Refuge
Thursday, December 14, 2017
A Middle-Eastern family on the run.
A people longing, hoping, for something better.
A journey from home with no certainty of safety.
A people longing, hoping, for something better.
A journey from home with no certainty of safety.
It's a familiar story; we can become desensitised.
In the last few days we've been writing about welcoming and sharing,
generosity and service;
extension for the sake of another.
Can we extend that same heart to those seeking refuge?
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| Photo by Warren Wong on Unsplash |
Homelessness.
Poverty.
Mental illness.
War.
Persecution.
We have a great need for refuge.
In Luke's biography of Jesus we read:
"Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." [Luke 2:7]
After the visit of the shepherds and the magi (the 'wise kings'), Matthew continues the story:
"When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” [Matthew 2:13]
Last year I bought our daughter a Christmas story,
a story of refuge.
The book follows what happened after these more well-known events. It reads:
There is a longing for refuge... again.
A hope of kindness... again.a story of refuge.
"We set off under starlight,
through empty streets,
whilst people were sleeping,
hoping for the kindness of strangers.
Again."
a journey into the unknown... again.
It captures that feeling of helplessness,
coupled with the confidence of faith.
I'm praying that we each find refuge
and learn to extend it to others.
