Day 15: Reach Out Your Hand

In today's passage, Jesus speaks to his disciples on the way to Jerusalem, foreshadowing the extreme suffering that he would undergo for our redemption. Why did Jesus endure such horrendous suffering and ultimate death on the cross? Because of a passionate love for mankind! Reflecting upon his act of sacrifice—the lengths to which he went to reach us—reveals something about the importance of reaching out to those outside of our close circles, those whom we see as being “different.”

Remember the Sudanese refugees

On Friday, December 18th, the Jordanian government deported 585 Sudanese refugees back to Sudan, ignoring the outcry of the international community. I grew close to this warm and resilient community during my time in Jordan working with JRS; however, I also saw firsthand that Sudanese refugees are truly living at the margins, overshadowed by Jordan’s other refugee influxes and overlooked in service provision. Jordan was home to approximately 4,000 Sudanese, primarily Darfuri, refugees and asylum seekers before the deportation.

Day 14: A Challenging Path

Jesus frequently laments the Pharisees’ legalistic worldview and the grief they cause their flock. Perhaps well meaning, perhaps not, the Pharisees strike me as tormented and insecure as they cautiously live in fear of human imperfection. Out of compulsion, they worship a false God of fire and brimstone, tit for tat, and simple rules with straightforward penalties. In other words, they worship themselves; and if we care to admit it, they are often us.