A brief word on immigration

TODAY'S BIBLE READING:

Leviticus 19:1-20:21 
Mark 8:11-38
Psalm 42:1-11
Proverbs 10:17

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Psalm 42:1-2 "As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):


Leviticus 19-20 reads like a law book. God gave the Israelites many, many laws. His purpose was to give them a clear understanding of right and wrong so that justice and righteousness would be upheld and people could enjoy living in a morally good society.

One of the commands is particularly relevant to America in the 21st century. We are hearing much about immigrants and folks who are here illegally. American citizens get emotional on both sides of the argument. Some say they need to go and others say they have a right to stay.

While we are a nation of laws and as Christians we need to live by and uphold those laws, we need to be so careful not to take our moral cues from society instead of God.

Listen to what God told the Israelites...

Leviticus 19:33-34 "Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

Did you get that? The people of God were told to treat foreigners who lived among them (a.k.a. immigrants) with the same kindness they had for their fellow Israelites.

In July, I am going with a team of folks from the church I pastor to Denver to serve the children of immigrants. Those people have souls. They will spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. They also have physical, tangible needs. As followers of Jesus, we have the ability to meet those needs with the ultimate goal of sharing the Gospel.

So, while I believe that folks should enter this country legally, I also realize that many people who are already here are people that we should treat rightly. 

Don't read amnesty into my comments. I'm not going into the politics and logistics of this matter. I'm simply saying that immigrants are people that we are called to love and serve. As followers of Jesus, we must do that.