Sunday, January 29, 2017

About refugees and the church


A president or a nation can do what they want, I suppose, until God’s judgment falls. But remember God’s judgment, the Scriptures state, begins with the church. I have been listening to Sandra McCracken’s All Ye Refugees and I am reminded that we are all refugees, exiled from God and without hope in the world without Jesus Christ. That in itself is a biblical reason to care for the refugees of this world.

One doesn’t have to quote God’s word to Israel to care for the refugee because we were once as lost and needy as they. In fact, we still are so very needy. Having been brought home to God by the death and life of Jesus is sufficient reason to care for the refugee. While we were still ungodly Christ died for us.

I have a beautiful granddaughter (beautiful in face and spirit) who put aside, for a while, a huge scholarship, to work with refugees in Europe. I wonder how she and the team she is working with, which includes my son and his wife as well as two grandchildren, are feeling now about our situation as they experience those who so desperately need help and sanctuary.

I pray the church in the United States will turn her eyes toward Jesus and away from fear.


I am the One, the earth is my handmade work
The skies I laid them wide, beauty unfurled
Horizon to horizon
Creation to creation, sings you home

Chorus
Welcome home, gather round
all ye refugees, come in.

Oh refugee, I did not cast you out
In death and broken ground, Salvation springs
My body and my blood, the healing that you need
Come and receive (Chorus)

Watch and wait and see, what is yet to be
Watch and wait and see, for the morning

Go out in joy and join the great procession
The mountains and the heav’ns all will rejoice
horizon to horizon, creation to creation
horizon to horizon, creation to creation
With one voice (Chorus)

© 2015 Petit Bateaux Music (ASCAP) / Flo Paris Music / Kellie Haddock
credits
from Psalms, released April 14, 2015
Written by Chelsey Scott, Kellie Haddock, and Flo Paris

Thanks to Beanscot.

2 comments:

Jodie said...

I think the following quote from Bonhoeffer will become more popular in the days and months and years to follow:

" There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared. It is itself the great venture and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security. To demand guarantees is to want to protect oneself. Peace means giving oneself completely to God's commandment. Wanting no security, but in faith and obedience laying the destiny of the nations in the hand of almighty God. Not trying to direct it for selfish purposes. Battles are won not with weapons, but with God. They are won when the way leads to the cross. "

Jodie Gallo
Los Angeles, CA

Viola Larson said...

Good quote Jodie.