Exodus 23:9




'You must not oppress foreigners. You know what it’s like to be a foreigner, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.'
The people of Israel had lived in Egypt for 400 years, and so they had a huge experience of being foreigners. Throughout that time, they knew that their true home was elsewhere and that one day they would enter the land that the Lord had given them. This meant that, of all people, they had reason to be sensitive to the vulnerabilities of foreigners in their community. Time and again, the law of Moses reminds them of this important responsibility.
When I lived in India, I had the huge privilege of living with an Indian family. They generously took me into their home where we shared meals, worship, leisure and a lot of laughs. They couldn’t have been more generous. But the truth is that I didn’t speak their language at all at first, and was never fluent. Their customs were very unfamiliar to me and I often felt rather lost. It was only the kindness and consideration of my lovely Indian family which meant that I felt secure and at peace. I certainly learnt what it meant to care well for a foreigner!
The duty to care for foreigners is one that God places upon all of us. This is a huge challenge to our own society. In 2004 there were about five million foreign-born people in the UK. That number has now doubled and among them are many refugees and asylum seekers, who are particularly vulnerable. It is great to see Christians supporting these people, recognising the many challenges that they face. One of the key needs is for them to learn English and to be offered a place to meet with other people from their own country. Churches are often involved in such initiatives and this is an exciting, contemporary way of living in obedience to God’s ancient law.








Question: In what way are you and your church able to reach out to foreigners in your own community?
Prayer: Loving Father, help me to show your love and care for foreigners. Amen

Released on 10 Nov 2022