
This post is going to be a very short one, as I’m sure you’ve many a plan for today. Going to church, seeing your relatives, having lunch and anything else you’ve thought of. but today I would like to take a moment to think about those who have a lot less than us, refugees especially.
“A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.” – Refugee Definition
In the Bible we read in Exodus 14:5, that the Jews would had been forced into slavery in Egypt, had been released. In this verse ‘the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled’. (Read on about the story here) God’s people at this moment in time have fled the place they have called home for so long, into the desert, where they believe they will die. They are refugees; they have been ‘forced to leave their country in order to escape persecution.’ The most important part is that God looked after them all in the barren dessert for 40+ days and nights.
Finally, returning to the Christmas Story. Mary and Joseph, once they had the baby Jesus, they also became refugees. We read about it in Matthew 2:23. ‘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.” Mary and Joseph and now the baby Jesus, have been forced to leave their country in order to escape persecution. Because Herod didn’t want to lose his thrown, later ‘he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem’ and the surrounding towns and area ‘who were two years old and under’.
Now, ‘after Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.’ Now the three of them have settled in, another angel comes telling them to move again.
This Christmas, enjoy yourself as much as possible and spread the joy of the Lord to all people, but remember those less fortunate as well. both abroad and at home. Those who have lost family members or have had to flee their home and family because of war or persecution. Pray or those people, and once again, Merry Christmas from the RCG Team!
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