America can ill afford to turn its back on the nation of Israel

America can ill afford to turn its back on the nation of Israel

Last month, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel spoke to Congress and, by extension, the American people. We heard his words, but our historical ignorance and our political bias largely kept us from hearing the message. I believe God was speaking but we just weren’t listening.

Netanyahu spoke to us on the eve of Purim. He referenced the book of Esther. Beyond sound bites, when I read the transcript of the speech, I perceived a still small voice. Mordechai was once again saying to Esther, “for such a time as this.”

Six years plus into our “transformation,” the nation that had the moral clarity to fight a civil war over slavery and to bring an end to both world wars, is publicly creating distance and may be about to turn its back on the nation Israel. What are our leaders doing in our name?

This is above politics. Have we forgotten that God blesses those who bless Israel and He makes war on those who conspire harm? How transformed do we want to be?

The choice is ours; the American people usually get what they want. Unfortunately, in the last 50 years we’ve managed to choose death over life, exonerated gross immorality in the highest of places and, along the way, imagined at least 50 shades of gray between the right and wrong in almost every cultural situation.

It’s not likely that we would all of a sudden choose wisely, but one can hope. I don’t think it’s too late for praying, but my fear says, too late may well be nearer than we think.

Kirk Kasten, Berlin Center