Author: Hannah Kramer

Interceding with Compassion

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“And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him” Isaiah 59:16

I returned from a two-day youth conference Saturday night. It was such a special time, getting to see people I haven’t seen in a while, as well as meet teens from all over the country.

The theme of the conference was “transparency”, a subject which concerns all of us, but which was particularly applicable to the youth. The speakers exhorted them to be transparent in their walk with the Lord Yeshua, to reflect the light of the Lord and be honest in their spiritual life – with God and others.

As counsellors we noticed that there is an increase in the boldness the teenagers and soldiers have, in sharing their faith. They are not ashamed of what they believe in and actively share their faith with others, knowing well the price they could pay (and some do) for doing so. As some increase in boldness, others still remain hesitant.

Reflecting later on the events of the first day, the verses in Jude 22-23 came to mind: “And have mercy on some, who are doubting, save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh”. While there are many who are bold and courageous in their faith, as counsellors we always emphasize that there are others who need to be pulled out of danger, like a girl I talked to who had a non-believing boyfriend. We talked about the slippery-slope dangers regarding compromise and relationships with non-believers. We continued our conversation the next day and as the conference drew to a close, she expressed a desire to meet together, although it would require travel (she’s from a different city). May that opportunity to meet be soon.

We prayed during our counsellors’ meeting that morning, as we did throughout the conference, for ways to help the youth, without pushing them away and for wisdom in all our conversations with them.

The last message of the conference focused on Isaiah 60, verse 1: “Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you”. Suddenly I realised the exhortation to arise and shine for your light has [already] come, is a direct continuation from chapter 59, where it says people looked for light yet there was darkness – darkness of deeds, of injustice and lack of truth. Yet, the Lord would save by coming with His glory. Arising and shining must be done in relation to all these things and more and, when doing so, the glory of the Lord reaches us. The person or nation in this case must act because God has already acted and has done His part to shine His glory on the nation.
It seemed relevant to the previous discussion with this girl.

It was a relatively full conference. There were many teens present whose love for the Lord Yeshua was evident. And, there were others there who claimed to be saved, but who had little or no understanding of what it meant to have a relationship with the Lord. As for the latter, the answer for “snatching them from the fire” seemed clear – we needed to intercede for them, to have compassion and mercy on them, while encouraging them to seek the Lord and to draw close to the Throne of Grace.

Many counsellors this past weekend were people of compassion and they were fervently praying for the teens, both during the conference and privately when at home and serving them at their congregations. Yet, there is much work that needs to be done and, sadly, the workers are few. This weighs heavily upon my heart and others as well, and I solicit your prayers for the youth and teens in your own communities. Today’s generation faces a multitude of challenges and temptations in a spiritually dark world. It is becoming harder to live “transparently”. But, it needs to be done.  “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even His enemies to be at peace with him.” (Prov. 16:7). May we extend ourselves beyond our comfort zones and reach out, however we can, to those who are being prepared to carry the mantel of responsibility. And may the Lord help us to be so transparent in our walk with Him that others would see right through us and see Him in us.

Just a fig picker…

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“I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs” (Amos 7:14)

Have you ever thought about this statement that Amos made? I recently started studying the book of Amos and this prophet’s life just intrigues me. Although he was not a prophet nor the son of a prophet, still, he had a grasp of the times and events. I sometimes laugh as I think of his knowledge of world affairs, while here I am pursuing a Master’s degree in “International Relations”, learning how to dissect strategies and behaviour of states. Yet, it seems that what Amos knew and how he implemented the understanding he had, was something that no school of political thought can teach.

He knew God’s heart.

Amos spoke before the king of Israel. He prophesied judgment on the surrounding nations, as well as Israel. God called him from shepherding sheep and picking sycamore figs, which was common work among the poor, in order to speak before the policy makers of his day. How could he speak judgement on these mighty nations who were the world powers of the time? Wasn’t he afraid? Clearly, God spoke through him and enabled him to do so. We desperately need people like that now – people who will  speak what God has to say to the nations and their rulers. At a time as this, when nations are quick to declare war, parliaments are falling apart and election is in the horizon at what is considered the world power of today, Amos’ words need to be proclaimed anew loud and clear.

The judgments which Amos declared were frightening, so much more because of the transgressions which are still going on today. “…they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron… they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border” (Amos 1:3,12). These were transgressions of two different nations. Yet upon reflection, it is clear they exist also today. How silent the world is to the scream of those who suffer and the silent scream of the unborn?  The description in this passage is so horrific, but so is what is done today in many countries around the world. So is what is done by abortions throughout the world today. So is what is done by our self-centered society, which seeks to enlarge its own borders for its pleasures. Where are the Amoses to speak out against this?

The people are there. Yet the work is great and they need help as the world covers its ears tighter and tighter from hearing God’s word. Learning about Amos encourages me to know God’s heart better, so I may be a vessel to share His word. Amos didn’t have a “status” or come from a known circle or family. He was just a fig picker. Yet he was available for God to work through him. Today, my prayer is to be and do the same. Here and Now. Any of you “fig pickers” out there feel led to do the same?

© Hannah Kramer

A Love Story Written in Heaven

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“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11)

“So…how old are you? Oh…ok”; 

“That person just broke the age barrier. Now she’s old” (said of a 30 year old); 

“I’m getting old” (said a 29 year old); 

“And you’re not married yet?!”; 

“Those poor single and old people” (said of those over 25)

I went to a conference two months ago, which discussed the topic: “Being a Godly Man and Woman”. The turnout of people was amazing and the discussions were very good. The topics of being single, yet satisfied, and what it means to be godly, as a single or a married person, were discussed. 

Some of the things that came up for discussion among the young people were sobering; others disturbing. Many expressed despair from being pressured by family, friends, work and generally their surroundings, about getting married. They were in their mid- to late- 20’s, some already in their 30’s, and the pressure for some became unbearable and they resorted to entering into relationships with people from the world who showed interest in them. Some said that if they wouldn’t be married by a certain age (like 30), they would die (meaning, they could not look beyond that age for a meaning in their life and could not see or plan for their future beyond that). 

We should rejoice at every age, not frown upon it. Life itself is a gift from God and every age is one that can be used by God for His glory, if we allow Him do so.

The message in the conference was clear: whether you are single or married, you are special in God’s eyes and He has a unique plan designed for you from before the foundation of the world. Marriage does not make you more or less of a complete person in Messiah Yeshua. 

The expressions at the top of this post have been made by many and heard by many more. I think it’s time we change our lingo. Enough treating unmarried young people (mainly women), as poor, old and miserable creatures for being older than a certain age and single. To those who are unmarried young adults – stop treating yourselves and others like that. It does not build up our brothers and sisters in the Lord, but has a discouraging effect. Did you ever think that God might have a different plan for those people than what you may think? “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29). 

I know people who were married at 19, others who were married at 30 and still others who married close to 40 and even 50. Each one is happy and would not trade a moment in their lives for what God gave them, when He did. 

Two days ago, I turned 28. I have single friends for whom I pray for that God would bring a spouse. And when I see a friend getting married, I rejoice for answered prayer. I didn’t expect to still be single, but I know God has a plan and a purpose for this time. I don’t know what it is, but I do trust Him for it. 

God gave me a loving family for which I am eternally grateful, wonderful friends who, with just a small note or word, can make my day. God wrote my love story and it is still being written. He gave me my prince charming, my Lord Yeshua, who’s love I wouldn’t trade for the world. If He chooses to bring me a husband, I know it will be in His time and place. He is the centre of my life and I am able to rest in His love. 

If you are single and reading this, be encouraged. God is writing your love story, and if you trust Him to complete it the way that He wants, it will have a truly happy ending.

© Hannah Kramer

Temples and Temptation

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Lately the web is full of stories regarding Tim Tebow, the NFL player who reportedly was “dumped” by his girlfriend for not having sex with her. Those in the US are quite familiar with who he is.  But for the sake of those who aren’t, he is a professed Christian who is known for standing up for his faith, honouring God in his games and also – saving himself for marriage. All that is great. Truly, it is. There are other famous Christians who wear purity rings and profess to the world that they will save themselves for the one and only that they will marry. 

Those who support Tebow have been vocal on the web as this story came out, cheering for him for standing up for his values. Is the story true? I honestly don’t know. Some websites claim they were merely acquaintances who met together with a group of friends, while others claim Tebow was madly in love with the former Miss Universe. Still others say they met at church. Whatever may be the case, I believe that having or not having sex is placing the wrong emphasis on the story. 

I do not expect those, who do not believe in Yeshua as Lord and King, to understand the need for purity or why saving sex for marriage is an issue. But, from those who make a public profession of their faith – I do. The emphasis should not be on whether this woman, or any other woman, got Tebow to have sex with her. Rather, the issue is living out what you believe and for Bible believers, that means: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 corinthians 6:14). The internet is full of those who get upset when confronted with this verse. They argue that we shouldn’t be judging others, that sex outside of marriage is a personal matter and does not affect our relationship with God. But that, my friends, is a lie that many have bought. I don’t know much about Tebow or the former Miss Universe. If a person makes a public statement that he will stay a virgin, he should expect the world to challenge him for it and he should be prepared to defend his position. We are instructed to avoid all appearance of evil, as well – not to put ourselves in places of temptation or put ourselves in a situation where our faith is ridiculed. Many think that God doesn’t care about what a person does in his bedroom. That is choosing to ignore the plain teaching of Scripture. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.“ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, emphasis added). 

Some comments on the above story say that Tebow shouldn’t have gone out with her in the first place. Others say that they met in a church setting. As for the latter, let me add – so what?  Meeting in a church setting does not make one a born again believer. And going out in order to get to know each other (whether that story is true or not), is not a valid argument in this case. People should make the effort to find out about the person they are interested in. Timothy was said to have a good name where he came from (Acts 16:2 – (“the believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him”). The woman in proverbs 31 also “She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life“. Meaning, a person saving him/herself for marriage is not pure only by not having premarital sex, but by keeping guard of the head and heart as well. Purity doesn’t begin or end with sex – it is far more than that. Job said this – “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman” (31:1). Why? “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). The way we use our body reflects the attitude of our hearts. Purity starts in our hearts, not by having or abstaining from sex “for the sake of the one we will marry”. But because God requires it of us.

Friends, having sex is not the line between pure and impure. God should not be made into a figure of our imagination, like Santa Clause – checking who is naughty or nice. God doesn’t work like that. He wants us to obey, not for fear of becoming impure, but because of our love for Him. Because if we love Him, we love His commands. Because we are not our own, we were bought with a price, so we should honour God with our bodies. The ultimate glory will be His, but we will share His joy because of our obedience.

When you’re on fire for God

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“But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot”. (Jeremiah 20:9)

I returned to Israel this week after a month away in the US and Canada. My parents and I had a wonderful time visiting with friends and sharing about Israel. Along the way, we met many people and heard much about the situation of the Body of Messiah in those areas. Many of the people whom we met were like Gaius, who opened up their homes to us, shared and gave of themselves from all their heart. It was a delight to meet and spend time with them. 

At one point in out trip, while we were in Canada, we participated in a parade along with a local congregation that we visited. The Pastor of the congregation could not stop singing and if he could have jumped throughout the parade, he would have done so (but he couldn’t due to a heart operation he had just gone through). The congregation prepared a float with the sole purpose of lifting up the name of the Lord Yeshua. The message they chose to display was of water flowing from a well into vessels and turning to wine. They chose the verse from John 4:13-14 “Jesus answered and said to her: Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life”. This verse appeared on the four sides of the float. A few amazing things happened there. The congregation prepared a disk with songs declaring the truth of the gospel. But, a short time before we started walking, the fuse in the radio burned out. It seemed there was no way to play the songs, so we started praying that the parade would not start until we got it fixed. A man from the congregation went to get something to fix it, and about a minute later, they got it going again, just as it was our turn to move and start marching! In addition to that, there was a group of doves circling above the congregation’s float the entire time, for two hours! The experience there was amazing. We could really see people on fire for God, who were not ashamed to declare what they believe. It was so wonderful to march in that  city, where tens of thousands of people gathered to see the different floats, and for us to carry banners with the name Yeshua, as we sang along with the radio loudly that Yeshua is Lord and God. That was an incredibly special experience!

That event, along with hearing about the situation in different places, got me thinking. Today, just like in Elijah’s time, believers are faced with two options: Live the Word to the fullest, or compromise and try to blend in. It is so easy to compromise and not talk about controversial issues, for fear of being despised, cast aside or persecuted. If Paul or any of the other apostles were to live in our days, I highly doubt whether they would use “softer” terminology to address certain issues in society or not mention them at all. Today, society calls what is good, “bad”, and what is bad, “good“. We have responsibility as believers to stand up for the truth, even if it is considered by some as “hate speech”. Are we to be afraid of being persecuted? Yes, we should use wisdom in our conversations, but wisdom does not mean being silent. Of  course there is time for that too, but only as God leads. What I mean is not be silent out of fear. The prophet Jeremiah suffered so much that at one point he decided not to mention God’s name anymore and not share His Word, because he was tired and afraid. But he couldn’t. God’s Word was so strong in him and it burned like a fire. He could not keep quiet. He had to speak up. He had to share God’s truth. He had to say what God had put in his mouth to say.

One of my brothers has a saying: “When you are on fire for God, people will come and watch you burn”. I know people nowadays who definitely are on fire for the Lord, just as Paul, Elijah and Jeremiah and many others were.  They knew the price they had to pay as followers of God, and they paid it with joy and love in their hearts. In the parade that I mentioned, the only congregation that participated was the one we were with. The only one. It was such a great opportunity for many congregations in that area to be there, but they didn’t seize it. There could be many reasons for that, but one that comes to mind is – commitment. We heard that word a lot during this trip. People shared that many young people are believers, but not committed. They believe, but their faith is not central in their lives – the Lord Yeshua is not central in their lives. That is so so sad and painful to think of. God wants us to be dedicated to Him, to boast only in Him and to live our lives solely for Him. 

My prayer and desire is that God’s Word would be so powerful in our lives, that it would be like fire in our bones and in our heart, so that we would not be able to hold back from sharing it with others. When that happens, oh, it will be a sight to behold. It could turn the world upside down, as it did some two thousand years ago.

© Hannah Kramer

Perfect Love Loves the Imperfect

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“And [they] shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood” Psalm 106:38

I occasionally show my students movies to help them practice their English. I carefully select movies that I hope will not only help improve their verbal communication skills, but which could also have an added educational value, as well as comprehensible language. Needless to say, my criteria for a movie differs greatly from that of my students, who prefer movies with “good looking guys/girls and lots of action”.
I found a movie which, while it did not captivate my older students, it certainly captivated the younger ones, who are in Elementary and early Junior High years.

The movie was “A Dolphin’s Tale”, which depicts the true story of a female dolphin whose tail had to be amputated, due to its blood circulation being cut off by a trapper’s net caught around it. The story shows a young boy along with the staff of a marine hospital who never gave up on the dolphin, despite her life-threatening condition. When the hospital was about to be shut down, a suitable alternative home was found for all the animals, all that is, except for the dolphin. No one wanted a dolphin with such a handicap and the only option was to “put her down”. At this point, two of my younger students, in two separate classes, asked what that meant. One didn’t wait for an answer and realized suddenly as she exclaimed “that means they want to kill her!”. The second student expressed sorrow at the thought, and neither could understand what would justify such an act.

As I considered the innocence and profound understanding of my students, that the “pretty” terms we coin for certain acts are just attempts at hiding the acts themselves, I thought of my studies.

I am currently starting a research on policy concerning withholding treatment of neonates who are critically ill or severely malformed and/or disfigured. The literature is overwhelming. There are those who are not only in favor of withholding treatment of such newborns, but some go as far as saying that newborns should be intentionally killed if they have some form of physical, although non-threatening, imperfection or no chance a having what they consider to be a quality of life.

I won’t exhaust you with what I’ve read so far. However, I thought of this today. We are so quick to seal fates and lives, and not give a chance to someone who, according to the way we see it, has no point in living. I’m talking about babies here. There are many examples of people being born without limbs or being amputated, even at young ages, and living their lives like anyone else. Yet, some would say they shouldn’t live because they are “impaired” or “defective”. Just like the dolphin. Nobody wants that. Is it really so?

The dolphin case drew hundreds, perhaps thousands, to see and be encouraged to move on, despite being “imperfect” according to human standards. Other instances such as Bethany Hamilton, who lost an arm at a shark attack, also encouraged people not to give up. Nick Vujicic, who was born without limbs, is another. They don’t give up on themselves and pressed on. But do we give up on them?

Babies are being aborted for the most trivial reasons. For critically-ill newborns, in certain countries, doctors advise parents to withhold treatment or simply do so without their consent, just because they believe the newborn has no chance of living or of living a productive life. And this is in countries we might consider “enlightened”.

This may sound horrible to us. We ask: “How can people do that? Every life is valuable. Where is the sanctity of life?”

But do we really believe that? When we see a person who is “malformed”, “imperfect”, “handicapped” – do we think of that person as an equal human being, loved, cherished and valuable to God? Or do we somewhere in the back of our minds think – “maybe, just maybe it were better for that person to have died and not suffer so much. Or maybe – not to have been born at all”? Are we, as a human society, sacrificing our children to the “idols of perfection”?

This issue is overwhelming and I would appreciate your prayers as I research this difficult field. I want to encourage us all to “never give up, and give a chance” to those who seem to be imperfect in our eyes. I pray that we will see them as having infinite worth, beautiful, unique, pleasing and being perfectly complete in God’s eyes – because that is how he sees them and us alike through Yeshua. May God grant us the grace to love those who appear to be unlovely.

© Hannah Kramer

Who is your King?

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“I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever” (Psalm 145:1)

I returned this week from four days in Timna in the desert, as part of a youth conference. It was a blessing and a joy to be a part of that gathering, especially in the desert (despite the sand getting into every thing). 

The camp took place a few days before Passover, which we will celebrate tomorrow night. We considered different lessons that can be learned from the Passover story, along with lessons from the book of Malachi. I hope and pray that God gave the youth who attended the conference a hunger for His Word as they learned of His unending love and grace. The book of Malachi is so so rich, and I feel we barely touched the tip of the iceberg as we studied it. A few days earlier, I finished a study of the book of Judges along with other women in a women’s Bible Study group. There were similar lessons to be learned from Malachi and Judges that are applicable to our days, inasmuch we as humans didn’t really change that much since that time because of our sinful nature.

I personally learned many things from the study (which we began in August 2014). From Caleb and his daughter, Aksah, I learned to have courage to ask for what I was promised (Judges 1), from the nation of Israel as they entered the land – that when God promises and commands “take it”, he will do so. I just need to go ahead and claim what he promised   without fear or doubt (Judges 1). From Ehud – to rise up for the name of God and acknowledging when God gives opportunities to act (Judges 3). From Jephtah – to know my history and the truth of God’s Word, so I may stand up to those who bring false accounts and to rely on His promises and not make haste in decisions (Judges 10 and 20-21 with the war against the tribe of Benjamin). From Samson – to adhere to God’s calling, guard my eyes and not mingle with people who seek to pull me astray from my walk with God (Judges 13-16). From the story of Micah – to stand up for the truth and not compromise and mix the worship of God with the worship of false gods (Judges 17-18). From the war between the tribes – seek the whole truth and nothing but the truth when proving a brother, and seeking God’s will in how to act, so decisions will not be made hastily that will lead to regret later (Judges 19-21). There are so many more lessons to be learned, and what I shared are only a few of them.

The nation in Malachi’s time was far from God. The priests were corrupt, the Levi’s had to work because they were not given their portion as was required by the Law. The worship of God became defiled. Just as in the time of the Judges, when the phrase that was repeated was – “ In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 21:25), so it was in the days described in the book of Malachi. Yet, God tried to woo His nation back with words of love, time and time again. The nation, then and today act in the same manner. At one point God asks in Malachi “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty” (Malachi 1:6). Sadly, our nation acts with disbelief and with contempt, as if there still is no king in Israel. Each acts as his own king. 

It can be easy to complain and say that no one rises up to do anything about the condition of our society. Yet, throughout the Bible, God raised up Judges and Prophets to speak to and lead the nation. Instead of looking around and being frustrated that not much has changed, why not ask as Isaiah asked: “Here I am. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). Let us take a stand for truth and pray and intercede for our nations, our countries and our fellow brethren. If we don’t like how some behave, let’s take a stand and pray for them, while first asking God’s lead to show us what will please Him and then go and do it.

As believers, we have been adopted as God’s children of the most-High God and are joint heirs with Messiah Yeshua in all that the Father has prepared. Along with that comes both responsibilities and obligations. We have a King and cannot and should not act as though we don’t. We are not our own and must act as God wills, not as we will, like the nation of Israel did in the times of the Judges and Malachi. As priests, we have a responsibility to be pure and holy and must take heed lest we defile God’s word. 

So, we can all ask ourselves not only “Which king do I believe in?”, but also “Which king do we serve?”

© Hannah Kramer

Great is thy faithfulness

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrew 12:1)

It has been a long time since my last post. I’ve been super busy with work and studies and things in between. Now that I have a few days off before the semester starts again,I thought it would be a good time for a new post!

The semester break has been full. I had three papers to write in five weeks, one of which I only started a week ago. By God’s grace, I finished it and handed it in last week. I learned the lesson a while back not to put things off! (and learning to choose my topic for research early during the semester). I had it all planned out – a time frame for each project so that I would have enough time to rest before the new semester. But sometimes, things don’t work out like we want, no matter how well we plan.

Our congregation has been through some rocky times recently. Three of our five Elders suffered from medical issues. I am thankful that they are all on the mend and back serving the Lord. In addition, a very Godly woman, whom I have known since I was a little girl, and who had served faithfully in the congregation, has passed away. She fell ill during our regular, weekly service  and was rushed to the hospital. Within a week and a half, after much prayer and intercession for her, she went to be with the Lord. That was a shock for all of us. This precious woman, whom I loved as a grandmother, and whom many loved dearly, who served faithfully and lovingly, without seeking attention or honour from people, is now awaiting in the presence of the Lord, where there is joy forever. She was a pillar in our congregation, and will be missed by her family in the flesh and in the spirit.

The semester break was packed with events. I attended seminars by Voddie Bachaum who came to visit Israel. They were a real blessing! They were solidly Biblical and very encouraging and it was refreshing to be there, to listen and to learn. I think some of us could have sat there all day long and listened and studied from God’s word. There is always something new to learn, and I did.

We just finished celebrating Purim, the feast mentioned in the book of Esther. “For such a time as this” it seems, our Prime Minister was allowed to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress and spoke on the concerns of Iranian nuclear weaponry. Interestingly enough, I did my university research project on nuclear weapons. His message was quite timely, I think. (If you want an analysis of the speech, as well as some updates on Israel, check this out – http://www.twtw.co.il).

In the midst of all the things I did and experienced this semester break, I could sum them all up with the words of the title to this post. Great is thy Faithfulness. God was and is truly faithful, even when we are not, because He cannot deny Himself. He was faithful in helping me with my projects and with all the pressure I had of getting them done. He was faithful to me at work and in all the other things I had to do. He was faithful to our congregation, in the midst of the difficulties that we experienced. He is faithful in keeping his promises. God was faithful to the Jewish nation during Esther’s time and came to their rescue. God is faithful today, and I have not the slightest doubt that He will do the same thing. He is the Keeper of Israel, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, Who tends to the needs of His flock.

May we be faithful in His service, so that when our time comes to stand before Him, we will one day hear the words “well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).

© Hannah Kramer

Within the Veil / Saba went home

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“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth” (Job 19:25)

The phone rang last night, exactly at midnight. We all knew that a phone so late at night could only mean that something happened, and that it probably had to do with Saba (grandpa in Hebrew).

I heard mom answer it. “Is he gone?” she asked. I couldn’t hear the answer, but I knew he was, as mom told to the nurse on the phone “He is in a better place, resting now. We are leaving for the hospital”.

For the past two years and five months, Saba had been hospitalized and was on life support, being helped to breath with artificial respiration. He was connected to tubes and various appliances in almost every part of his body. Over two years ago, at 01:00 am, we received a call that he had heart failure and attempts at resuscitation were not successful. The feeling I had at the moment was unbearable. I felt like a huge gap had been opened between us and Saba and we would never see him again. Amidst all the tears and anguish, we prayed from the depths of our spirit that God would restore him, bring him back and save him, so that he may spend eternity with Him. An hour later, after all the appliances indicated that he was dead and while we were on the way to my grandparents’ apartment, the medical team that responded to the emergency call succeeded to resuscitate him. There was an incredible sense of knowing that God was going to save him. We had what seemed to be an unexplainable assurance that He would not let Saba go until he belonged to the Lord. During the weeks and first few months that followed, there was considerable uncertainty about his physical future, but we knew and had absolute confidence that Saba came to know the Lord Yeshua as his saviour. Though unable to speak or move anything but his eyes, grandpa was attentive – he was able to open his eyes and follow us around the hospital bed, heard us speak and responded to our speaking.

Whenever we talked with him, prayed with him and sang hymns with him, he would open his eyes wide and stare. I would pat his cheek and hair, and massage his arms, telling him what was going on in the family, how we missed him and loved him.

When we would ask if he believed with all his heart that Yeshua is Lord and God, we’d ask him to wink twice. He would. Twice.

I remember dreaming of him a few months after his heart failure. I thought of how he would be excited with the changes that were taking place in our lives. He always asked how we were doing and took an interest in us, his grandkids. I missed his hug, his sitting near me and talking with me. In my dream, he looked happy and relaxed. He gave me a big hug and told me not to worry.

The months turned into a year and then into almost two and a half years. Saba’s situation worsened, with lots of up’s and down’s. During the last few weeks, we knew that he was fading.

These two and a half years in Saba’s life were uneasy to say the least. Many times at the hospital and around, people would say “ Don’t you understand? He has brain damage. He can’t hear you”. We knew my grandpa’s condition, yet we truly believed he could hear and understand us. There were a few occasions when I would talk to him and ask him to squeeze my hand if he heard. He did, and I knew that he was listening. We needed to keep a watchful eye on the medical staff, to make sure they did their job properly. This was hard. They messed up a few times. My mom and her siblings took turns in visiting every week, several times a week, because it was important to let Saba know we were there, that we cared for him and loved him. Over this period of time, we saw lots of others who were on life support, whose families rarely visited them, if at all, and they passed away quickly and alone. Those visits were very sobering and reminded me of the verse from Psalm 71:9 “Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone”. Sadly, we saw many who were, in a very real sense, cast away, whose families just left them to die.

As I tried to sleep last night, a stanza from the well known hymn, “Amazing Grace”, came to mind, which I think reflected the situation with Saba.

“Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace”

There were those who thought Saba’s brain was so damaged that he was like a black box that could not be opened. Indeed, he could not move his hands and could not talk or walk, but he could still convey his feelings. We knew when he was suffering, when he was content and when he was peaceful. Saba’s eyes and face reflected how he felt, and when he was dying, we saw it. With all that, Saba had a pure heart. Though his physical heart had failed him throughout most of his life, he received a new heart, a spiritual one, which would never fail. It was a gift from God.

There is so much to say about Saba and all that he had been through. He was a combat veteran and a fighter. But I want people to remember him like this – a child of God saved by grace. He is free now. Released from his vessel of clay which was so so fragile, freed from the tubes and wires and everything he was hooked up to for so long. Most importantly, he was cleansed of sin. The peace on Saba’s face throughout this time is incredible. He suffered, yet the peace he radiated could not be explained by medicine, despite the medical staff’s efforts to try to understand it. It was the peace of God which passes all understanding.

Saba went to his eternal home last night. It hurts we will not see him again here, on this side of eternity, yet we have hope and faith that we will see him once more, and then for ever, with our Lord Yeshua. Indeed, we do not agonize over his passing as those who have no hope. This separation is only temporary and one day we will share eternal joy together.

One step at time

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“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phillipians 4:13)

This past week I began my my studies for a Master’s Degree. Exciting! For the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking how we are all in a race, looking towards a goal. The goal may be different for each one of us. Some of my friends began their studies this year and some are continuing them. They feel the pressure of all the school work and of getting it all done on time and in the best way possible. Some dear people I know have been quite ill and need prayer. They are on the road to recovery now and for them, the goal is getting well and back to themselves – a task which might be just as difficult as physically climbing a mountain. Others are preparing for the army, passing a driver’s test or deciding what to do, now that they have finished a certain phase in life. Whatever the goal may be, for some it is like climbing a mountain – they may not see the top, but rather see all the twists and turns leading to it, wondering how and when they will get there, if at all. A mountain climb can be difficult and exhausting, especially when you are not used to it. However, when you have a strong and seasoned guide taking you up, it becomes SO much easier, because he steers you away from slippery slopes and shows you where to place your foot and hold on with your hand, so you make it safely to the top. All these things might seem overwhelming and frightening, especially when we don’t know what exactly the future holds. However, we need to remember that the Lord Yeshua holds our future in His hands, as Jeremiah 29:11 says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. We can draw encouragement and just put our hands in His, and let Him lead us just by remembering that He has our best in His plans for us.

As I thought of all this, I remembered this song, which is a favourite of mine. You may remember that I shared another song from Psalty previously in Where has the love gone. I grew up on Psalty songs (Kids Praise! album), and I still love those songs :). This is one of those great songs of encouragement and it has accomplished its purpose many times:

Happy climbing. Some of us will definitely meet along the way. But, we will all definitely meet at the top! (Song lyrics are at the bottom)

© Hannah Kramer

One step at a time

When something seems
Too hard to handle,
Too big to conquer,
Too far away to touch.

When all your dreams
Begin to shatter,
And deep inside you
You’re hurting’, oh, so much.

That’s when it’s time to say

Refrain:

I’m climbing my mountain, step by step,
I’m climbing my mountain, day by day,
I’m climbing my mountain, all the way,
I’m climbing my mountain.
I’m gonna make it!

Chorus:

One step at a time.
One step at a time.
One step at a time.
With Jesus by my side.

One step at a time.
One step at a time.
I’m climbing my mountain,
One step at a time.

Even though you might grow weary,
Don’t be discouraged.
In your weakness God is strong.
Remember this, He’ll never leave you,
He won’t forsake you,
He’s your strength and He’s your song.

So sing and start to say…