Facing Goliath

David Moodie looks ahead to Sanctuary Sunday, which takes place this month.

“WHO will stand up to this giant”?

This must have been the question on everyone’s mind as the booming voice of Goliath rang through the Israelite camp. The giant Philistine was taunting them; threatening their homes, their families, their faith. Everyone in the camp must have wanted someone, anyone, to stand up to this bully. And yet no one did. They were afraid; could anyone possibly fight that giant of a man, clad in bronze and armed to the teeth? And so, no one volunteered. Thousands of soldiers hid in their tents, voices quiet and eyes downcast.

That is until a young boy, someone’s brother visiting from the countryside, said he would accept Goliath’s challenge. The soldiers must have looked at this child, too small to even wear armour, and thought: “He doesn’t stand a chance.” But no one said a word. It is not as if any of them were going to volunteer and take his place.

And so, the boy David faced down the giant Goliath with nothing but pebbles and prayer. When all others hid, he alone had the courage to stand against injustice, no matter what the odds. His courage didn’t come from his own strength or the power of his sling. It came from knowing God was on his side, and no one, not even a giant, could change that.

On June 23 churches around the UK will be marking Sanctuary Sunday. This is a special Sunday focused on refugees and people displaced from their homes around the world. This year it will be marked on June 23, the final day of Refugee Week (and Refugee Festival Scotland). It is a time to celebrate the refugees who are part of our community, to pray for displaced people around the world, and to ask ourselves what we can do to welcome the stranger. And this year the lectionary reading for Sanctuary Sunday includes 1 Samuel 17, the story of David facing off against the giant Goliath.

David and Goliath may not be the first Bible passage to jump to mind when thinking about refugees, especially when there are so many stories in the scripture of people on the move: Joseph offering his father and brothers sanctuary in Egypt when their homeland was ravaged by famine, then 400 years later Moses leading that same people out of Egypt to liberation. Ruth leaving her home as a penniless widow and working as a migrant labourer in Bethlehem. And of course, Mary and Joseph fleeing the violent persecution of Herod, seeking asylum in Egypt. In all these stories we see the heart of a God who cares deeply for all those who find themselves as travellers far from home.

“Our vision is a world where every single person can find safety, sanctuary and community to love them.

And yet the story of one boy standing up to impossible odds speaks deeply to experiences of refugees. Every day refugees have to face challenges of huge proportions. They face the conditions that force people to flee their homes: destructive wars that show no signs of slowing, or persecution at the hands of people who would make a scapegoat of the other. Many endure harrowing journeys to find safety: long stints in refugee camps, perilous sea voyages, harassment by smugglers and authorities alike. And even those who successfully make it to the UK face a broken asylum system, the threat of being deported to Rwanda, and the long process of integration.

Every day refugees face these Goliaths, and yet every day refugees find the courage to live boldly. The theme of Refugee Festival Scotland this year is ‘Rise’, a theme which speaks to the countless ways that refugees not only survive, but thrive in Scotland.

Across our nation ‘New Scots’ are building vibrant lives, enriching our communities, and giving back in countless ways. Even in the face in uncertainty refugees continue to live lives of hope and courage.

The question for all of us is will we be standing alongside them? In the face of these modern Goliaths that rob people of safety and shelter, will we be like the soldiers hiding in their tents, or like David stepping out in faith to challenge injustice?

Churches have always been among the first to welcome refugees and people seeking sanctuary to Scotland. Be that Syrian families resettled across all local authorities across Scotland, Ukrainians living with hosts in our communities, or people living in temporary accommodation while their asylum claims being heard, churches have thrown open their doors The ways in which churches have supported refugees have included:

• Running welcome hubs so that when people arrive in a new area the first thing they experience is a friendly face.

• Hosting English classes and conversation cafes where people can improve their language skills (and get used to the Scottish accents).

• Providing practical help with acquiring basics such as clothes and toiletries. This is especially important for people seeking asylum who are often living on just £9.50 per week.

• Raising money to support organisations helping refugees abroad such as Hungarian Reformed Church Aid in Ukraine, St Andrew’s Refugee Service (StARS) in Egypt, and Christian Aid across the world.

• Opening community spaces where people can gather in safety, relax and build supportive relationships together.

• Speaking out against government policies that cause harm for refugees, and championing causes that will make a tangible difference in people’s lives. A great example of this is last year’s successful campaign for free bus travel for asylum seekers. All these and more are ways that churches have stood in solidarity with people seeking sanctuary. With Sanctuary Sunday approaching I would invite you to consider what you and your church could do to support refugees. For ideas and inspiration, I would recommend looking at the Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees website (www.sfar.org.uk). One place to start might be marking Sanctuary Sunday on June 23. On our website are worship resources and prayers to help reflect on the situation of refugees and incorporate that into your worship.

The challenges are daunting. In the face of terrible wars and cruel policies it can be so easy to feel helpless, like nothing we can do will ever make a difference. But the good news is we don’t stand alone. We stand in solidarity with one another, and most importantly we know that God is with us. When others were saying he stood no chance against Goliath, David said: “The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Our vision is a world where every single person can find safety, sanctuary, and community to love them. Some might say that is unrealistic or even impossible. But we have faith in a God for whom all things are possible.

David Moodie is Co-ordinator of Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees within the Faith Action Programme of the Church of Scotland.