This week, the big news has been the illegal deportation of Kilmar Garcia and other immigrants to a prison in El Salvador. Mr. Garcia has no criminal record in the United States or El Salvador. Although he did come to the States illegally as a refugee fleeing persecution in El Salvador, he was given status as a protected refugee six years ago by the United States.
The Trump administration has also ignored legal orders to turn planes around with immigrants headed to El Salvador. So far both federal courts and the Supreme Court have sided with Mr. Garcia and issued statements against the Trump administration:
- Illegal
- Unfair
- Testing the balance of power
The courts and the legal system ordered the return of immigrants to the United States for due process and for Mr. Garcia to be reunited with his American family. As I write this the Trump administration refuses to bring Mr. Garcia back to America and even the Atty. Gen. says he will never live in America again.
It’s disgusting how MAGA and many professing Christians spew hatred and campaign against Mr. Garcia during Holy Week. Jesus, who was a former illegal refugee was also wrongfully convicted and betrayed by His own people who were obsessed with earthly power.
They forgot the ways and nature of their God, who cares about His people and exiles enough to return them home (Ezra 1:3, Psalm 107:2-7, Matthew 8:11).
What Is Return
If you’ve ever gotten lost while out exploring our driving, you understand the feeling of helplessness and how are you longing to return home where we are safe. Return is defined as, “To go back again; revert.”
When we are lost we want to return to where we are safe and where we can rest without worry. When I was younger I spent six years of my life living in the world away from God and my faith. I was as lost as I could be, although I had all of the head knowledge about Jesus and Christianity.
The Bible has a lot to say about returning because we have all gone astray like sheep (Psalm 119:176, Isaiah 53:6, Daniel 9:5, John 10:11-16, 1 Peter 2:25). The human race has been lost since Adam and Eve disobeyed God and wanted more (Genesis 3:12).
We’ve all sinned and need to return to God where we long (Romans 3-33, 1 John 1:8-10). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about why we all need to be returned.
Tᵊšûḇâ
The ancient world kept drifting further and further away from God and God gave His creation and other chance by not destroying it yet. God called His people out of the darkness to be a holy people dedicated to Him (Deuteronomy 7:6).
God’s plan was to use His people to help return His creation to a proper relationship with Himself. The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for return is shuv and it also means, “Repent or turn back,” depending on the context it is used in.
This word is the root word for the Jewish teaching of Tᵊšûḇâ, a fundamental command about always having an opportunity to return to God. Unfortunately, God’s people kept drifting away and getting lost like sheep that needed to be found and returned both physically and spiritually to God (Deuteronomy 30:1-3, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Psalm 51:10-12, Isaiah 55:6-7, Jeremiah 24:7, Lamentations 3:40-41, Ezekiel 18:30-32). Below are the steps of Jewish Tᵊšûḇâ:
- Regret
- Renounce
- Confess
- Reconcile
- Make amends
- Resolve
The concepts of repentance and returning to God run all through the New Testament. Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus by encouraging God’s people to repent and turn from their sinful ways (Matthew 3:1-11, Luke 3:2-16).
It was Jesus’ own baptism that began His ministry and calling God’s people to return to God (Matthew 4:17, Luke 5:32; 13: 3). The first Adam chose to walk away from God, the second Adam chose to return to God, and He called His followers to do the same.
During the Last Supper in Jerusalem with His closest friends, Jesus knew that one of them would betray Him, another would deny Him, and they would soon all desert Him (John 6:70).
Judas
Judas always gets the blame for betraying Jesus, but the truth is he wasn’t the only Disciple to walk away from Jesus then or now. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times less than a day after professing his unwavering love for our Lord.
Later after the resurrection, Jesus visited him and encouraged Peter to return to the faith and feed God’s sheep (John 21:15-17). John was the only Disciple with Jesus during His crucifixion. The rest returned later to the faith, penned the Bible, and built the church.
The Gospels tell us that sometime between Spy Wednesday and Good Friday, Judas met with the chief priests and elders, he wanted to return to God also (Matthew 27:3-5). Instead, his remorse led him to a tree where he took his own life. He didn’t repent completely he took matters into his own hands and listened to Satan like the first Adam. Like Judas, we all have turned from God and sinned at some point in life.
- Prideful
- Greedy
- Lied
- Lusted
- Stole
We each have a choice, we can keep doing what we want and follow this corrupt world, or we can return to God. Peter chose to repent, and he became the leader of the church. The other Disciples also return to their Rabbi and help establish the church.
After my accident, I chose to return to God and the teachings of my faith. I know the importance of returning to God. Unfortunately, many in the faith, Christian leaders, and friends have chosen to pursue their selfish wants and earthly greatness.
They have sold their souls for much less than 30 pieces of silver. If you want to achieve true greatness and be raised with God, Maga need to turn from their selfish wants and ways of this world and tᵊšûḇâ (Matthew 16:26)!
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