Israel (MNN) — War seems almost unavoidable after Israel's recent attack on a flotilla making its way to Gaza.
According to BBC News, Israel attacked ships which were attempting to break Israel's blockade of Gaza. The attacks resulted in the deaths of nine pro-Palestinian activists. Since then, the Israeli navy has killed four Palestinians suspected to be terrorists.
As the rest of the world has responded to the attacks–including Iran, which has offered to escort Turkish vessels to Gaza from now on, blocking Israel from their own port–the threat of war has increased to near breaking point.
"We're just seeing this escalation that's moving toward war," says Tom Doyle with E3 Partners. "Everything we're hearing is that something is going to come this summer."
Doyle cannot predict for sure who will be involved in this probable war, but believes it will likely become regional.
"I can't see how we could go too far into the Fall before something is done–my prediction would be regional war," says Doyle. "Nobody wants that, but once there's a regional war, then it's just a matter of seeing where the super powers line up and if they get involved. So it doesn't look good."
Despite the impending conflict for Israel and surrounding nations, Doyle impresses the fact that God has not been taken by surprise by any of it. In fact, E3 Partners, which provides medical care, women's ministries and other aid in the Middle East, sees this as an incredibly important time for ministry.
"I think it's the best time to go when things are accelerated, because they're not getting any help from their own people whatsoever," explains Doyle. "So I think it's a great time to go and just bring Christ's love."
E3 Partners will be doing that this summer by sending ever-growing teams of people to Israel. By not taking sides and providing care for all people in the midst of conflict, E3 hopes to be a witness to the fact that "the Gospel's the only thing that can take away the anger, the bitterness that both sides have for each other."
Doyle notes that as tension has grown in Israel, it seems that God has laid on the hearts of even more volunteers the need to go and serve. As a result, the trips include more people than expected, but more are still invited to join. If you feel God leading you to take an E3 trip to serve in Israel or in another region of the world this summer, click here.
Pray for believers currently living in these tense regions of the Middle East. Pray for their strength, boldness and safety, but also thank God that He is ultimately in control of all things. Pray that He would use any and all conflict or peace to bring glory to His name and to bring more souls into His Kingdom.
