All posts tagged: Jerusalem

Still Small Voice – War, Day 10 / October 16th 2023

Dear Friends who love Israel and pray: 5084, we were cautioned, would be a year of shock and amazement. This is an Israeli reality as of last Shabbat Oct 7th, when Israel was attacked and the south was overrun from 6:30 a.m. onwards. 1,300 Israelis were confirmed slaughtered. Hamas is trying now to distance itself from atrocities being discovered by soldiers in the south. This slaughter hearkens back to the Holocaust. “Greater love has no man, than he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 “These are the days of depravity by Hamas against Israeli civilians in the most unimaginable way.” Anthony Blinken USA Secretary of State, USA For any Israeli, it is a time of emotional whiplash. One minute we are praying and beseeching heaven, the next we are crying anxiously, feeling alone. We struggle to rest, then fall into an exhausted sleep. Yes, we continue praising through our tears, not speaking of the tragedies, and working to encourage family and friends on the ground in Israel. We all work to harness …

Still Small Voice – 13 Sivan 5783 – June 3rd 2023

Published by Dr. Meridel Rawlings

Dear Friends: Thank you for your many responses this week. I promise to answer each one. All over Israel at this time, beautiful jacaranda trees are in full dress, covered with their large bunches of purple blooms. We have two of these great shade trees in our garden. See the cover photo. My desire in this edition of Still Small Voice is to bring you into our world for the purpose of prayer corresponding to the Father’s heart for needed change. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through, [that is separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged – consecrated to Him – set apart for His purpose]; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and blameless at the coming of Messiah.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Intense Turmoil: All week, the skies over Jerusalem have been filled with turmoil and the incessant thunderous roar of jets as they soar high overhead out of sight night and day. We are on high …

Still Small Voice – May 22nd, 2023

Published by Dr. Meridel Rawlings

Dear Friends: These are serious days. After my husband read this letter, he looked up at me and said, “I hear the sound of warning coming from a prophet.” Yes, it’s tough stuff. But if Christians believe, to the Jew first, as Paul taught, then why will this principal of Divine Authority not also visit us? And let’s face it; just look at the times the nations are living through. Are we all getting the message? Father God is looking for His own. Can we still pray, keep a good spirit and look up for our Redemption? “Say, therefore, to the Israelite people: ‘I am God. I will free you from the labors of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary chastisements.’” Exodus 6:6 Hebrew Bible Extraordinary Chastisements: What do you think? Do the 1,500 missiles that hit Israel this past week, ( some fell near our home), qualify as extraordinary chastisement? Is the hatred against Israel fomented in the UN, choosing to …

Still Small Voice – 21st Iyar 5783, May 12th 2023

Published by Dr. Meridel Rawlings

Dear Friends: It is guaranteed; there is never a dull moment in Israel! Yesterday, we celebrated the covenant – brit or circumcision of our youngest family member, Gabriel Victor. Gabriel means ‘Messenger of God’. The angel Gabriel came to the prophet Daniel to show him what must come to pass in the End Days, and appears again to Miriam – Mary announcing the favor upon her to give birth to the coming Messiah. ‘Victor’ is one of the names of Messiah. Daniel and Shelly’s second son is named after his Great Grandfather Victor Alloway, a Canadian soldier who fell fighting in Holland for the liberation of Europe. Fifty friends joined us here in our garden, on the outskirts of Jerusalem to celebrate and rejoice over the great goodness of the LORD. We gathered just after 12 noon when large menacing booms filled the atmosphere overhead. They were indicative of Israel’s Iron Dome taking out rockets sent from Gaza, falling within just a few kilometres of us. They were aimed at the world-famous Hadassah Hospital. A …

Still Small Voice – Iyar 7th 5783 / April 29th 2023

Published by Dr. Meridel Rawlings

Dear Friends: News flash: Our 10th grandchild has arrived and the house is full of ‘oohing’ and ‘awing’ by friends and family. The wee one is a beautiful 4-kilo boy with a full head of hair; his proud parents are Dan and Shelly, and he is their second son. Your comments are most appreciated and thank you for praying for Israel and her diverse people at this crucial time. “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15 This is another week of tears in Israel; but this time it is followed with great rejoicing. First, every mother and father in Israel whose children served in the Israel Defence Forces have memories. Our Day of Remembrance for the fallen is a time to listen as families tell the stories of their irreparable losses. 3 of our sons have experienced the military here, and all 3 returned home when some of their buddies did not. When one falls in Israel, we all feel the loss because we are a family nation, despite what it …

Still Small Voice – Easter Sunday / Nisan 18th 5783, April 9th 2023

Published by Dr. Meridel Rawlings

Shalom from Jerusalem dear Friends: Josh drove us to the airport in Athens Greece, David picked us up at Ben Gurion airport in Israel and Daniel and Shelly had the Sabbath candles lit and a feast spread out before us upon arrival home. We are grateful to all four sons who shower us with loving-kindness. Chris up in Helsinki does the same, of course. Jay and I arrived back in Israel Friday night to the intense crush of terror breaking all around. Rockets from Gaza and Lebanon did their best to disturb. A bank was hit and the lead balls and bolts packed into the missiles smashed through the front of the building, destroying computers. A mother and her daughters were shot while driving along the Dead Sea road. The two girls died and the mother is fighting for her life. This very night a car rammed into 7 tourists in Tel Aviv killing one, and injuring the others. This is our reality in Israel today. Today Syria lobbed 6 missiles towards Israel, and 3 …

Still Small Voice – Shevat 5, 5783 / January 27th 2023

Published by Dr. Meridel Rawlings

Good Morning dear Friends: Today is International Holocaust Day. “For now have I chosen and hallowed this house, that my name may be there for ever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.“ 2 Chronicles 7:16 I believe that for our own welfare and the welfare of our children, we must never forget the horrendous time of the Nazis. A terrible precedent of racism was set. The nation of Israel was literally birthed out of those ashes. Two out of every three European Jews perished. Many of us still living have vivid memories of WW2. But sadly, the younger generations are grossly ignorant. That is almost impossible to fathom, I know. It explains the growing curse of anti-Semitism today. I ask for your prayers for the nation of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. Psalm 130 is recited by Jewish people publicly and privately in times of crisis and need. It is believed to have been the most recited Psalm by Jews in the Holocaust. I invite you to join us here …

Still Small Voice – August 21st 2022

Published by Dr. Meridel Rawlings

Hello Friends; Let’s have a cup of coffee together. You might be very interested in what this doctor has to say about coffee. Summer comes to an end this year with many challenges. There is no lack of people, situations or nations to pray for; and pray we must. “May God arise, and His enemies be scattered. He is Abba-father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, our God who heals the sick. He sets the lonely in families. He leads the prisoners with singing, Praise be to the LORD, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves.” Psalm 68 Yeshua is Hebrew for salvation, in Greek it becomes Iesous, and is translated to English as Jesus. Yeshua is the original name of the One the world knows as Jesus. It literally means, God is salvation, He is here to answer our every prayer. Jesus is the silent listener to every conversation. He will speak when we stop to listen and hear. He understands every sigh, tear …

Still Small Voice – August 15th 2022

Published by Dr. Meridel Rawlings

“For the word of God is living and active and full of power. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person] and both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 I have always loved this scripture, and took great comfort in the knowledge that the medical world is still unable to find the dividing line between one’s bone and bone marrow. Yet, nothing is hidden from the eyes of our great Creator. When He sees us, He does not turn away but has purposed to LOVE us. It’s hard to take in. A historical misnomer: Palestinians have suggested for years now that Jesus was a Palestinian but it is incorrect. Jesus was born in Judea and was identified as a Jew. Indeed, the cross upon which He was crucified was inscribed with INRI – Lesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm – which means, Jesus of Nazareth …

Still Small Voice – August 6th, 9th of Av 2022

Published by Dr. Meridel Rawlings

Shalom Shalom Dear Friends: For He does not afflict willingly from His heart Or grieve the children of men. To trample and crush under His feet All the prisoners of the land, To deprive a man of justice In the presence of the Most High, To defraud a man in his lawsuit – The Lord does not approve these things, Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass? Unless the Lord has authorized and commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High? That both adversity (misfortune) and good proceed? Lamentations 3:33-38. When was the last time you opened the Book of Lamentations? In Hebrew it is simply: Ek! Just like it sounds. Can you hear Jeremiah’s expression of incredulousness? It is read on this day as the saddest in the Jewish calendar. It is Tisha b’Av, the 6th of August 2022. The 9th of Av (in English) has heralded many disasters experienced by the Jewish people, AND let me add the entire world as well. What affects the Jews, …