
Esteja você onde estiver, pode fazer um pequeno templo no seu coração e entrar ali. Quando estiver nas câmaras tranquilas, tomando tempo Comigo, afastando-se de tudo o que o cerca e entrar no templo, Eu sussurrarei nos seus ouvidos e falarei com você. No princÃpio pode ser apenas uma sensação da Minha voz ou uma orientação, em vez de palavras especÃficas. Eu talvez apenas lhe dê a paz que precisa. Talvez seja apenas um pequeno sussurro para consolar o seu coração.
À medida que toma este tempo Comigo, vindo a Mim em fé, acreditando que estou aqui, que entro com você nos aposentos secretos e tranquilos do seu coração, você vai Me ouvir falar ao seu coração. Seus ouvidos espirituais ficarão sintonizados para ouvirem a Minha voz. É como um músico aprendendo a afinar um violão. Os músicos têm que sintonizar e concentrar para poderem perceber que cordas estão desafinadas, quais precisam ser apertadas ou afrouxadas. Mas depois de um tempo passa a ser automático para eles. E assim é com aprender a Me ouvir e Me escutar.
Venha regularmente, entre nos aposentos tranquilos do seu coração, e sintonize-se para ouvir a Minha voz. Apenas entre silenciosamente no templo, o lugar secreto de seu coração que foi criado para Mim. Entre sossegadamente e espere ali até a Minha perfeita paz preencher o seu coração. Espere ali até sentir a Minha perfeita paz e o Meu consolo satisfazendo seus anelos. Ouça os Meus sussurros, e Me receba.
Publicado no Âncora em outubro de 2015.
[1] NVI.
[2] Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Thomas Nelson, 2009).
[3] NVI.
[4] 2 CorÃntios 12:9.
[5] BÃblia Viva.
[6] Sarah Young, Jesus Calling (Thomas Nelson, 2010).
[7] BÃblia Viva.
Palavras de Jesus
“Os passos do homem são dirigidos pelo Senhor. Como poderia alguém discernir seu próprio caminho?”—Provérbios 20:24[1]
Neste mundo disperso e fragmentado Eu sou a Realidade central que tudo agrega. Quando mantém o foco em Mim, sua vida tem significado e beleza. Sem Mim, o mundo seria completamente desolado, sem significado ou esperança. Eu vim ao mundo para mostrar-lhe o caminho para o Pai, o caminho para a vida eterna. No entanto, sou infinitamente mais do que um sinal que aponta na direção correta. Eu mesmo sou o Caminho. …
Seus passos são guiados por Mim, apesar de sua viagem muitas vezes parecer aleatória. O caminho que está diante de você agora é velado na incerteza: Você tem escolhas a fazer, mas muito pouca informação para ver o caminho que deve seguir. Dar o próximo passo parece arriscado—é como pular para o desconhecido. A melhor coisa que você pode fazer em tais ocasiões é se apegar a Mim.
Embora não saiba o caminho a seguir, conhece Aquele que é o Caminho. Fique perto de Mim e não tem como errar. Porque Eu sou soberano na sua vida. Na verdade, guio seus passos e faço com que sejam certeiros, mesmo quando parecem aleatórios para você. Fale Comigo sobre sua incerteza, o medo de fazer escolhas erradas. Lembre-se que a escolha mais importante que você faz a cada momento é ficar em comunicação Comigo. É assim que agarra Minha mão. É assim que confia na Minha presença orientadora à medida que segue passo a passo pelo caminho que não consegue ver.[2]
Criado exatamente
“O Senhor apareceu no passado, dizendo: ‘Eu a amei com amor eterno; com amor leal a atrai.’ Por isso não desanimamos... Pois os nossos sofrimentos leves e momentâneos estão produzindo para nós uma glória eterna que pesa mais do que todos eles.”—Jeremias 31:3, 2 CorÃntios 4:16–17[3]
Eu o criei precisamente de acordo com a Minha vontade. Suas fraquezas naturais no corpo, mente ou coração podem na verdade ser uma força aos Meus olhos—porque então sou capaz de viver, mover e pensar através de você. Porque quando você está fraco na sua própria força, a Minha força pode ser manifestada e aperfeiçoada em você.[4]
Não tema! Eu amo você exatamente como você é! Eu o amo porque você é você. Entendo os profundos anelos do seu coração e tudo a seu respeito. Eu conheço o ritmo de cada batida cardÃaca sua, a sua pressão sanguÃnea, o som do pulsar e latejar de cada batida. Tudo isso encontra-se nas Minhas mãos, sob os Meus cuidados.
Não se preocupe, pois assim como o ajudei a transpor águas profundas na sua vida, Eu o ajudarei a transpor esses problemas momentâneos que está enfrentando, e o guiarei a um plano mais alto. Eu o conheço, o amo e Me importo com você, e nunca deixarei de sustentá-lo. Eu o amo de eternidade a eternidade.
Depender do Senhor
“O Senhor é justo em todos os seus planos e mostra o seu amor fiel em tudo que faz. Ele se aproxima de todos os que pedem a sua ajuda, que clamam por Ele com um coração sincero.”—Salmo 145:17–18[5]
Viver dependendo de Mim é uma aventura gloriosa. A maioria das pessoas corre de um lado para o outro ocupada, tentando realizar coisas através de sua própria força e capacidade. Alguns têm grande êxito; outras fracassam imensamente. Mas ambos os grupos não entende de que se trata a vida: viver e trabalhar em parceria Comigo.
Quando você depende de Mim continuamente, toda a sua perspectiva muda. Você vê milagres acontecendo por todas partes, enquanto outros veem apenas as ocorrências naturais e “coincidências.” Você começa cada dia com uma alegre expectativa, esperando para ver o que vou fazer. Você aceita fraqueza como um presente da Minha parte, sabendo que o Meu poder se liga mais prontamente à fraqueza consagrada. Você mantém seus planos como tentativas, sabendo que Meus planos são muito superiores. Você conscientemente vive, move e conecta seu ser a Mim, desejando que E viva em você. Eu em você e você em Mim. Esta é a aventura Ãntima que lhe ofereço.
Eu o tenho amado com um amor eterno. Antes do começo dos tempos, já o conhecia. Por anos você nadou num mar sem sentido, buscando amor, esperando encontrar amor. E durante todo este tempo Eu buscava você, ansiando envolver você num abraço em Meus braços compassivos.
Quando for a hora certa, Eu Me revelarei a você. Eu o tirarei deste mar de desespero e o colocarei sobre um alicerce firme. Você à s vezes se sentia despido—exposto perante a luz reveladora da Minha presença. Eu o envolvia em um manto de arminho: Meu manto de justiça. Eu cantei uma canção de amor para você, cujo começo e fim são velados na eternidade. Eu infundi significado na sua mente e harmonia em seu coração.
Junte-se a Mim cantando a Minha canção. Juntos tiraremos os outros da escuridão e os levaremos para a Minha maravilhosa luz.[6]
Seu coração, Meu templo
“Pois vocês são o templo de Deus, a casa do Deus vivo, e Deus disse a respeito de vocês: ‘Eu morarei neles e andarei entre eles; serei seu Deus e eles serão meu povo.’”—2 CorÃntios 6:16[7]
Esteja você onde estiver, pode fazer um pequeno templo no seu coração e entrar ali. Quando estiver nas câmaras tranquilas, tomando tempo Comigo, afastando-se de tudo o que o cerca e entrar no templo, Eu sussurrarei nos seus ouvidos e falarei com você. No princÃpio pode ser apenas uma sensação da Minha voz ou uma orientação, em vez de palavras especÃficas. Eu talvez apenas lhe dê a paz que precisa. Talvez seja apenas um pequeno sussurro para consolar o seu coração.
À medida que toma este tempo Comigo, vindo a Mim em fé, acreditando que estou aqui, que entro com você nos aposentos secretos e tranquilos do seu coração, você vai Me ouvir falar ao seu coração. Seus ouvidos espirituais ficarão sintonizados para ouvirem a Minha voz. É como um músico aprendendo a afinar um violão. Os músicos têm que sintonizar e concentrar para poderem perceber que cordas estão desafinadas, quais precisam ser apertadas ou afrouxadas. Mas depois de um tempo passa a ser automático para eles. E assim é com aprender a Me ouvir e Me escutar.
Venha regularmente, entre nos aposentos tranquilos do seu coração, e sintonize-se para ouvir a Minha voz. Apenas entre silenciosamente no templo, o lugar secreto de seu coração que foi criado para Mim. Entre sossegadamente e espere ali até a Minha perfeita paz preencher o seu coração. Espere ali até sentir a Minha perfeita paz e o Meu consolo satisfazendo seus anelos. Ouça os Meus sussurros, e Me receba.
Publicado no Âncora em outubro de 2015.
[1] NVI.
[2] Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Thomas Nelson, 2009).
[3] NVI.
[4] 2 CorÃntios 12:9.
[5] BÃblia Viva.
[6] Sarah Young, Jesus Calling (Thomas Nelson, 2010).
[7] BÃblia Viva.
Celebrating His Unique Plan
A compilation
Link
Audio length: 10:15
Download Audio (9.3MB)
In his address to the Athenian philosophers the apostle Paul made a definitive statement about God's plan for the ages: “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”1
Paul says that every race and culture was present in God's mind before He created them and gave them their territories on earth. God positioned each of us in a particular race, and yet Paul reminds us that not just as part of our race but as an individual, He is not far from any one of us. This assurance that God planned the very core of my personality, that I was purposefully born and fashioned according to God's plan, and that He is near me wherever I am is reason to celebrate the way He has, to use the colloquial, "wired me." It is easy in a vast world with a diversity of giftedness to forget that God has a personal concern in my life.
I often think of the context into which John Wesley was born.
He was one of nineteen children. His mother, Susannah, was herself the twenty-fifth child of her mother. How does one who is number twenty-five and brings forth nineteen more find the answer to individuality? Yet she was determined from the time she was a young mother that every child would have his or her time alone with her. She laid a plan and followed that plan. It was no accident that as a child, young John had learned that he was important as an individual. On the day that his heart was turned toward his call, that very morning, he opened his Bible and read: “You are not far from the kingdom.” One life ... not far from the kingdom. He recognized his inheritance as an individual and as a son of the King and opened his heart to all that God had for him….
To believe that He has made you uniquely, debilitated or not, and with a distinctive touch, is to celebrate the uniqueness of every individual life. In the vastness of God's creation, your birth and your reach is something unique. With the psalmist we may personalize it and say, “What is there in me that you take notice of me?”2 But again with the psalmist we can also say, “You knit me together in my mother's womb.... I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”3—Ravi Zacharias4
The power of one
We know that, as individuals, God knows everything about us. He knows our frame. He knows what we’re capable of. He knows our gifts, talents, weaknesses, and strengths. And despite whatever we might think of ourselves or our lacks, He picked us for His team! He is certain that, with His power, we have what it takes to fulfill the role that He wants us to play.
When we look at ourselves through God’s perspective, it causes us to have godly respect for ourselves. As God’s children, we’re valuable. As Christians, we are His representatives, the bearers of His truth and message. That makes us pretty important! So don’t belittle yourself or talk yourself out of faith to do what He is asking you to do. You’re made in God’s image. You’re saved. God loves you so much that He let His Son die for you, so you must be awfully important. You are completely and perfectly loved by God. You have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. That’s an awesome thing!
The true value in the “power of one” is the power of the One who created us, redeemed us, and now asks us to glorify Him with our lives.
God made each of us unique. There is no one else in the whole world that is just like you, with exactly the same experiences, knowledge, interests, or abilities as you. The Lord made you to be you. God intended for you to discover the natural talents and abilities that He gifted you with, to hone them, and to use them for your personal good and happiness, as well as to contribute to the good and happiness of others.
Each of us, as Christians, is called by God to bear lasting fruit. That means that each of us has something good and beneficial to bring to the table. Our natural gifts and talents, the way God made us, can be used by Him to first bear fruit within our own life journey, and second, to bear fruit in connecting others with Him.
When a person’s heart and life are changed upon coming to know and accept Jesus, they in turn are called, as His follower, to share the good news of salvation with others. It follows logically that God wants to use our unique talents, skills, and strengths to some extent in the mission of changing the world.
We can each contribute to the change needed in our world through living our lives as a reflection of Jesus, through letting the Holy Spirit shine through us, and through sharing the gospel with others. We each have the power to positively affect people’s lives, but in order to do so, we need to intentionally use our gifts and talents, even our personalities, together with our time and effort, for God’s glory.
God wants to use you and your gifts as a unique expression of His love to humanity.
When you give yourself to God, He makes you a new creation. But He wants you to still be you—just what He envisioned when He created you. He doesn’t discard or change the raw talent that He put within you when He created you. As C. S. Lewis said, “The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become—because He made us.”
God made all types of people, and there isn’t one “type” of person that is most effective in making a difference in the world in the way God calls them. Buckminster Fuller once said:
“Never forget that you are one of a kind. Never forget that if there weren't any need for you in all your uniqueness to be on this earth, you wouldn't be here in the first place. And never forget, no matter how overwhelming life's challenges and problems seem to be, that one person can make a difference in the world. In fact, it is always because of one person that all the changes that matter in the world come about. So be that one person.”
And how much more is this true if you’re working in teamwork with the God of the universe!
We’re sometimes tempted to despair, feeling that there’s not enough time to accomplish what we feel is God’s will in our lives. We’re often impatient and want to get to our goals more quickly. But God is not often in a hurry. We can comfort ourselves with the knowledge that God always gives us enough time to do His will.
God has a part for every one of us to play in building His kingdom on earth. If you feel that there are few opportunities in your life today for service, perhaps you are in a time of preparation.—In God’s workshop, so to speak, where He is fashioning you with the tool of patience, as you exhibit faithfulness in the seemingly small, mundane things of life. If you feel that your life has little or no outlet for worthy service, be encouraged by this thought from A. B. Simpson: “God is preparing His heroes. And when the opportunity comes, He can fit them into their places in a moment. And the world will wonder where they came from.”
God is calling you to be part of His grand plan to change the world one heart at a time. And that’s something that each one of us can be part of. When we apply the “power of one,” others will come to know Jesus. And their “power of one” will in turn reach others.—Peter Amsterdam
*
I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.—Helen Keller5
Published on Anchor November 2015. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso.
1 Acts 17:26–27 NIV.
2 See Psalm 8:4.
3 Psalm 139:13–14 NIV.
4 Recapture the Wonder (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005).
5 Often attributed to Helen Keller, but the author may be Edward Everertt Hale.
Link
Audio length: 10:15
Download Audio (9.3MB)
In his address to the Athenian philosophers the apostle Paul made a definitive statement about God's plan for the ages: “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”1
Paul says that every race and culture was present in God's mind before He created them and gave them their territories on earth. God positioned each of us in a particular race, and yet Paul reminds us that not just as part of our race but as an individual, He is not far from any one of us. This assurance that God planned the very core of my personality, that I was purposefully born and fashioned according to God's plan, and that He is near me wherever I am is reason to celebrate the way He has, to use the colloquial, "wired me." It is easy in a vast world with a diversity of giftedness to forget that God has a personal concern in my life.
I often think of the context into which John Wesley was born.
He was one of nineteen children. His mother, Susannah, was herself the twenty-fifth child of her mother. How does one who is number twenty-five and brings forth nineteen more find the answer to individuality? Yet she was determined from the time she was a young mother that every child would have his or her time alone with her. She laid a plan and followed that plan. It was no accident that as a child, young John had learned that he was important as an individual. On the day that his heart was turned toward his call, that very morning, he opened his Bible and read: “You are not far from the kingdom.” One life ... not far from the kingdom. He recognized his inheritance as an individual and as a son of the King and opened his heart to all that God had for him….
To believe that He has made you uniquely, debilitated or not, and with a distinctive touch, is to celebrate the uniqueness of every individual life. In the vastness of God's creation, your birth and your reach is something unique. With the psalmist we may personalize it and say, “What is there in me that you take notice of me?”2 But again with the psalmist we can also say, “You knit me together in my mother's womb.... I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”3—Ravi Zacharias4
The power of one
We know that, as individuals, God knows everything about us. He knows our frame. He knows what we’re capable of. He knows our gifts, talents, weaknesses, and strengths. And despite whatever we might think of ourselves or our lacks, He picked us for His team! He is certain that, with His power, we have what it takes to fulfill the role that He wants us to play.
When we look at ourselves through God’s perspective, it causes us to have godly respect for ourselves. As God’s children, we’re valuable. As Christians, we are His representatives, the bearers of His truth and message. That makes us pretty important! So don’t belittle yourself or talk yourself out of faith to do what He is asking you to do. You’re made in God’s image. You’re saved. God loves you so much that He let His Son die for you, so you must be awfully important. You are completely and perfectly loved by God. You have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. That’s an awesome thing!
The true value in the “power of one” is the power of the One who created us, redeemed us, and now asks us to glorify Him with our lives.
God made each of us unique. There is no one else in the whole world that is just like you, with exactly the same experiences, knowledge, interests, or abilities as you. The Lord made you to be you. God intended for you to discover the natural talents and abilities that He gifted you with, to hone them, and to use them for your personal good and happiness, as well as to contribute to the good and happiness of others.
Each of us, as Christians, is called by God to bear lasting fruit. That means that each of us has something good and beneficial to bring to the table. Our natural gifts and talents, the way God made us, can be used by Him to first bear fruit within our own life journey, and second, to bear fruit in connecting others with Him.
When a person’s heart and life are changed upon coming to know and accept Jesus, they in turn are called, as His follower, to share the good news of salvation with others. It follows logically that God wants to use our unique talents, skills, and strengths to some extent in the mission of changing the world.
We can each contribute to the change needed in our world through living our lives as a reflection of Jesus, through letting the Holy Spirit shine through us, and through sharing the gospel with others. We each have the power to positively affect people’s lives, but in order to do so, we need to intentionally use our gifts and talents, even our personalities, together with our time and effort, for God’s glory.
God wants to use you and your gifts as a unique expression of His love to humanity.
When you give yourself to God, He makes you a new creation. But He wants you to still be you—just what He envisioned when He created you. He doesn’t discard or change the raw talent that He put within you when He created you. As C. S. Lewis said, “The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become—because He made us.”
God made all types of people, and there isn’t one “type” of person that is most effective in making a difference in the world in the way God calls them. Buckminster Fuller once said:
“Never forget that you are one of a kind. Never forget that if there weren't any need for you in all your uniqueness to be on this earth, you wouldn't be here in the first place. And never forget, no matter how overwhelming life's challenges and problems seem to be, that one person can make a difference in the world. In fact, it is always because of one person that all the changes that matter in the world come about. So be that one person.”
And how much more is this true if you’re working in teamwork with the God of the universe!
We’re sometimes tempted to despair, feeling that there’s not enough time to accomplish what we feel is God’s will in our lives. We’re often impatient and want to get to our goals more quickly. But God is not often in a hurry. We can comfort ourselves with the knowledge that God always gives us enough time to do His will.
God has a part for every one of us to play in building His kingdom on earth. If you feel that there are few opportunities in your life today for service, perhaps you are in a time of preparation.—In God’s workshop, so to speak, where He is fashioning you with the tool of patience, as you exhibit faithfulness in the seemingly small, mundane things of life. If you feel that your life has little or no outlet for worthy service, be encouraged by this thought from A. B. Simpson: “God is preparing His heroes. And when the opportunity comes, He can fit them into their places in a moment. And the world will wonder where they came from.”
God is calling you to be part of His grand plan to change the world one heart at a time. And that’s something that each one of us can be part of. When we apply the “power of one,” others will come to know Jesus. And their “power of one” will in turn reach others.—Peter Amsterdam
*
I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.—Helen Keller5
Published on Anchor November 2015. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso.
1 Acts 17:26–27 NIV.
2 See Psalm 8:4.
3 Psalm 139:13–14 NIV.
4 Recapture the Wonder (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005).
5 Often attributed to Helen Keller, but the author may be Edward Everertt Hale.
Monday, November 9, 2015
In Protesting Against Israel, Youth in Gaza Also Defy Hamas
By Diaa Hadid and Majd Al Waheidi, NY Times, Nov. 6, 2015
El BUREIJ, Gaza Strip–The Palestinian youths huddled in the prohibited zone along the fence separating Gaza from Israel on Friday, cloaked by thick smoke pluming from flaming tires as they hurled rocks at Israeli jeeps. A tear gas canister came thudding down over their heads, and one teenager dashed over to pick it up and throw it into a puddle on a rainy afternoon.
This is the new normal in Gaza, where nearly every day since early October hundreds of youths have staged a demonstration of defiance against Israel by rushing the Gaza security fence en masse, and sometimes crossing it, to show solidarity with Palestinians under fire in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
“We want to send a message to the Israelis that we exist,” said Suheil, 24, who like most of the demonstrators requested that his family name be kept secret to avoid reprisal. “I feel like I’m in solidarity with our brothers in Jerusalem and the West Bank.”
But the demonstrations are also in defiance of the Islamist group Hamas, which governs Gaza and is trying to keep the battered territory out of trouble with Israel, even as the group’s leaders urge Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up.
At least 15 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza fence demonstrations, including a 23-year-old killed on Friday, according to Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesman for the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza.
At two separate demonstrations on Friday, one on the outskirts of Gaza City, another on the outskirts of El Bureij, a refugee camp in central Gaza, a few demonstrators tried to dash across the fence into Israel.
Most others, though, hurled rocks in the direction of military jeeps, or just sat on nearby mounds to watch. One was Muhanad, an 18-year-old who said he was staying put after he tried to rush the fence at an earlier demonstration, but ran away when an Israeli jeep opened fire in his direction. “I even forgot my flip-flops there,” he said.
Nearby, the rat-a-tat of live fire echoed, and an ambulance siren blared as a wounded demonstrator was rushed out. A small boy pretended that he, too, was injured. He collapsed on the ground and two others carried him away, giggling. Within minutes though, dozens of boys rushed away for real as Israel forces peppered the area with tear gas.
In all, 72 Palestinians have been killed since a spate of protests, stabbings and vehicular attacks erupted in October in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Palestinians have killed 10 Israelis in that period, and some of the Palestinian deaths have come during such attacks or attempted attacks. Many Palestinians, however, question whether some of the reported attacks actually occurred, and say Israel has used excessive force.
On Friday, one of those killed by Israeli soldiers was a 72-year-old Palestinian woman, Tharwat al-Sharawi, who was shot in Halhoul, a town in the southern West Bank. An Israeli military spokeswoman said Ms. Sharawi’s vehicle sped up to head directly at a group of soldiers, who jumped out of the way and shot her.
Palestinian news media quoted her son Ayoub as saying that his mother had stopped to get gasoline when the soldiers inexplicably opened fire. He said his father had been shot dead by Israeli forces during the first intifada in 1988.
In nearby Hebron, a gunman opened fire on Israelis near a shrine holy to Jews and Muslims, wounding two; the attacker fled, according to news media reports. Another suspected Palestinian attacker was reported to have shot a 19-year-old near Hebron and then fled. And in an industrial area, an Israeli was stabbed and wounded, supposedly by a Palestinian.
While the trigger for demonstrations was Palestinian fears over the fate of a holy site in Jerusalem, a rapidly growing discontent with their political leaders and Israel’s continued military occupation appear to be at its core.
Gaza’s demonstrations were first called by a group of activists who have long resisted Hamas’ heavy-handed rule. One activist, Fadi Alsheikh-Yousef, 28, said they were trying to organize peaceful activities, too, like demonstrating outside United Nations offices in Gaza, demanding that the group intervene. “We need to engage with people’s humanity,” he said.
Some of the protesters said they had also participated in rare demonstrations in September against Hamas over intensified outages of electricity and water. “There’s a huge amount of frustration and depression inside me,” said one, Hamada, 23, who is unemployed. “I want to be involved in all demonstrations against oppression and occupation.”
But the mass rushes to the Gaza security fence–where Hamas forces patrol along a dirt road on one side, and Israeli soldiers patrol the other–have swept up an unusually broad swath of young Palestinians.
Early on, Hamas forces set up checkpoints to bar demonstrators from reaching the border area, said about a dozen protesters interviewed separately. The protesters would rush past, and some were beaten up.
More recently, Hamas security forces appear to wear civilian clothes and mingle with the protesters, ensuring nobody is carrying weapons–much like their rival Palestinian security counterparts in the West Bank whom they have harshly criticized.
Taher Nunu, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said they could not allow any violence from the territory against Israel because they had agreed to a truce that ended last summer’s devastating war. “That’s a political and sovereign issue, and we are abiding by that,” Mr. Nunu said.
So far, Hamas is gambling on hopes that Palestinians in the West Bank will keep the uprising going without active support from Gaza. They expect that a continuing conflict will fray support for the security coordination conducted between Israel and the West Bank security forces of the Palestinian Authority, used chiefly to crack down on Hamas loyalists in that territory.
Akram Attallah, a writer with the Palestinian newspaper Al Ayyam, said Hamas was in a difficult position. The group looks as if it is betraying its own militant words by trying to stop protests, but if it participated, it would invite a harsh Israeli response.
“They know that Gaza needs reconstruction, not destruction. Gaza is still emerging from a war,” he said, referring to last summer’s war, the third in 10 years.
Adding to their misery, most of Gaza’s Palestinians are effectively locked into the tiny coastal territory, since few are allowed to leave through Israel, and Egypt has only briefly opened its border crossing this year. The United Nations estimated that some 80 percent of Gaza’s 1.8 million Palestinians relied on international assistance to survive.
Hamas’ cautious approach, so far, appears supported by most of Gaza’s residents, like Hamada Isdoudi, a car parts salesman, and his customer Ahmad.
“Of course I care about what’s happening,” Ahmad, 21, said on a recent day, as he checked out parts of a rusty yellow car in a dusty spare parts shop just a few hundred feet where the demonstrations took place. “I watch it on television.”
“All of the West Bank can burn!” shouted Mr. Isdoudi, 25, in response.
“We gave the cause our martyrs,” Ahmad said. “They should fight now too,” he said of Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
“They are part of us; we are the same people,” said a shopkeeper, Hani Hilis, 39, standing nearby. “We share the same destiny,” he added. But what could he do? His home was damaged in the last war and still was not repaired. He barely eked out a living for his six children, he said.
“We have swallowed so much suffering,” he said, sighing.
El BUREIJ, Gaza Strip–The Palestinian youths huddled in the prohibited zone along the fence separating Gaza from Israel on Friday, cloaked by thick smoke pluming from flaming tires as they hurled rocks at Israeli jeeps. A tear gas canister came thudding down over their heads, and one teenager dashed over to pick it up and throw it into a puddle on a rainy afternoon.
This is the new normal in Gaza, where nearly every day since early October hundreds of youths have staged a demonstration of defiance against Israel by rushing the Gaza security fence en masse, and sometimes crossing it, to show solidarity with Palestinians under fire in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
“We want to send a message to the Israelis that we exist,” said Suheil, 24, who like most of the demonstrators requested that his family name be kept secret to avoid reprisal. “I feel like I’m in solidarity with our brothers in Jerusalem and the West Bank.”
But the demonstrations are also in defiance of the Islamist group Hamas, which governs Gaza and is trying to keep the battered territory out of trouble with Israel, even as the group’s leaders urge Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up.
At least 15 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza fence demonstrations, including a 23-year-old killed on Friday, according to Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesman for the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza.
At two separate demonstrations on Friday, one on the outskirts of Gaza City, another on the outskirts of El Bureij, a refugee camp in central Gaza, a few demonstrators tried to dash across the fence into Israel.
Most others, though, hurled rocks in the direction of military jeeps, or just sat on nearby mounds to watch. One was Muhanad, an 18-year-old who said he was staying put after he tried to rush the fence at an earlier demonstration, but ran away when an Israeli jeep opened fire in his direction. “I even forgot my flip-flops there,” he said.
Nearby, the rat-a-tat of live fire echoed, and an ambulance siren blared as a wounded demonstrator was rushed out. A small boy pretended that he, too, was injured. He collapsed on the ground and two others carried him away, giggling. Within minutes though, dozens of boys rushed away for real as Israel forces peppered the area with tear gas.
In all, 72 Palestinians have been killed since a spate of protests, stabbings and vehicular attacks erupted in October in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Palestinians have killed 10 Israelis in that period, and some of the Palestinian deaths have come during such attacks or attempted attacks. Many Palestinians, however, question whether some of the reported attacks actually occurred, and say Israel has used excessive force.
On Friday, one of those killed by Israeli soldiers was a 72-year-old Palestinian woman, Tharwat al-Sharawi, who was shot in Halhoul, a town in the southern West Bank. An Israeli military spokeswoman said Ms. Sharawi’s vehicle sped up to head directly at a group of soldiers, who jumped out of the way and shot her.
Palestinian news media quoted her son Ayoub as saying that his mother had stopped to get gasoline when the soldiers inexplicably opened fire. He said his father had been shot dead by Israeli forces during the first intifada in 1988.
In nearby Hebron, a gunman opened fire on Israelis near a shrine holy to Jews and Muslims, wounding two; the attacker fled, according to news media reports. Another suspected Palestinian attacker was reported to have shot a 19-year-old near Hebron and then fled. And in an industrial area, an Israeli was stabbed and wounded, supposedly by a Palestinian.
While the trigger for demonstrations was Palestinian fears over the fate of a holy site in Jerusalem, a rapidly growing discontent with their political leaders and Israel’s continued military occupation appear to be at its core.
Gaza’s demonstrations were first called by a group of activists who have long resisted Hamas’ heavy-handed rule. One activist, Fadi Alsheikh-Yousef, 28, said they were trying to organize peaceful activities, too, like demonstrating outside United Nations offices in Gaza, demanding that the group intervene. “We need to engage with people’s humanity,” he said.
Some of the protesters said they had also participated in rare demonstrations in September against Hamas over intensified outages of electricity and water. “There’s a huge amount of frustration and depression inside me,” said one, Hamada, 23, who is unemployed. “I want to be involved in all demonstrations against oppression and occupation.”
But the mass rushes to the Gaza security fence–where Hamas forces patrol along a dirt road on one side, and Israeli soldiers patrol the other–have swept up an unusually broad swath of young Palestinians.
Early on, Hamas forces set up checkpoints to bar demonstrators from reaching the border area, said about a dozen protesters interviewed separately. The protesters would rush past, and some were beaten up.
More recently, Hamas security forces appear to wear civilian clothes and mingle with the protesters, ensuring nobody is carrying weapons–much like their rival Palestinian security counterparts in the West Bank whom they have harshly criticized.
Taher Nunu, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said they could not allow any violence from the territory against Israel because they had agreed to a truce that ended last summer’s devastating war. “That’s a political and sovereign issue, and we are abiding by that,” Mr. Nunu said.
So far, Hamas is gambling on hopes that Palestinians in the West Bank will keep the uprising going without active support from Gaza. They expect that a continuing conflict will fray support for the security coordination conducted between Israel and the West Bank security forces of the Palestinian Authority, used chiefly to crack down on Hamas loyalists in that territory.
Akram Attallah, a writer with the Palestinian newspaper Al Ayyam, said Hamas was in a difficult position. The group looks as if it is betraying its own militant words by trying to stop protests, but if it participated, it would invite a harsh Israeli response.
“They know that Gaza needs reconstruction, not destruction. Gaza is still emerging from a war,” he said, referring to last summer’s war, the third in 10 years.
Adding to their misery, most of Gaza’s Palestinians are effectively locked into the tiny coastal territory, since few are allowed to leave through Israel, and Egypt has only briefly opened its border crossing this year. The United Nations estimated that some 80 percent of Gaza’s 1.8 million Palestinians relied on international assistance to survive.
Hamas’ cautious approach, so far, appears supported by most of Gaza’s residents, like Hamada Isdoudi, a car parts salesman, and his customer Ahmad.
“Of course I care about what’s happening,” Ahmad, 21, said on a recent day, as he checked out parts of a rusty yellow car in a dusty spare parts shop just a few hundred feet where the demonstrations took place. “I watch it on television.”
“All of the West Bank can burn!” shouted Mr. Isdoudi, 25, in response.
“We gave the cause our martyrs,” Ahmad said. “They should fight now too,” he said of Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
“They are part of us; we are the same people,” said a shopkeeper, Hani Hilis, 39, standing nearby. “We share the same destiny,” he added. But what could he do? His home was damaged in the last war and still was not repaired. He barely eked out a living for his six children, he said.
“We have swallowed so much suffering,” he said, sighing.
