top of page

Double Trouble

Tents of Mercy Congregation

Kiryat Yam, Israel



We are living in times of trouble. Everything feels tense and under pressure. Heartbreaking events are occurring one after another:


· War in Ukraine

· Devastating earthquakes just north of us on the fault line, in Turkey and Syria

· Repeated terror attacks in Jerusalem and other cities

· Harsh divisions among Israel’s citizens


We wonder what God is up to, and we ask: “God, where are you?” The storm of trouble rages all around us, and like people lost in a blizzard – all we can see is a blur of helplessness and confusion.


What do we do when one trouble leads to another and then another?


Blind and Begging


The Gospel of Mark recounts the story of Bartimaeus. He was blind. Not only was he blind, but his blindness had made it impossible for him to work for a living. And thus he sat by the wayside, poor and begging for his livelihood. One hardship had caused another. Would his life be like this forever?


Widowed and Starving


The widow of Zeraphath had lost her husband. She alone was responsible for herself and her son, and famine was devastating their land. All that stood between them and starvation was a single handful of grain. And now this wandering Israelite named Elijah was knocking on the door asking to be fed as well…


Barren and Beaten Down


Hannah was childless. Not only that, but she was mocked in her barrenness. What could she do with her double portion of pain?


Bartimaeus, the widow and Hannah experienced trial upon trial, devastation upon devastation. Yet that was not the end of their stories.


As people passed by the blind beggar Bartimaeus, they gave him coins with which he supported himself. But they could not fix with their generosity the thing that really troubled him. Then one day Yeshua, the One who could give him his sight and not just pocket change, passed by on the path. Suddenly he felt hope as he recognized the One who could truly transform his condition.


He did not call out, “Yeshua, the carpenter.”


He did not cry out, “Yeshua son of Joseph and Mary.”


He shouted: “Yeshua, Son of David, have mercy on me!”


What did the widow of Zeraphath do? She sacrificially decided to share her last meal with Elijah, and soon encountered God’s supernatural provision.


What did Hannah do with her pain? She poured out her soul before the Lord. Her only hope was in Him, and He heard.


The Hope of Israel


God is the Hope of all mankind. He is the Hope of Israel manifested in Yeshua (Jeremiah 17:13).


Hope is the path, the boat, the way, the lifeline through the storm. If you have hope, you are able to see beyond what is visible into what cannot yet be seen.


For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:24-25 NIV)


The Hebrew word for hope is “tikvah” (also the name of the national Israeli anthem). The word “tikvah” additionally means a cord, a rope, a string or a wick. It is mentioned in Joshua 2:18, “When we enter the land, you will tie this scarlet rope in the window through which you let us down...”


The idea of hope and a cord of many strands ties into Romans 8:28. “And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” A woven rope is many strings joined together tightly to make a strong and reliable support. As long as our sights are set on the right thing, our hope is not lost.


“Bundles of Troubles” Lead to Heaps of Joy


“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)


The scriptures speak much of both trouble and of hope. “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)


Why is there Suffering?


  1. It is part of the package, as the previous scripture tells us.

  2. It is part of what leads to Glory and Honor at the end of the story: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18 NIV)

  3. It is part of maturing and completing us: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4 NIV)


Focus on what God is doing. Lift up your eyes to see the rope. Focus on the Salvation (“Yeshua”) of the Lord and not on the present troubles. In other words, put your hope in the Lord.




Passover Food Outreach to the Needy in the Galilee


In just a few weeks, Tents of Mercy is holding the annual Passover outreach drive to feed the needy in the Haifa Bay area as an expression of the love of Yeshua. We invite you to help make it possible for 1000 families to receive holiday food baskets and more. To do so please go to www.tikkunglobal.org/tentsofmercy


Thank you!

bottom of page