Leviticus 19 : 34a
The foreigners residing amongst you must be treated as native-born, love them as yourself…
I am a seaside boy. As a child I lived in Margate and our holidays would be two weeks fishing at Dungerness. I spent hours standing on the shore looking out to sea trying to spot the ships sailing along the horizon.
40 years on and I have been reminded of those days, as pictures of refugees landing on the same shingle beaches regularly appear on the nightly news bulletins. And I wonder what would I have done if a boat load of weary frightened men, women and children had pulled up on the beach beside me?
God’s instruction in Leviticus 19 : 34 is clear and should still hold true for us as individuals and as a nation today. Indeed, Jesus took the direction of this verse to its ultimate end. He left his home in heaven, lived with us and died on the cross for us. Why? Because of his self-giving love and that through his sacrifice we would have the promise of a loving home forever.
The Church I am a member of is part of the Welcome Churches Network and we have been greatly blessed through welcoming people from Hong Kong into our community. It is sad that currently Hong Kong is only one of three countries in the whole world that our government has setup safe routes for people to use to legally seek refuge in this country.
Maybe the next time you stand on a beach or see a TV report about these “foreigners” landing on our shores or are asked to receive a family from a foreign land into your community will you resolve to live out this verse from Leviticus, will you treat them as native-born and love them as yourself?
Dear God,
You gave your Son so that whoever believes in him would know a loving home free from fear and persecution forever. Help us Lord to enable the same to be true for all people in our world today no matter where they are born.
In Jesus Name we pray.
Amen.
Revd Canon Dr David Page
St Peter, Elworth