The Macedonian call and the Good Samaritan

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us. In this vision Paul hears words spoken by a person who represents an unreached a people and region. He is calling for help. Paul and his team immediately responds and got to see a fantastic door opening up for the gospel in Philippi. Paul this way became the right man, with the right people, at the right place in the right time. This step was a stroke of God’s genius and a new field was now reached. The question is; is there such a Macedonian call for help to us Christians today?

The ministry of Jesus was about saving and restoring man, not only spiritually, but on all levels. His parable about the Good Samaritan challenges, since the two persons that ignored the robbed and manhandled victim, were both priests. Maybe they prioritised the spiritual? The Samaritan though, took care of the victim’s needs, which were medical care, lodging and food. Was this a substitute for preaching the gospel? No, it was just another way of preaching the gospel. It was God’s mercy and love in practice.

The news is now characterized almost entirely by the war in the Middle East and the flows of refugees that as a result of it, go through Europe, to where both Muslims and Christians seek refuge. The sheer magnitude has taken Europe by surprise and as spring approaches and the war shows sign of intensifying, we can probably expect a new wave of refugees. There are enormous needs; material, social and spiritual. And you and I can be the answer to these needs. We need to continue to make efforts in the refugee camps in Iraq and Jordan, in Athens and at other points where the fleeing migrant pass through after a life threating voyage over the sea to find safety, as well as relieving and helping them as they arrive to Sweden.

Is this the Macedonian call to us Christians today? And is the mission’s field coming to us? Not counting the challenges, let us open our hearts for the affected. Then God’s light will shine for us as well as for them.