Jesus Journeys With The Oppressed

Jesus Journeys with the Oppressed
Matthew 2:13 “Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
While Herod plots his evil response to the fear of losing power, God sends an angel to Joseph to warn him and give him new directions. What I love about this story is not the simple wonder of God’s dream language, a topic worth extended study. What I love is this early glimpse of Jesus and his family as political refugees and God’s determination to give them a path forward to safety. Jesus and his family could not survive in their home land. They had to flee. I see that as such an act of solidarity with the many refugees around the world today who are forced to flee their homelands due to the threat of violence or poverty. I believe that Jesus always stands with them, children and adults, because he knows what they are going through. He also knows that God always provides a path that leads to life.
There are many good and practical reasons why borders and their security are important in our day. No argument there. What this text shows us, however, is that borders don’t mean much to God when the lives of the beloved are at stake. Take a moment today to think about the many displaced persons all over the world. Open your heart to compassion and breathe your care as a prayer, knowing that Jesus accompanies every desperate journey. Even your own.
Prayer: O God of all our journeys, we thank you that you accompany us on our way. We thank you that Jesus, our Lord, knows what it is like to have to flee for safety. Fill us with your compassion and vision so that we may find ways to help and never harm. In Jesus’ holy name we pray. Amen.
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