“Our once great western Christian civilization is dying. If this matters to followers of Jesus Christ, then we must set aside our denominational differences and work together to strengthen the things that remain and reclaim what has been lost. Evangelicals and Catholics must stand together to re-establish that former Christian culture and moral consensus. We have the numbers and the organization but the question is this: Do we have the will to win this present spiritual battle for Jesus Christ against secularism? Will we prayerfully and cooperatively work toward a new Christian spiritual revival ― or will we choose to hunker down in our churches and denominationalisms and watch everything sink into the spiritual and moral abyss of a New Dark Age?” - Mark Davis Pickup

Thursday, November 26, 2015

THOUGHTS ABOUT SYRIAN REFUGEES

I write this blog entry on the eve of the American Thanksgiving. The United States of America has so much to be thankful for as families get together and share a wonderful meal in homes across the nation.


America is a nation of immigrants and refugees from elsewhere.[1] An ocean of humanity fleeing poverty or war have gazed with hopeful eyes at the Statue of Liberty and made new lives in America. At the foot of that statue of Lady Liberty you will find these words from Emma Lazarus' poem The New Colossus:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

As I write these words, I am left to ponder the plight of Syrian refugees fleeing their homeland being torn
apart by war. At this very moment there is a flow of people seeking seeking refuge and safety. Syrian refugees have no home. They are desperate. 

As Christians we must treat others as we would want to be treated if we were in their position. I don't need to cite Scriptural references to back this up. We know it is right to welcome displaced Syrian families. I believe you can feel the Holy Spirit prompting you to act and welcome these huddled masses (to use Emma Lazarus' term) just as I am being prompted and convicted to bid them welcome in my community.  

I believe we are called by God to welcome the stranger, the
homeless, those whose lives are threatened. This emergency unfolding before us provides a wonderful opportunity to be Christ's emissaries for love and to present His Gospel and the way of salvation. Jesus told us to take the Gospel to the world -- well, the world is coming to us. 

We must remember, many of our ancestors fled persecution in other lands and came to North America to seek a new life.  Let us afford others the same opportunity -- in this case Syrian refugees -- and feel the warmth of Christ's love through your actions and witness for Him.

Remember, with the exception of First Nations people, we are all from immigrant stock. Many come from Africa, Europe or Britain. (My own family came from England and Ireland.) Their plights were desperate too.


[Click on image below or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPvjhzNytdk for "Thousands are sailing."


_____________________________________
[1] Although I address American readers of this blog (who make up 2/3 of HumanLifeMatters' readership) my thoughts equally apply to my nation of Canada.

1 comment:

Anne said...

We must take care of people displaced by conflict. The real question is where. Many Arab countries have refused to take in the refugees because they are aware of (1) the destabilizing influence of so many foreigners and (2) the likelihood of terrorists among the deserving refugees. We should probably, with the help of those Arab countries, carve out a place we can help make safe, so that when the current conflicts resolve, the refugees can easily go back to their own country.