In What Practical Ways Can You Support Israel?

One of the things we are asked most by our readers is what they can do to help Israel in a practical way in these difficult times. It is easy to perceive a hands-on approach as more effective, and many seem ready to settle for nothing less. But the truth is that not everyone (in fact, very few) can actually move to Israel, pick up a gun, pen, camera, etc and physically join the fight.

The fact of the matter is that this fight is being waged on many fronts, and the small, seemingly insignificant actions you can take from your own home have more of an impact than you realise. First and foremost, those who love and support Israel must keep this nation lifted up in prayer, both for its physical defence and for the hearts of its people to be turned toward the Lord. We often forget the power of prayer, but it is very real.

Besides constant prayer, there are three things Israel and its people most need today.

>> Comfort
Isaiah chapter 40 exhorts those who believe in God’s Word to comfort Jerusalem and the people of Israel. Comfort can come in many ways. Prayer, as mentioned above, is the first and most obvious. If you want to put your face on your act of comfort, visiting Israel can greatly encourage lsraelites who feel very alone in the world. Another way to bring comfort is to boost local businesses. This is particularly true as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement continues to grow worldwide.

It’s a fact that a great many small businesses today rely on Israel’s Christian supporters to keep afloat. That people from other nations would choose to buy from them when they could get similar products in their home countries is not only a source of financial support, but touches the hearts of these Israelites in a way that provides tremendous emotional comfort.

>> Defense
Taking a public stand for Israel also provides comfort to Israelites, many of whom, again, feel all alone in the world. It also fulfils the biblical injunction contained in Isaiah chapter 62 to speak out on Israel’s behalf. Such advocacy can take many forms. You can publish your own thoughts online, confront those in your community who attack Israel or the Jews, write to your leaders demanding more balanced policies, or get behind those organisations and publications that are on the front lines of the media war.

Some might say that their personal letter to a government representative will have no effect, so why bother. But it’s not always about making a big splash.

Many Christians did not take a public stand against the Holocaust because how could their one tiny voice have made a difference? But look today at how appreciative the Jewish nation is of those few Christians who did take a stand, and how these “Righteous Among the Nations” have been able to witness the true love of Messiah to the very heart of Israel.

We must all be content with the little we can do, and trust that the Lord will use these little efforts to effect larger change.

Of course, taking an effective stand, even on a small scale, starts with being properly informed. The enemy knows this all too well, and so it’s no surprise that as relatively small as the Israeli-Arab conflict is, it attracts an enormously disproportionate amount of media coverage. In this way are the waters muddied and far too many Christians led astray in their thinking about Israel and God’s continued purposes for her. Nothing is going to bring this dark chapter to an end faster than the broad acceptance of their Messiah by a spiritually-hungry Israel.

You love Israel and you want to support Israel. But perhaps you are unaware of the many practical ways in which you can do so, even at this very moment.

If you are able to visit, there are millions of Israelites who would be happy to welcome you. But even if you can't come to Israel, don't underestimate the power of your quiet prayers and your small purchases to change the lives of people here and impact the battle in which we are all engaged.

Ryan Jones, Editor of Israel Today

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