If you’re keeping your eye on the news, it seems that we are hearing much about a small body of water, no more 33 km wide at its narrowest point, called the Strait of Hormuz. It’s located where Oman, at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, meets Iran, and it bears the burden of 20% of all maritime traffic carrying oil and natural gas in the world. Many other essential goods in huge container ships depend on the Strait to shorten the sea journey. As it is, anyone who controls the Strait reaps the vast amount of money that trade represents; anyone who disrupts the Strait destabilizes the world economy. The present struggle by Iran to control the Straits is one in a long history of conflicts, but this time it is used as the chokehold of Iran against the world in its war against the US and Israel. The price of oil has jumped dramatically in 3 weeks of conflict, and while missiles and drones rain terror from the skies in numerous Gulf states, ships using the Straits have been attacked by Iran causing a drop in traffic by 98%. In the context of these tensions, the messaging of the American president hasn’t helped when he prematurely declared victory, insulted allies, then called for allies to help. It has left the Straits unprotected against Iran’s efforts to control it.
Here is what grieves me. You see, what is lost in these tensions between missiles and money over the Strait of Hormuz is the slaughter of more than 35,600 souls in two days by the Islamic Iranian regime prior to the start of the war when unarmed protestors were mowed down mercilessly by hails of bullets. Lost in the politics of war is the cry of the widows and orphans, young and old, simple and educated against a regime that calls for prayer but bows to violence. The Bible cites the vagaries of the human heart’s propensity for violence in James 4, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you?” This is a question worth asking in the world of turmoil we’re witnessing today. James continues, “Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.” There is much to learn about the human heart as we see the events unfolding in the Strait of Hormuz. Deals will be made for money’s sake. Agreements will be broken because of anger in the human heart. In the end, it is the human heart at war with itself. May we as believers in Christ seek only Him with all our hearts. May we never be drawn into the struggles ignited by covetousness and evil. May we speak boldly of Jesus who is called the Prince of Peace in a world of war.
