大象传媒

Good morning!聽The Bible, and the later rabbinic writings, depict God as taking special care of the vulnerable. According to Deuteronomy God 鈥渆xecutes justice for the orphan and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.鈥澛燨n some occasions, as recorded in the Book of Psalms, David calls on God to arise and scatter his enemies, yet there is no mention in the Psalms that God responds. 聽The Psalms do, however, state 鈥淔or the oppression of the poor and the cry of the needy, then will I arise, saith the Lord鈥�. 聽This brings to mind the comment attributed to Abraham Lincoln when asked on the eve of battle whether God was on his side. 聽鈥淭he question,鈥� Lincoln is reported to have replied, 鈥渋s whether we are on God鈥檚 side.鈥澛燛ven if you are God鈥檚 anointed, even King David, you may not assume that God is on your side. 聽When is God on your side? 聽When you are on his. 聽And what is his side? 聽It is above all the side of the needy and vulnerable; and the extent to which all peoples address themselves to these concerns is, according to the Jewish way of life, the extent to which they are godly.聽That is why, whilst the Pentateuch commands us to love the neighbour once in Leviticus, on 36 separate occasions it commands us to love the stranger because 鈥榶ou were strangers in the land of Egypt鈥�.聽As we come to the end of this Week of Prayer for Christian unity, let's remember that none should exclude the other. God may be with us but also with those who are not like us; with friends but also with strangers.聽聽Blessed are you, O Lord, who reminds us that we were once all strangers聽Amen.