Day 322 Swords of Iron – “Encouragement”
Chaim starts out by mentioning the Hezbollah strike on an IDF base near Mount Meron. He says that they’re really pushing for a big war, but they didn’t manage to do any serious damage to the base. Meanwhile, the IDF managed to demolish some very important terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, including tunnels in Rafah that were full of weapons and explosives.
At the same time, there was an attack on a unit very close to where Chaim was over the weekend, but he didn’t get hit. The USS Abraham Lincoln has arrived in the waters of the Middle East and stands ready to assist Israel in any conflict with Iran and/or Hezbollah. Chaim says he’s encouraged by this show of support, and he’s also encouraged to see that over 200 American Jews made Aliyah in the last few days, arriving at Ben Gurion airport despite all the trouble in this country.
Several hundred more American Jews are scheduled to arrive in the next few weeks and the Aliyah Return Center is ready to assist them, along with other groups of new immigrants coming from other countries.
Amidst all this good news and bad news, Chaim is reminded of Psalms 138:1-3; I will praise You with my whole heart; before the gods I will sing praises to You. I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.
Chaim says that this verse speaks to the current situation, where Israel is under attack by people worshipping false gods and we must praise the true God for defending us and by extension defending His own reputation.
Next he mentions that Aaron Shust, an old friend, came to his base on the Gaza border to raise morale and let the soldiers know they’re not forgotten. Aaron says that it’s important to support Israel not just in rhetoric or even with money, but with prayer because prayer matters and prayer changes things.
Chaim says that many in Israel feel like the whole world is against them, and he asks Aaron if he’s the only one who is still standing with Israel. Aaron replies that he prays he’s not the only one, and he urges viewers to speak up and speak love to Israel. Even if they don’t understand all the political intricacies and all the issues, at least make it clear that they love the people who are affected by this war.
Chaim says that he’s been serving in the IDF almost continuously for the 11 months of this war and he knows there’s no quick fix, there’s no easy solution to this problem but that in order to be a good shepherd he has to be in it for the long haul, not being slack and not allowing hardships to stop him from protecting the flock.
In that context, he turns to Aaron and says he wants to thank him and by extension the people of the United States for standing with Israel despite all the political turmoil and problems in both countries.
