Blogging Through The Alphabet: "C" is for CLARITY

So for the letter "C" for today's Blogging Through the Alphabet, what came to my mind was Clarity.
My Facebook page has been flooded today with people posting concerns and negative remarks about Obama's plan to bring Syrian refugees into the United States.  Some have said 10,000 and others have said 100,000 and I didn't go out to research the actual amount.  The numbers don't matter that much to me.  What matters to me is the fear that is hindering people from seeing the need. 

 I understand the fear in light of the terrorist attacks that we have seen in recent days/weeks/months.  But I am wrestling with what would God want us to do with the families that have had to leave their homes to escape the terror on their own lives and their efforts to protect their own families? I have seen a lot of comments that it is mostly men, but not in the pictures I have been seeing.

  
So all I know to do is pray for clarity.  I am asking God to give our leaders wisdom.  I am asking Him to give us leaders who believe in prayer and seek His direction before making decisions.  Then I am asking Him if we are to take the refugees into our country, states, cities and homes that He make that abundantly clear to all of us.

There are several verses that speak to God's heart for refugees, here are just a few:

• Jeremiah 7:4-12 (NRSV)  Do not trust in these deceptive words: “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.” For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever.
• Zechariah 7:10 (NRSV) do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.
• Malachi 3:5 (NRSV) Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

I also pray that people can have discussions without condemning each other for opposing views.  Guess that would be another "c" word :-)  May God keep His promise to us all "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

I also have faith in God's ability to provide Clarity by keeping another promise " If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5 (for me wisdom is another word for clarity)

Father God, give us Your eyes and Your heart.  May we not dismiss those who are in need, but please show us the way to help them and not be filled with fear of the evil that might come along with that.  Our sincerest prayer is that Satan and his evils works will be defeated in the name of our Lord and Savior who has already conquered him.  Thank you, Father! Amen.