CBN’s Jerusalem studios gave Americans a brief but powerful reminder of where our hearts should be: standing with Israel and pleading for the safe return of every hostage. Aaron Shust’s acoustic rendition of “Jerusalem” is simple, sincere worship — exactly the kind of godly encouragement families need while politicians haggle and the world talks in circles. This isn’t celebrity fluff; it’s ministry and solidarity in a time of national mourning.
Aaron Shust’s song “Jerusalem,” released as a single and performed in the Holy City, leans into Psalm 122’s direct call to pray for peace, and the lyrics ask God to arise and protect His people. The tune’s plain devotion cuts through the noise — reminding listeners that faith and prayer are concrete actions, not hollow hashtags. If more public figures chose worship and clarity over hollow virtue-signaling, we might actually help the suffering instead of scoring political points.
Let’s not let anyone forget why these prayers are needed: on October 7, 2023, terrorists crossed into Israeli communities, murdering innocents and dragging scores of civilians into captivity in a barbaric assault. That atrocity is the reason families still sleep in portraits and headlines still ask where their loved ones are, and arguing over semantics won’t bring them home. Conservatives who value life and law recognize evil when we see it, and we will call it out without apology.
There has been movement toward returning some of the hostages under recent agreements and swaps, but progress has been painfully slow and partial, and many families still wait for closure. Negotiations and hostage exchanges reported this year show that while some captives have been returned, dozens remain unaccounted for or presumed dead — the human cost remains enormous. Faith leaders and conservative advocates aren’t interested in diplomatic theater; they want concrete results and unwavering pressure until every innocent is freed.
That’s why the Christian gatherings and prayer breakfasts in support of Israel matter politically as well as spiritually — they remind our leaders that America’s moral compass still points toward protecting the vulnerable and opposing wanton brutality. Too much of the mainstream media and too many on the left rush to moral equivalence or prefer neutrality when strength and moral clarity are called for, abandoning the people who were brutalized. We must keep faith active: pray, protest when necessary, and demand that our government stand firmly with allies who share our values.
So today, as Aaron Shust’s voice echoes from Jerusalem into American living rooms, remember that prayer is paired with action: support the hostages’ families, hold leadership accountable, and stand with Israel until peace is real and hostage chains are broken. Hardworking Americans don’t bow to terrorists or to the timidity of politicians who fear standing for truth; we stand, we pray, and we demand the safe return of every captive. Let our voices be loud enough to shame callousness and strong enough to bring the captives home.
