Praying for Refugeesናሙና

Enduring Through Faith - Abraham

When we talk about refugees, or the displaced in general, we refer to people who were forced from their homes due to war, persecution, or natural disasters. Abraham does not fit this definition.

Living in the land of Haran, Abraham acquired wealth and built up his property. We don’t read about any war or famine, and it seems like Abraham could have lived in Haran for the rest of his life, surrounded by friends and family and enjoying life. However, one day he left with his family, bringing what they had with them, and led by God’s word.

He was not a refugee, but by leaving his land, he embarked on a journey that would test his faith through hardship, heartache, and seemingly impossible odds. He would face famine and prejudice, be tossed from place to place, and have to grapple with the fact that his children would grow up as foreigners, victims of discrimination and injustice. In other words, he went through many of the same struggles that displaced people go through today.

And through all of this, the father of faith endured by his faith. He persevered by never losing sight of the hope he had in God to protect him, provide for him, and lead him to a home – to a promised land.

Abraham’s descendants were called to this same hope. Liberated from slavery and fleeing oppression and persecution, they were a nation of refugees. They were compelled by God’s promise to provide them with a home, to protect them, and to be faithful to them. Though they stumbled, God upheld them. Through trials and the wilderness, confronted by their own weakness and that of others, they were guided, nourished, and protected on their way to the promised land.

So, God’s Chosen People, from the very beginning, were those who left behind what they knew, putting their faith in God to take care of them and provide them with a home. Through hardships and heartaches, they endured by their hope in God, and trusted in Him to see them through their trials.

Just like the displaced peoples of today who, like Abraham and the Israelites, show incredible strength and deep faith as they carry on through their journey.