Hope

First Week of Advent
Wednesday December 4, 2013

 Read Psalm 124

 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—let Israel now say—
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;
then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone the raging waters.—Psalm 124:1-5

 A group of Burmese Christians worships at my church on Sunday afternoons. I do not know their background, how they came to be living in Oklahoma City, or why they had to leave their homeland. I do know that their nation, now called Myanmar, has been embroiled in civil war among warring groups for years.  Human rights violations have been a grave concern for some time. In 2011, the first elected government was instituted and there is hope that stability with human rights will become the standard for this ancient land. 

A few weeks ago the Burmese invited our congregation to join theirs for lunch. What a wonderful experience. Besides having excellent food, there was much joy. Some of the Burmese spoke limited English and I know of no one in our group that spoke Burmese, but we did communicate.  The young mother who sat next to me told me she had lived here about two years. We talked about her two precious little girls, one nearly three who must have arrived in this country with her parents and one six months old who was born in the United States. They live just down the street from the church. 

Several weeks ago I arrived at the church for a book club meeting. Spilling out of the sanctuary, enthusiastic singing of this congregation welcomed me.  I stopped and listened for a moment recognizing the very familiar tune of a popular chorus being sung in Burmese. In my head I joined with them repeating the words in English.  These were not strangers anymore. These are neighbors. 

We are called to welcome the stranger and to treat them as we would want to be treated in a foreign land. When strangers live among us they become our neighbors and we are called to love them as we love ourselves. Someone instilled the Burmese Christians with the hope of Jesus. They now have inspired my congregation with that same hope as they spread their good will. 

Prayer: God of the nations, make us whole, make us one. Amen.

All scripture passages are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version.