1 John 5:1 – Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

One of the situations in the world that really just breaks my heart is that taking place in southern Sudan. The persecution which is happening there is just appalling. Villages are attacked, men are killed and women are violated, and then women and children are sold into slavery. Now this is not the only area of persecution in the world but it is one of them. There have been 1.2 million people killed in southern Sudan and yet the western world does not seem to be too concerned with the situation. Is that because we have become so comfortable in our lives that we do not want to bother? Is it because it is happening so far away from us that we cannot identify with it? Is it because we do not see the people but only hear bits here and there? The thing is that these people are not alienated from us. They are not so different that we cannot identify with them. Many are Christians and because of that they are members of the same family as we are. In today's scripture, we see that we become part of God's family with fellow believers. It is not we who pick and choose who should be members of God's family but we are made members of his family. Since these people are members of the Father's family they are important to us. One thing that we can do as members of God's family is pray for these people. We are called to accept all believers and love them.

Prayer: Lord, may we never forget those who face persecution in your name. May we extend the love you have shown us to all in your family. May we not pick and choose whom we want in the family but accept all and love all, just as you love us. Amen.

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