“Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.” Acts 16:25 We sing songs in our worship services quite often about how worship can change a situation, and we proclaim and believe that worship can set us free. This story in Acts is a perfect example of that. Paul and Silas had been severely flogged. They were stripped, beaten, and publicly humiliated, then thrown into a dark and cold prison cell. Their feet were then fastened in stocks and thus began a very uncertain future for these two men. After all…
“The Israelite cry for help has come to me, and I’ve seen for myself how cruelly they’re being treated by the Egyptians. It’s time for you to go back: I’m sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the People of Israel, out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:9-10 MSG As I read through the story of Moses I noticed one very obvious characteristic of God – patience. It’s easy to skim through the 10 plagues and take them at face value, but when you break them down you will quickly realize that the land and the people of Egypt were decimated during the process. The blood plague destroyed their drinking water, and all fish in the river. Frogs, Gnats, and flies tested their mental health and will. Next are their animals. God sent a plague of an unnamed disease to strike their horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, and sheep. Plague 6 is boils. After the land, water, and animals were destroyed, the people of Egypt were now suffering intense physical pain. Next comes hail. This hail storm took out people, livestock, and plants. On top of everything else, people were perishing, had no cattle to eat, and had no plants and herbs…
“And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.” Ruth 2:20 When Ruth finished her day of gleaning in the field, she returned home to Naomi with much barley to show for her day’s work. She told her how well she had been treated. Boaz had invited her to eat lunch with his workers. She had heard him tell his young men to drop some handfuls of grain on purpose for her. He had instructed her not to go anywhere else to glean but to follow his crew throughout the harvest season. For a long time, Naomi had felt that God had forgotten and forsaken her. Everything she loved and held dear had been taken from her. But listening to Ruth’s account of the kindness that Boaz had shown, her heart began to awaken to God’s love, and faith was rekindled. The dark clouds of despair were lifted, and life seemed worth living again. She raised her voice in praise to the Lord.…
“And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.” Ruth 2:2-3 It is interesting to note that Naomi had returned to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest (Ruth 1:22). The Feast of Passover was celebrated at this…
Tidying the bedroom, making the bed, dusting, sweeping the floor, and emptying the trash were the usual chores mom would give me, with the assurance that if I did these things first, I could go outside and play. I would begin my tasks with great fervor and focus, but then my mind would wander to getting outside and playing with my friends by the creek under the willow tree. I would leave the house, neglecting to complete my chores. It wouldn’t be long before I heard Mom calling me in that “come here now” voice, and I knew the skipped-over chores had been discovered, and I had to go back and finish what she asked me to do. I eventually learned that if I took the time to complete my tasks the first time, I’d have more time to make those dirt and creek-water mud pies under the willow tree. When I think about the “if you do these things first, then you’ll be able to do those things” scenario, I am reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew 6 as He sat on the mountainside teaching His disciples and the people gathered around Him. He talks about having our…
“So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? Ruth 1:19-21 Years ago, when I was a Youth Leader, we used to organize walks to raise money for Sheaves For Christ. We would start early in the morning feeling great, but it did not take long until we began to feel tired. Along the way, someone would be waiting with cool drinks or a small snack, so we could rest before we continued. By the end of the day, we were exhausted and glad it was over. I can picture Naomi and Ruth as they turned their backs on Moab and began the long, difficult journey. No doubt they were carrying everything they owned, and enough food to last them for several days. A…