Apr 26 - Matthew 25:44

"Lord, when was it that we saw you

hungry or thirsty or a stranger

or naked or sick or in prison,

and did not take care of you?”

Matthew 25:44

Years ago, I bought a used car. The “best deal at the time” happened to be an old Volvo with 125,000 miles. As soon as I bought one, a funny thing happened. I began seeing them all over town. Volvos are really not all that common, but suddenly it seemed like they were everywhere. I was sensitized. My eyes were opened.

Lately my eyes have been opened to the hungry, naked, sick, and persecuted. Like buying a car, it first required that I have a rooting interest in the events of South Sudan to become aware of what’s going on in that war-torn country. Now, I seem to see it everywhere. Yesterday, it was on the front page of my favorite magazine – World (see the attached article).

Since our young brother, Bobby Bender, went with Samaritan’s Purse to South Sudan, I’ve become aware of …

·         the decades long conflict between the north and the south in Sudan

·         the racial conflict prompted mainly by the ethnically Arabs in the north against the Black Africans in the south

·         the religious conflict prompted mainly by the Muslims in the north against the Christians in the south

·         the recent split of the old nation of Sudan into South Sudan and the-still-named-Sudan in the north.

·         the constant bombing raids by the North on the South

·         the terror, religious-persecution, war wounds, and – worst of all – the hunger among Black Christians, especially in and around the border which include the heavily persecuted Nuba Mountain region

·         the further escalating of tensions which may lead to an all-out war

“Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty … or sick … or [under persecution]?”

What can we do?

1.    Pray (for the bombings to stop, for the hungry to eat, and for the relief workers like Bobby to be safe).

2.    Learn (subscribe to World Magazine, my favorite source for a solid, Christian, counter-cultural understanding of the news)

3.    Give (Samaritan’s Purse is also a great place to learn more, and on the link provided, there is a place to give. The two greatest immediate needs are for food in the face of severe famine and medical care as the bombings increase.)

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s heart

has been sensitized