Refugee

 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt
Matthew 2:14 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.2.14.ESV

Recently, the UK has said it will deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. This makes it a less hospitable place than 1st century pagan Egypt, where the infant Jesus and His family fled from murderous king Herod. Even if Egypt was also in the Roman Empire, it was a different jurisdiction, like two countries within the European Union.

The archbishop of Canterbury spoke against the UK's Rwandan plans, and was rebuked by a politician, who blasphemously claimed the plans were 'almost the Easter story of redemption'. How exactly the politician could dare attempt to rationalise that I don't know. Biblically, we should be hospitable and welcoming to refugees.

The fact that the Lord of glory became a refugee Himself shows how God identifies with the poor and oppressed, the down and outs. We as God's people should care for those less well off than us, for that is an expression of true religion. If we claim to love God and don't love immigrant neighbours, we lie, and the truth isn't in us.

Jesus's stay in Egypt also fulfilled the prophecy that out of Egypt God called His Son. Just as Jesus returned from Egypt, so we can be delivered from sin to the promised new creation. We just need to believe in Him.

'Loving heavenly Father, please help us to be hospitable to immigrants, knowing Christ was one Himself. Have mercy upon my inhospitable land I pray, in our Saviour's name, amen'

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