Today, one rocket landed just about 100 yards from the coffee shop where we were in Sderot. We were using their wireless network to file our story for Monday's 700 Club.
All of a sudden, the Color Red alarm sounded. This is the alarm used throughout southern Israel to warn residents of an incoming rocket attack. Everyone in the shop began to rush out of the shop and race to the closest safe place, a stairwell on the other side of the building. Everything seemed a blur as we ran for the shelter.
We heard two explosions and than a few seconds later one of the loudest explosions I've ever heard. It felt like the rocket landed right around the corner. It did.
We came out with cameras rolling to see what happened. Just beside the coffee shop stands a flea market. It punctured the roof and formed a small crater where it landed. Camera crews came running to get video of the latest example of what it's like to live under a daily rocket barrage in southern Israel.
Personally, we thanked God for His protection over us. We felt as Psalm 91 says, "He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty" and "He will give His angels charge over you."
But why the rockets? Why more than 7,000 rockets in seven years? Why put the residents of Sderot and nearly a million Israelis in harms way?
The Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) published some quotes that give an understanding of why Hamas wants these small but deadly rockets to kill Israelis.
PMW monitors the speeches of groups like Hamas and expose their ideology.
Here's one quote: "Regarding the Jews, our business with them is only through bombs and guns … the prophet [Muhammed] promised that we will fight you, with Allah's help, until the tree and stone say: 'Oh Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him." That quote came from Nizar Rayyan, a Hamas leader who died this week in Gaza.
You can read more excerpts on www.pmw.org.
In many ways, the war in Gaza is a spiritual battle over the future of Israel and the fate of Jerusalem. And as the Psalmist said, it's certainly a time to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem."