Holy Ground in the Halls of Congress
By Dr. Tyson Lambertson, ICEJ USA Director of Outreach
What struck me as we walked the halls of the House of Representatives during this year’s Israel Advocacy Day was the weight of the moment. The echoes in those corridors carried a sobering reality. I was standing in the very place where decisions are made that shape our nation. We passed office after office of names constantly in the headlines, alongside others I had never heard of before. Upon entering one congresswoman’s office, I remember thinking, “I have never heard of her.” However, there was a significant change in the atmosphere crossing the threshold of her door. Come to find out, she is not only a significant leader and influencer, but also a committed disciple of Jesus.
Ironically, we never even met the congresswoman, only one of her staffers. Yet what unfolded in that office was nothing short of divine.
We began sharing with the young staffer about the three talking points we had come to discuss about the Jewish people and Israel. Each member of our group briefly shared who they were and why they cared so deeply about Israel. As is often the case, it can be difficult to discern where people truly stand on the issue of Israel, so there is always a certain carefulness in the conversation.
After we finished walking through our points, I asked a question I have asked representatives and senators many times before: “Have you ever been to Israel?” The moment I asked it, tears immediately welled up in her eyes. She began sharing how she had been raised in a Christian home and taught from a young age to love Israel because it is central to her faith. As she spoke, the tears continued to stream down her face. She shared openly about her walk with God and what the Lord was doing in her life in this season. In response, our team began speaking words of encouragement, purpose, and life over her.
Still emotional, she looked at us and said, “This is exactly what I needed. God has been asking me to be bold.” You could sense something shifting in her spirit. She was ready to step forward in courage and conviction.
Before we left, I asked the rabbi in our group if he would pray for her. He smiled and quietly responded, “I only do recited prayers.” But when he began to pray, it felt like anything but recited.
The room became holy ground.
Suddenly, tears filled my eyes. Others in the room were crying. Even the rabbi himself became so choked up with emotion that he struggled to finish the prayer. In that moment, it felt as though heaven had stepped into that congressional office.
Perhaps what happened that day was not only life-changing for a young staffer. Perhaps itwas also a glimpse of something deeper—a picture of what Jewish and Christian relationships can truly look like when centered on the purposes and presence of God.
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