A Conversation with God 7/29/16

Me:  God, I’m confused.

God:  About what, my child?

Me:  Well, how can Christians, who are filled with the same Holy Spirit, perceive the world so differently?

God:  Different…how?

Me:  For example…refugees.  Some think we should turn them away in order to protect what is rightfully ours.  Then others, who also claim to be Christians,  think we should open our arms and welcome them into the safety of our country.

God:  Have you heard the story about Moses and my people, Israel?

Me:  Yes Lord, I learned it in Sunday school.

God:   Well then, as you know, when they were slaves in Egypt, Moses lead them out and eventually into a promise land I had prepared for them.  Before I let them go into this promise land I gave them a few guidelines about how I wanted them to live.  As I recall, a few of these guidelines dealt with refugees and how to treat them.

Me:  Well, what did you tell them back then?

God:  Basically, I told my children to give foreigners food and clothing; but I didn’t stop there… I also told them to love the refugee and to remember that they themselves were once foreigners in a strange land.

Me:  Well…did they do it?

God:  Some did and some didn’t.  Once, hundreds of years earlier, there was a whole city, her name Sodom, who shunned foreigners and  mistreated the poor and needy.  It became so bad I had to do away with her in order to protect the innocents.

Me:  Lord…

God:  Yes…

Me: I still don’t understand why some Christians think we should and other Christians think we shouldn’t.  I just doesn’t make sense to me.

God:  Well, tell me what you feel you should do.

Me:  My heart seems to be saying…to love…

God:  Then maybe you should follow your heart.

Me:  Yes, Lord.

God:  And Lisa…

Me:  Yes Lord?

God:  Don’t worry about the other Christians…that’s my job.

***

When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. (Leviticus 19:33-34)

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:18-19)

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. (Ezekiel 16:49)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength:  this is the first commandment…love your neighbor as yourself.  There is non other commandment greater than these.  (Mark 12:30-31)

Follow your heart…even if it flies against the wind.