Sunday, September 27, 2015

When Crisis meets Grace -- a Heartbeat for Europe

Hungry, tired, weak and traumatized ... everyday 8,000 more desperate souls hobble across borders into makeshift refugee camps, struggling for a chance at security, searching for hope.  An estimated half million have staggered into Europe so far in 2015, the women peeking from beneath the head scarves of their Muslim faith, wondering if today they will eat, speculating if their little ones will survive, perhaps questioning if Allah even cares about their desperate journey.

This is Europe today. And UNHCR says it is likely just the "tip of the iceberg" of what's coming.

And so the tsunami of humanity has brought with it a flood of fears of holy wars. Some speculate that ISIS is using the crisis to flood the West with its operatives who will be poised to embark on a rampage of unconscionable terror attacks at a strategic time. Others argue that by simply allowing such large numbers of Muslims into Europe, we set the stage for an "Islamicisation" of the continent within the next few generations. A victory for Muhammad without firing a single shot.

Crisis, indeed. And Europe may never again be the same.

But while many have wrapped themselves around the anxiety of certain annihilation, countless others, followers of Christ from varied backgrounds, have banned together in Hungary to, not just tell, but SHOW these needy refugees that there is a God in Heaven who loves them so completely that He sent his Son, Jesus, "Isa," to die that they might live.

"But what if there are terrorists among them?" you might ask. Then through the blankets and the bananas, the smiles, and the tears, just maybe a Muslim extremist might discover the difference between the god of jihad, and the God of Grace.

Arpad Horvath-Kavai worked with the ecclectic group of voluteers at the Hungary's southern border, handing out food packages and blankets and striving the meet the insurmountable needs. He wrote of the experience:

The extraordinary circumstances of the largest exodus of people since the last world war culminated in remarkable spiritual blessings—prayers were offered in the name of ʿĪsā,(Jesus) weary souls saw the light, the Scriptures were quoted, and Yahweh was praised.

Yes, the world faces a crisis in Europe. But instead of moaning and harping the worst possible case scenarios, we as Christian must realized that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood," (Eph. 6:12) and we must take the battle to our knees. This moment is more than the moment of crisis. It is the hour of opportunity.

Thousands, perhaps millions of Muslims, pouring into Europe know only the kind of god they've ever been exposed to:  a god of judgement, a god of  law.  Imagine if in this desperate time, they could be introduced to a God of Grace and the very real possibility of relationship with Him.

GoodSports International recognizes that the Word of God is the very heartbeat of relationship with Him. And in an effort to share this life, GoodSports is seeking to put an Arabic language Bible into the hand of every refugee, to make known this God of love, this God of grace, Isa (Jesus).

Join us in this battle and pray for all the migrants and refugees flooding into Europe. At the end of these trying days may we be able to stand against the Evil One and say what Joseph did in Genesis 50:20: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."


[You can join the "Heartbeat" refugee Bible project by clicking here and donating under the item "GoodSports Hungary -- Refugee Ministry."]