Isaiah 62:6b-7 Take no rest, all you who pray to the LORD. Give the LORD no rest until He completes his work, until He makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.

I sense urgency in that verse, don’t you? It’s intense, nothing casual about it, and certainly not meant to be taken as optional! I can just imagine that in the days when towns and villages had “town criers” that a messenger carrying this news to the people would announce it something like this: 

“Pray ye! Pray ye! Pray ye! Attention praying people—Those praying now and then, those praying at meals and bedtime, and those who praynight and day—ALL who pray to the LORD, hearken: God, your King says, ‘Your prayers must not cease! Continue in them.’ The Almighty has decreed that we should pray that He finish what He started, and make Jerusalem the pride of the earth. Not one shall rest, neither pray-er nor God, until He has accomplished His purposes for His beloved Israel. Pray ye! Pray ye! Pray ye!”

Recently I learned that God referred to the nation of Israel as His firstborn! Exodus 4:22 NET – (Talking to Moses) You must say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Israel is my son, my firstborn…”’. That made my mother-heart begin to ponder what God’s heart must feel right now, when His firstborn, the nation of Israel, is surrounded by enemies ready to attack. 

I’ve thought of news stories with parents telling what has happened to their child, pleading for the public to help. I’ve realized that in my own neighborhood, if a toddler was missing, every single one of us neighbors would be out searching for hours. Not one would think, “This doesn’t concern me.” The amazing thing is, though God is capable of simply moving His powerful arm and delivering victory to His people, He has chosen to partner with us to accomplish His will. Our part is to call on Him in prayer, and do whatever He shows us to do. His part is to answer our prayers and bring glory to His name! We need to pray!

If you and I are God’s children, doesn’t that make Israel, God’s firstborn, our big brother of sorts? If our big brother is about to be in the middle of a war—with missiles being fired from the north, south and east onto this small patch of land not much bigger than New Jersey—shouldn’t we be as watchful and concerned as our Father is about this? Of course! After all, they are the very root of the tree that we were grafted in! The Psalmist’s words should be our words: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May those who love her prosper! … For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors I will say, “May there be peace in you!” (Psalm 122:6, 8) Cries to God for the protection of Israel is one way that we, His children, show our Father that we care about our Father’s Firstborn .

As we align our hearts with Israel’s Father and ours, He notices, and is pleased. So pleased, in fact, that He has promised to bless us. God told Abraham, “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses (lightly esteems) you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:2-3

Dear Abba, Thank You for calling me into Your family and making me Your daughter. Please align my heart with Yours for Your firstborn, Israel. Lord, wake us all up–all of Your sons and daughters–to be watchmen on the wall and pray for Israel. Oh God, protect her, comfort all the people who are there and give them supernatural peace. Father, give the soldiers divine protection, and may Israel’s leaders receive wisdom from You to know what to do and what to speak in these intense times. Oh Holy Spirit, please soften hearts around the world that have been hardened with anti-Semitism. Reveal truth to them, because only Your truth can set them free. I’m asking for You to do such miracles in Your protection of Israel that the entire world is astounded! Lord, display Your glory for the all to see! In Jesus’ name, Amen.