When a Bible-reading Challenge Spans the Centuries and Hits Home

We, the people of Grace Community, have been challenged by our pastor to read through the gospels in 90 days, starting August 1st. Last night, I got caught up. Today's reading in from Matthew 4: the familiar stories of Jesus' wilderness temptation, his preaching and healing ministry throughout Galilee, and the word about him spreading through all of Syria.

Syria caught my attention. Driving into work this morning, I heard an NPR story on Red River Radio about the siege in Syria and how it is cutting Syrians off from basic human needs to the point that, since January of this year, men, women, and children have been dying of starvation. The story featured the mountain town of Madaya, about 25 miles northwest of Damascus.

"And so Jesus went throughout Galilee. He taught in the synagogues. He preached the good news of the Kingdom, and He healed people, ridding their bodies of sickness and disease. Word spread all over Syria, as more and more sick people came to Him. The innumerable ill who came before Him had all sorts of diseases, they were in crippling pain; they were possessed by demons; they had seizures; they were paralyzed. But Jesus healed them all." (Matthew 4:23-24)

The embedded video is old news, from back in January. Once the story broke there was a huge push to get aid to these people, and the government temporarily acquiesced and allowed the aid entrance. But it wasn't enough then and it certainly isn't of help to the 40,000 people currently living (dying) in Mandaya on this very day.

I cannot help but read Matthew 4:23-24 in light of the story I heard this morning, pray for the people of Mandaya and those scattered all throughout the nation of Syria, research ways that I can be of help, which seems so pointless, since Syria's own government won't let supplies and relief aid past the country's heavily-guarded borders.

My prayer then becomes, "Lord, please help the people of Syria, especially Mandaya. Show me how I can be of help to these precious ones whom, though we may have, you have not forgotten."