Joel Of Jerusalem Jun/Jul 1976
Here in Israel the situation is very stressed. The Arabs want to show themselves strong against us. They have much people, and it is nothing for them to have a million killed. For us it is not so. Everyday the same question is asked, with great stress and fear, “What will happen?” But I do not fear them, even though they are so many more than us. My heart is quiet, and I want to give this same feeling to those who are going in darkness.
I was away from work a day, and when I returned my foreman asked, “What happened to you?” I told him it was good to have a rest. He was very upset, not because I had not been to work, but it was a good occasion to attack me! I told him not to be so nervous, it was not good for him. I told him I wanted to be his good friend.
I said, “God created you the same as me. We have the same God and He loves us both. Why are you so nervous? Are you sick?” He told me he has children who make much trouble for him.
I told him, “I have four children, and they are not angels, but I have something you don’t have. I have peace in my heart. You can only have this peace when you come to the Lord and say, ‘Oh Lord, forgive my sin and give me peace in my heart’. The Lord is a merciful God, and He will answer your prayer if you will pray to Him with all your heart.” He told me he prays, and I said, “Yes, you pray. But there are also people who pray everyday, standard prayers from a book, but not from the heart. There is a big difference.”
I told him our lives will be what they are, we cannot change them. Our fathers were also this way. It is more of a tradition than a religion which we have. I asked him to please take a Bible and read it. I told him not to ask the rabbi, but to ask God what he cannot understand. He said, ‘”How can I ask God? Is He my friend, or my teacher?”
I said, “No, He is more. He is our Father, and what father will not do for his children? We can pray in every language to our Father in heaven. He hears and understands.”
After this he was quiet. He said, “I must study the Bible more, and we will have more interesting conversations. Time will show us what is to be.”
God bless you!
