Morning thought 5 Friday, June 18

Good morning

In preparing this morning thoughts I have search my memory and done my best to be accurate. What I have shared is from my own experience of working with refugees with Mustard Seed Jersey well over 20 years ago. But I believe that the issues raised over 20 years ago are still relevant today.

My visits to both Macedonia and Albania in connection with refugees from Yugoslavia certainly had a real impact on me and over 20 years later I still hold some abiding memories. But probably the most chilling memory is of the depth of hatred that some of the refugees showed. Listening to their terrible experiences you could understand the hatred and desire for revenge. But to hear repeatedly of the depth of their hatred and the desire to avenge and to hurt and kill was truly chilling and said very clearly that the conflict in that country was far from resolved and the violence would erupt again.

I came back home to the safety of Jersey very aware that while such hatred continues, wars and conflict and violence would continue too, as we still see in our world today.

The instruction of Jesus that we should forgive our enemies is an incredibly hard direction to follow and I believe we can only do that with his help

We end today’s morning thought with the same prayer that I used on Monday morning:

 

Grant a safe journey by land or sea Lord to those fleeing conflict warfare and persecution Lord where there is conflict sow love where there is hate sow kindness. Begin to put love within our hearts that the love we display might make a difference in this increasingly troubled world through Jesus Christ we pray.

 

 

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