What God Has Joined Together
[This article, written by Annie, gives her personal story of how she came to faith as a young child and how the Lord worked in her life to find her husband and bring her to Israel.]
I grew up with believing parents in cold England. My mother used to read a passage from the Scriptures to my brother and me each night before we went to sleep. From an early age I knew about the Lord Jesus in a historical sense and knew that He had died and risen again from the dead. The difficult part for me came in accepting that I am a sinner and that I can't go to heaven by virtue of my good deeds. My mother told me that 'good people' will only go to hell if they do not accept the Lord Jesus. As the hymnwriter for children put it, "There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin; He only could unlock the gate of heaven and let us in". After a few days of struggling with the idea, at four years of age I prayed acknowledging that I am a sinner and that only by His death on the cross can I be saved and go to heaven. I believe that the Lord sealed me with His Holy Spirit at that point and my mother noted a marked change in me - my prayers changed from lists of requests to prayers of thanks to God.
My mother discipled me in the Scriptures and made sure that I understood God's prophetic plan. In England, unfortunately, most churches and even most true believers do not take God's word literally when it comes to Bible prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled. I am thankful to God that I was taught to believe the truth of the Bible and to hold to the 'golden rule' of Scripture interpretation: 'When the plain sense of Scripture makes sense, seek no further sense'. God's promises concerning the first coming of the Messiah were fulfilled as written and so likewise His promises concerning His second coming and the future of His people Israel.
I loved to read the Bible in my young teens and especially the prophetic Scriptures. I prayed to God to give me good, pure Bible teaching as I felt it was lacking in the charismatic churches that I grew up in, and that I was lacking in understanding. My prayer was answered within a short time when a friend lent me teaching tapes by Arnold Fruchtenbaum, a believing Jewish Bible teacher. Perhaps a couple of years later, at age seventeen, I had the privilege of attending my first 'Camp Shoshanah' in New York State, where I was to learn much about the Scriptures from Arnold and from other Bible teachers.
Through reading the Scriptures I saw God's love for the Jewish people and began to love them also and to pray for their salvation. I also became interested in the State of Israel that I saw as God's fulfilment of His promise to regather His people to their land. His people are being gathered in unbelief as the Scriptures foretold (Ezek 22.19-21; Zeph 2.1-2; Ezek36.24-25), setting the stage for their judgment (the 'Time of Jacob's Trouble'), leading to their repentance (Zech 12.10) and restoration: "and so all Israel shall be saved!". So shall the King of Israel rule from Jerusalem over His restored people.
In my teens I had a strong desire to learn biblical Hebrew. I never really imagined that I would have the opportunity to do so except, perhaps, if I attended Bible college. After all the considerations, however, my parents and I decided it would be more practical for me to study in a secular University and learn something that I might make a living from. I believe that the Lord Himself guided me and opened the door for me to attend Cambridge University in England.
During my first year of study at University I saw that there was the possibility of taking a course of study in which I could concentrate only on the Hebrew language - biblical Hebrew, modern Hebrew, mishnaic Hebrew and modern Hebrew literature. During the summer between my first and second year I was deliberating whether to change my subject. In the end, as the summer was almost over, I knew that I had to do what my heart had always desired and I changed course, knowing that I would have to take my final degree examinations within two years in a language I had no grasp of whatsoever.
It was amusing to be strolling the book-lined corridors of Cambridge's famous University Library amid learned professors of many decades, as I struggled to learn the Hebrew alphabet and numbers. Modern Hebrew was really tough for me and I was not a particularly gifted student. Confusion as to why I was even studying modern Hebrew set in at times and I brought it to the Lord in prayer, asking for Him to put it to use in my life as I knew that He had paved the way for me to be receiving excellent, concentrated tuition in Hebrew. At the same time, I was praying very much that the Lord would guide me concerning where He wanted to take me: funnily enough, although I was learning Hebrew and praying for Israel and the Jewish nation, I had no desire whatsoever to live in Israel! I felt ready to go wherever the Lord would guide, but I didn't feel any specific calling. I was also praying that the Lord would give me a husband as I knew that I had no desire for a career. Every woman's deepest longing must be for a husband and children, except if the Lord has given a woman the gift to be single.
I knew that I had to do something over the summer to improve my modern Hebrew as the following year would be my final year of study, ending in my final examinations: without improving my language skill, this would have been very difficult for me. By the end of the first year of Hebrew Studies, I had had not even 24 weeks in the classroom. A heart-rending demand was made of my parents - to allow their only daughter to study alone in Israel for two months. This was something I did not want to push for if they were not willing. As the time came close, however, it was on their prompting and initiative that the flights and study course were booked. Before I left, my mother told me that her one fear for me was not for my safety but that I would meet some nice Israeli believer and want to marry him. She also said that if that was what the Lord had in store for me, then He would give her the needed grace.
From my first day in Israel, I knew in my heart that Israel was the place I wanted to live and the place I felt the Lord wanted me to be. Throughout the past year I had been specifically asking the Lord to lead me to the place where He wanted me to serve Him; now, during the summer vacation, I began to feel that He was giving me specific leading. The day after my arrival, I wrote in my diary, "I don't know what the Lord has for me in coming here to learn Hebrew. I begin to feel aggrieved that Israel is a closed door to me as a Gentile. Can He really want me just to serve faithfully in England or America, when it seems that my heart is here?" I didn't know how I would be able to financially support myself in Israel, knowing the biblical principle of self-support, and I was questioning as to how the Lord would use my knowledge of Hebrew for His glory. I asked over and over again for the Lord's leading.
During the course of the two months I prayed earnestly that the Lord would show me whether this desire to live in Israel was from Him or was of my own imagining. I asked of Him to open some door for me in Israel before my return to England if this was indeed from Him. I knew that if He would not show me an open door, I would return to start life after my studies in England or another place of His choosing, but that I would not push for Israel without His direct guidance. I told the Lord in prayer that if there is no door opened for me in Israel prior to my return to England, I would have no reason to return and I decided that I shouldn't return without Him laying an express purpose before me. During this time I also prayed much that the Lord would bring me a husband. I did ask the Lord that if it was His will, He would give me a husband from Israel, or make an opening for me by giving me a job opening or apprenticeship in the country.
Knowing Michael a little from the congregation I was attending here in Haifa, I had an excellent impression of him and highly regarded him. During the breaking of bread (in our congregation this is an opportunity for the men to lead in public worship with a hymn, a prayer, a thought from the Word of God), I many times treasured thoughts that he shared, noting that our mind on Scripture was very similar. During my first mid-week meeting in the congregation, as he sat in the row behind me to translate for me, the thought came to mind, 'How perfect - a man who holds to the same doctrine as I do and who has a heart for Israel!' (I had found that a heart for Israel was a rare thing amongst the young men in England and often ended up finding myself battling with them over the issue of God's purposes for the Jewish people.).
At the birthday party of Leyah, one of the little girls of the congregation, I had opportunity to see other aspects of Michael's personality - his sense of humour, his love and care for children and his musical ability. At this stage I already had the thought 'A man like THAT I would marry!'. I still didn't consider it even faintly possible as he had made no indication of interest in me whatsoever.
A little under two weeks before I returned to England, I attended for the first time one of the youth gatherings of the congregation, which was held on Haifa beach. After a short time, Michael sat beside me and began talking to me. That conversation lasted until the end of the evening. We covered doctrines that we hold dear, false doctrines, a little of our life history, characters in the Scriptures that we love and many more things. I was amazed to see how like-minded we were on the Scriptures and in our general outlook on life. By the end of the evening, I knew with certainty that 'This is the man I want to marry!'. The next day after the morning meeting, both of us were invited for lunch with our dear friends John and Ruth; in the afternoon we found ourselves alone together in the sitting room as a group of people had gone to the beech, one had returned home and John and Ruth had gone to take a nap. After a little more conversation, we sat down and Michael asked me if I would like to meet with him so that we could get to know each other. With a pounding heart I nodded my head and insisting to myself mentally that 'you must make an audible reply', said with a shaking voice, 'yes!'.
Our few meetings before my return to England only confirmed for both of us our compatibility and suitability for marriage. Both of us believed that God had brought us together. After only one week Michael sat with me on a dirty bench beside an intersection in downtown Haifa and told me 'I want that we will be married'. I replied that I want so too and don't have any doubts about it, but that I must ask my parents. I knew that wasn't going to be easy news to travel home with and worried much about it in the few days before my return home.
Sure enough, the period in England was not an easy one. I approached my parents with a letter from my beloved introducing himself to them, telling them how he esteemed me and that he felt that I was God's answer to his prayers for a wife. On first reading, my father told me 'Already I like him' and with a tear in his eye, 'Don't go to Israel'. My parents knew that if this relationship were to end in marriage, it would mean losing me to a very foreign land to someone they had never met. It was not only my parents that objected, but everyone that I knew, respected, and looked up to for spiritual counsel; I was advised specifically to cut relations with my beloved. Everyone dear to me seemed intent to stop me. During this month at home, it was very difficult for me to have contact with Michael, and we heard almost nothing of each other apart from my writing to him to tell him that I thought we would have to part. I couldn't understand how such a situation could occur when both Michael and I, after prayerfully seeking God's will, had felt convinced that He was giving us to one another. We had met separately with two elders from our congregation in Haifa together with their wives, and had individually and together sought their counsel, while Michael had consulted spiritual brothers before he had ever approached me. Spiritually, I was completely baffled as I experienced what seemed to be a door slamming shut in our faces, after I had felt so clearly led by the Lord. I wondered how I could have been mistaken in such a way and entered into depression, not knowing how I could ever hope to know the will of God and to do it if I had been so terribly misled. I wondered also how beloved saints in Israel that I had esteemed so highly could have been mistaken as they had also believed the Lord had put us together.
After returning to University, Michael and I decided to begin phone contact once a week. In our first phone conversation after a troubled month with very minimal contact, the moment I heard his voice I was filled with love and longing for him. We grew in our relationship with one another, writing to one another and speaking once a week on the phone. Many believers in Israel were praying for us because many were still opposed to our desire to marry. One concern of my friends and family in England was the biblical commandment that a man support his household: at the time Michael was working but with a very low income and he seemed unable to fulfil this duty. I could see that this was a biblical point and we began praying earnestly that if it was indeed the Lord's will for us to be together, He provide work and the means for Michael to support a household. On this point the Lord answered our prayers swiftly and provided work and a regular income. After seeing that our 'summer romance' was not fading and that God had indeed provided work for Michael, my parents wanted to meet this man that had won my heart and invited Michael to England; he speedily booked flight tickets. Although our troubles were by no means ended when Michael arrived in England, the situation did improve. On meeting Michael, one who had strongly advised against now strongly advised both my parents and myself in favour and very much regretted his previous counsel. We met together with the elders of my home church in England and enjoyed fellowship together with many saints. I do feel that throughout this important period in my life, the Lord desired me to know and hearken to His voice, even if a storm should rage around me. There is no counsellor like our God and there is no blessing like that found in walking with Him.
The Lord has answered prayer for us mightily and in October 2005 Michael and I were engaged in Israel, in the presence and with the blessing of my parents and Michael's. The Lord has poured out His blessing upon us in so many ways and I can truly rejoice at the way the Lord's hand has led me throughout my life until today. I believe also that since it is the Lord who has brought me here, it must be His best plan not only for me but also for beloved ones I have left behind in England. How intricately He has worked out His prophetic plan, how wonderfully He pays attention to every detail in creation, how perfectly His designs are co-ordinated in every part … and how wonderfully He works in the lives of all those that fear Him.
I close with this poem, written by Ruth Salinger after we had come together and while I was still in Israel, Summer 2004.
I was cleaning the windows to see more clearly,
When he called to say: I see
in her far more than I ever dreamed of,
I see shades of eternity.
I was driving her home with cellphone and apples,
But mostly heart matters to carry,
When she simply said: I knew last night
I'd met the man I want to marry.
How is it that God, holding stars in their course
Does pause to shine His light
On two young people on a noisy beach
And 'forever' happens in a night?
Who can explain the dawning of love,
Defying all natural law,
That leaps into time from eternity
But is born then forever more?
