Migration and the Journey of Faith A.

Study of Acts 7:1:8 on the Daily.

Bible refresh.

Hello my friend Dr. Brad.

Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh.

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Here's Today's reading from Acts 7:1:8 Reading.

From the message Stephen Full of the Holy Spirit Then the chief priest said, what do you have to do to save for yourself?

Stephen replied, Friends, fathers and brothers, the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was still in Mesopotamia before the move to Haran and told him, leave your country and family and go to the land that I'll show you.

So he left the country of the Chaldees and moved to Haran.

After the death of his father, he immigrated to this country where you now live.

But God gave him nothing, not so much as a foothold.

He did promise to give the country to him and his son later on, even though Abraham had no son at the time, God let him know that his offspring would move to an alien country where they would be enslaved and brutalized for 400 years.

But God said, I will step in and take care of those slaveholders and bring my people out so they can worship me in this place.

Then he made a covenant with him and signed it in Abraham's flesh by circumcision.

When Abraham had his son Isaac, within eight days he reproduced the sign of circumcision in him.

Isaac became father of Jacob and Jacob, father of 12 fathers, each faithfully passing on the covenant sign.

Well, in today's reflection, my good friends, we're exploring Stephen's recounting of of the Abraham story, which is a narrative of all about migration and promise and the complexities of COVID Let's talk about some points to ponder.

The first has to do with sacred migration stories, and Stephen begins his defense by telling a migration story Abraham, responding to divine calling, became becomes an immigrant twice over.

First to Haran, then to Canaan.

In our current context of global migration and refugee crises, this reminds us that displacement and movement are woven into our sacred stories.

The divine often speaks through those who cross borders and seek new homes as refugees.

And there's the promise without possession.

The Bible text specifically notes that God gave him nothing, not so much as a foothold.

This challenges prosperity gospel narratives and reminds us that faith isn't about immediate reward or territorial claims.

Instead, it's about participating in a larger story of liberation and justice that may extend beyond our own lifetime.

Another point is about going beyond blood and borders.

This passage mentions circumcision as a covenant sign in progressive theology.

This invites us to look deeper into what covenant means today.

Rather than focusing on physical markers or bloodlines, we might ask how do we embody covenant through working for justice, welcoming the stranger, or caring for our common home?

For our common home.

Let's talk about an action step.

Learn about migration and immigration stories in your own community.

Connect with local immigrant rights organization or some refugee support group and listen to firsthand accounts of modern migration, immigration journeys and consider how these modern day contemporary stories connect with our sacred story, our sacred text, and how that might be calling us to action.

We're going to come back with a closing prayer here in just a minute.

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Let's pray.

Oh God of journey and justice.

We remember that our sacred stories are filled with people on the move, seeking safety, following promise.

Open our hearts to those crossing borders today.

Help us challenge systems that create displacement and give us courage to welcome the stranger.

May we see your presence in every migration story, every immigration story, and every hope for home.

In solidarity and love we pray.

Amen.

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My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'll be right here tomorrow with your daily Bible Refresh.

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Remember God's loyal love doesn't run out.

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