Post Germany Reflection at Christmas

Flying back from Germany a week ago I began reflecting, processing, and focusing upon one thing I observed in the previous days. I saw the chaos of a one million refugees flooding into a country from the Middle East and many other countries of Africa. They were fleeing war, terrorists, famine, poverty, and inhuman governments. Germany is a country one half the size of Texas and yet welcoming this vast horde. This also is a country conflicted as to how to respond as opinions were divided. Yet amazingly I observed a nation responding to the plight of the refugees rather than being paralyzed by rhetoric even as they sorted out the strong differing political opinions. I noted politicians with courage directed by conviction and not political polls. I experienced many things that the media in the USA is not reporting. I saw God working.

I observed the Christian community reaching out to the refugees. The percentage of people who claim to be Christians in Germany does not begin to compare to those who profess to be Christians in the USA. Yet those Christians were stepping out by faith and not focused upon those who may or may not be a dangerous refugee. They had chosen to be ruled not by fear and hatred but by faith and love.

A many century old statement came to mind by Thomas Aquinas, "God is so powerful that He can direct any evil to a good end." In this Christmas season I am so glad that over 2,000 years ago, God led a refugee family to Egypt to flee the murderous intention of an evil political leader (Matthew 2:13-18). The result... protection of Jesus and the fulfilment of prophecy.

I am also thankful this Christmas season that a Syrian Muslim fled the murderous intentions of political leaders and as a refugee came to Dresden, Germany, heard the Gospel, believed, and was baptized as a believer in Jesus Christ. This year he sees Christmas as a believer not as disbeliever. To see the joy and peace in this man's face while having nothing of the world's goods, but on the other hand now having every blessing in Christ Jesus, gives another perspective on the issue of refugees around the world. God not only rules, He overrules the evil intentions of Satanic forces.

In these unsettled days when the Bible honestly says that "in the last days evil men will wax worse and worse" (2 Timothy 3:13), Christians need to process events from a Divine view of history.  Present history does not determine ultimate history. The Bible makes it clear that Jesus is triumphant over all false religions and world powers. He is the One who wins the battle for world domination (Revelation 19). May Christians live for the glory of God in this unsettled world walking by faith and not by sight or fear-filled rhetoric.

Looking forward by faith to the day when "peace on earth and good will toward men" will be fully realized.