Month: June 2018

Re:Verse reading–2 Kings 5 (day three) 

Is this the time to take money?

Three people lose it, one keeps his mind steady.  King Joram sees disaster looming should he fail to reverse the illness of his oppressor’s top general, now in his care.  That general, Naaman, livid with rage at the Israelites’ lack of respectful protocol, dismisses the entire nation as inferior.  Gehazi, himself driven by ethnic disdain and greedy to exploit Aram’s wealth, manipulates and deceives Naaman, then lies about it.  Each of these people sees a moment–and hope–drawing to a close: Joram’s luck has run out; Naaman’s sickness has doomed him to worthless backwaters; Gehazi desperately grasps at the security of riches to outrun poverty’s reach.  In the middle of these occurrences stands Elisha, who can see reality: With God, each circumstance is not an end but, a beginning.  It’s not doom, but dawn.

Re:Verse reading–2 Kings 5 (day two)  But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ vs. 11

Naaman was a leper. How much worse could it get? His affliction would have been a constant aggravation a source of revulsion from others. Even so, when offered a cure Naaman is displeased with the method of miracle. He had it in his head that Elisha would stand over his head and utter the magic words. It never occurred to him that he had no idea how the cure would come, Naaman was sure he knew how the whole thing would play out.

Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? And yet…how often do we miss the forest for the trees? We get an idea in our heads and hold on so tightly that we simply cannot, or will not open our minds to the best way forward. What gave Naaman the idea that he knew how to cure leprosy? Why wouldn’t he be open to any remedy offered to him? Why aren’t we? This is surely one of this times where we should let go of preconceptions about God and his sovereignty, and allow his Spirit to do the work in our lives.

Re:Verse reading–2 Kings 5 (day one)

“Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.”–Acts 16:31.

“Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.”–Genesis 15:6

“Go and wash in the Jordan seven times and your flesh shall be restored.”–2 Kings 5:10

If we are honest, sometimes we miss God because we overcomplicate the path.  Like Naaman in 2 Kings 5, we expect something hard, something that requires much effort. (See his protest in v 11.) But the seed and center of salvation is always simple faith.  Obedience that rises from it.  We are invited by the Spirit to a new certainty that–that God is good and worthy to be trusted.  Nothing hard or complicated.  Childlike and pure.  Believe Him (rather than yourself) you will be saved.

“His word shall not fail you–He promised.  Believe Him and all will be well.”–Helen Lemmel.  Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus.

But sometimes people miss salvation because it seems too easy.

Re:Verse reading–Ruth 2:1-12, 17-23; 4:1-14 (day seven)

Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband. Ruth 1:3-5

This story is stuck with the death of three men.  With no man left in the household ancient readers would have assumed this story does not end well for Naomi.  The most likely scenario is for Naomi and Ruth to become beggars, hoping for the aid of a distant relative.  Practically, Naomi’s story is drifting into hopelessness.

However, those that know the LORD are never hopeless.  While the world looking in assumed Naomi would become a drifter, the LORD knew she had her most meaningful days ahead of her.  Life was not over, by God’s grace it was just about to get good.  Naomi’s next faithful steps would set her up as royalty.  God provided and brought her a grandson, a grandson that would be the great grandfather of King David, who would be the line of our King of Kings Jesus Christ.  The world assumed Naomi would drift into meaninglessness, but God knew she was royalty all along.

Re:Verse reading–Ruth 2:1-12, 17-23; 4:1-14 (day five) 

So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. She also took it out and gave Naomi what she had left after she was satisfied. 

Ruth’s perspective was to work faithfully in the midst of her current circumstances. Ruth’s assignment was to serve and minister to Naomi. Not a grand and lofty venture, but a calling Ruth felt was given to her. Where has God placed you in this season of life?  Has He called you to work and minister?  Will you serve Him and others with passion and joy?  That was Ruth’s perspective. It was pleasing to the Lord and to others

For the Christian there is always a connection between the ordinary events of life and the stupendous work of God in history. Everything we do in obedience to God, no matter how small, is significant. It is part of a cosmic mosaic which God is painting to display the greatness of His power and wisdom. – John Piper

Re:Verse reading–Ruth 2:1-12, 17-23; 4:1-14 (day four)

Naomi had a difficult run of circumstances.  She had lost her home, her husband, two sons and her livelihood.  When she returned to Bethlehem, she was embittered.  Even though she trusted God, she was focused on her circumstances rather than Him.  Naomi judged God’s love for her by her circumstances rather than judging her circumstances by God’s love for her.  God’s sovereignty was never demonstrated better than His use of Boaz as the kinsman/redeemer for the family lineage of His promised Messiah.  God’s vast love was being demonstrated and Naomi missed the bigger picture.

Has life brought difficult and maybe unbearable circumstances for you?  Could it be that God is seeking to bring His love and redemption to bear in your life?  Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem with no idea what the future held for them.  They had no clue of the eternal significance of their circumstances.  When it is most difficult, we need to trust in God’s sovereign plan.

Re:Verse reading–Ruth 2:1-12, 17-23; 4:1-14 (day three)

May your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah. 

What happened after Ruth’s encounter with Boaz at the threshing floor?  Eyebrows went up all over Bethlehem, that’s what.  Yes, Ruth and Boaz took steps to keep it quiet, but it ended up in the Bible anyway.  News like that tends to get out.  That’s not to say a sexual indiscretion occurred; it is to say that unless Ruth were to become the mother of a rich man’s baby, the sinkhole of abject poverty in which she and her mother lived would swallow them whole.  Whatever the original plans with the inebriated Boaz, Ruth ended up in the crucial moment just being straight up with him rather than trapping him in scandal: “Make me your wife.”  She took the risks, and her strength won the day.  The town took note.  Our Savior’s lineage owes as much to scandalized or sexually exploited women—Rahab, Tamar, Ruth, Mary, each of whom spoke with courageous voices—as it does to the men who make up that same family tree.  God raises up women whom this world has attempted to silence.

Re:Verse reading–Ruth 2:1-12, 17-23; 4:1-14 (day two)

May the Lord reward your work, and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge. vs. 12

 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men…Colossians 3:23

Can you think of a more beautiful blessing for your labors than what Boaz gave to Ruth? Word of her faithfulness to her mother-in-law had reached the ears of many. Ruth’s commitment to Naomi was not for financial reward or gain. She did not seek to “get ahead” by a political alliance. She did what was right. Her focus was not on herself. The Lord honors that. Not always financially, but in kingdom-sized investments that cannot be measured. Where is your heart? Where is your treasure? Find your reward where the Lord is waiting.

Re:Verse reading–Ruth 2:1-12, 17-23; 4:1-14 (day one)

“Why have I found favor in your sight that you should notice me, since I am a foreigner?”–v 10

It is an ancient/modern story. Resonates with familiar issues.   Immigration.  Green cards.  Migrant workers.

Ruth was a foreigner.  (Hebrew–nokriy–” stranger, alien, outsider”).  But Boaz noticed her.  (Hebrew–nakar “to recognize, acknowledge, respect”) He could (and did) look past her skin color or accent or culture to see her loyalty, her hard work, her interest in the God of Israel.  See v 12.

Do we notice foreign people?  Not for the purpose of avoidance, resentment or fear.  Do we see them?  Recognize their hearts and their hopes?

At the deepest level for the believer, all immigration issues include some appreciation of the work of evangelism that is possible.  Behind the mass migrations of people (both ancient and modern) there are people who are searching for security in life that can only be found in God.