And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

Yesterday was the celebration of Juneteenth and today is observed as World Refugee Day. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 when all enslaved people in the state of Texas were freed according to federal law. It became a federal holiday in 2021. World Refugee Day seeks to take the time and acknowledge the plight of 114 million people forced to leave their homes because of wars, violence, natural disasters and even climate change. 114 million people. We look at what has been happening in Gaza in horror, but we can only imagine what that feels like.

This passage is God’s response to what we call the fall of humans in genesis where Adam and Eve ate of the tree of life. The story implies that the serpent is evil. But God made humans good. The story of the fall is one of a struggle between good and evil. In genesis 3 verse 15 the crushing of the serpent’s head says good will prevail over evil. The antagonism, animosity or hate one day must stop. When? I don’t know if there will come a time when there is peace everywhere. It is a redemptive moment. Some say it is a promise that points to Jesus’ victory over Satan. It is a moment that says one day you too can rise over the ills and troubles that beset you. It says one day we will be better able to manage our crime situation. one day we will have it all figured out.

It offers hope in the midst of the darkness that life throws our way the obstacles we meet, the toxic environment in which we have to live.

I refer to Juneteenth and the World Refugee Day, because those are big things that are highlighted around the world. But right here in today’s Jamaica we have similar situations still occurring. The mother who sends her daughter to live with a relative elsewhere because the Don or a relative is set on molesting her. The people who are trafficked, the gardeners and household help who because of their circumstances are treated badly. One very common situation of hurt is the person who lives with the stigma of being the illegitimate child of a married man. I have seen these persons even as adults being excluded and treated differently within families. Then there the many who have no opportunity to speak out, or cannot as their situation could be made worse or others would be hurt. There is a lot of cruelty, and oppression going on around us.

Looking through God’s lens, we must seek to eliminate violence and injustice. It is a part of the mission of the church. Our 1st aim is to proclaim the gospel. However, if the mind and heart is not receptive it cannot happen, an unsettled mind cannot receive the word. Worse yet someone who thinks God has abandoned them will find it difficult to accept that any good will come of their situation. The passage reminds us that, despite the presence of sin in our lives despite the ill treatment we see and may suffer from time to time, God has a plan to restore us to a good place through following in the ways of Christ.

Friends ours is the task live the risen life of Jesus so that we can bring life to others; to be a guiding light to the world. Ours is the task to be faithful witness to God’s Word, so we and all the people’s of the world shall be free. We take seriously these commemorations of Juneteenth and the world Refugee Day as a reminder of who we are to be as persons who free others and who we are not to be – people who constantly keep down others.

We must hold fast to the hope of God’s promise of redemption in our lives and the lives of others. We give up on nobody especially ourselves. We shall overcome the shackles that bind us. We must choose freedom always and not oppression. Psalm 83 says “O God, do not be silent; do not keep still nor hold your peace, O God; For your enemies are in tumult, and those who hate you have lifted up their heads.” God is never silent in God’s action. It is we who do not discern what God is doing. It is we who are afraid of living the risen life and drinking rather than sipping from the cup that Jesus drank from. Sipping of the cup means being one day being free. We are only able as we lean on God.
the strength of God pilot us. May the power of God preserve us. May the wisdom of God instruct us. May the hand of God protect us. May the way of God direct us. May the shield of God defend us. May the host of God guard us against the snares of evil and the temptations of the world. All is well All will be well. All manner of things will be well.