The Waze or The Way?
Guest Column by Israeli born, Messianic Jewish leader, Guy Cohen.
Born and raised in Acco where he pastors the Harvest of Asher congregation
in the land given to the tribe of Asher.
Last month, while we were traveling in Poland, we had an experience that stayed with me.
One evening we entered an address into Waze and followed the directions. It was already late, completely dark, there was almost no one around, and the signal was weak. Then Waze told us, “You have arrived.”
But we hadn’t.
We were close, maybe very close, but we still didn’t know where to go.
Only when we managed to contact the owner, someone who actually lived there and knew the area, did we get the final directions that brought us to the right place.
Since then, I’ve been thinking about that experience in a spiritual way.
The Waze or The Way continues
When I see Christians and pilgrims coming to Israel, I see a lot of love, excitement, prayer, support, and a sincere desire to bless the Jewish people. I appreciate that.
But I also carry a concern in my heart.
I believe that sometimes getting too close to government institutions and large organizations can actually create distance from the local Body of Messiah.
It is easy to attend large events, meet officials, speak about standing with Israel, and be part of something impressive. But it is much harder to slow down, listen, and build real relationships with the believers who actually live here.
And sometimes I wonder how much some of the organizations behind these large conferences really care about the local believers, not as part of a program or as a nice story, but as people worth knowing, respecting, listening to, and walking alongside.
And when I say local believers, I don’t mean Jewish believers only.
The Body of Messiah in this land includes both Jews and Arabs who believe in Yeshua, who live here, serve here, and carry the reality of this land every single day.
If we truly believe in the unity of the Body of Messiah, then we cannot choose only the parts that are comfortable for us.
We cannot pray for the salvation of Israel while remaining disconnected from the people who are already following Yeshua here.
I am not writing this out of anger.
I am writing it out of pain, and out of a desire to see something deeper.
Less speaking about us, and more speaking with us.
Less doing things over the heads of local believers, and more walking together.
Less relating to Israel only as a spiritual idea, and more getting to know the people God is already working through in this land.
Paul wrote, “For just as the body is one and has many members… so it is with Messiah.” 1 Corinthians 12:12
If we truly are one Body, then Jewish and Arab believers in Yeshua are not a side note. They are part of the Body.
Maybe sometimes our spiritual Waze tells us, “You have arrived,” while God is still asking us to go a little farther.
To listen more.
To know one another more deeply.
To build real relationships.
To walk together.
Yeshua prayed, “That they may all be one.” John 17:21
Maybe that is the point.
Not only to stand with Israel.
Not only to pray for the salvation of Israel.
But also to see, respect, and love the local Body that God has already placed here.
Because sometimes we can be very close to the destination and still miss the people who are right in front of us.
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