I'm writing about this today because I don't want to be complacent. I want this to hurt. I want this to make me sad. It's too easy to say, "What a pity." then change the channel on the TV.
On the news last night was the story about the nearly one thousand refugees from Africa who drowned while trying to cross the Mediterranean sea to Italy. There were only twenty-three survivors from a fishing boat crammed with a mass of desperate humanity that had capsized. Among those survivors were people arrested for human smuggling.
A thousand men, women and children...its a small town, a largish high school. A thousand lives may attend an eleven AM Sunday service at a big evangelical church. It's husbands and wives, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. It's, as the news reporter said, as great a loss as when the Titanic went down. Except there was no band playing. It's one of the worst single disasters in naval history.
They were human beings, people, with loves, hopes, and dreams who only wanted a better chance in life. Like you. Like me.
Lord, forgive us the harm we do each other in the name of greed. Forgive us our callous indifference to the plight of many of Your children on this planet. Forgive us our prejudices. Forgive us for simply sitting by while precious lives are persecuted for their faith, their gender, their nationality.
Show me, Lord, what I can do to make a difference. In Jesus' most precious name.
"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good." Prov 15:3
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Boundary Study Part 2
"Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God--truly righteous and holy...
It is beyond sad. I heard that Christians were targeted on a ship - tossed over. Oh Lord Jesus come!!
ReplyDeleteEthiopia is a predominantly Christian country in the midst of a Muslim world. Many refugees come from there, fleeing poverty and persecution.
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