Tag: god’s grace

Covenant Promises (2 Samuel 7:1-17)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
Jerusalem. Photo by Anton Petrus

After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”

Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation. (New International Version)

What is a covenant?

A covenant is simply a contract or agreement between two or more parties. The Bible is a covenant document. The Old and New Testaments are really Old and New Covenants. The word “testament” is Latin for “covenant.” When God makes a covenant with people, it means they receive divine promises of what God will do; and, in response, the people have moral expectations or ethical responsibilities to follow. 

The ancient world operated on a covenant system. A nation or empire would conquer a city or territory and set up a covenant in which the conqueror promised protection, certain provisions, and left a military presence among them. In response, the conquered people were required to offer their allegiance and some of the goods and services of the land. 

God made a covenant with Abraham and promised that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through him. The only stipulation that God gave to Abraham was to leave and begin a new life in the land he would show him. (Genesis 12:1-3)

The Lord continued to work through Abraham’s descendants, the Israelites. They would be a kingdom of priests, testifying to the nations through a lifestyle of having God at the center of all they do. The people were expected to embody the Ten Commandments and be holy, thus reflecting the holiness of God.

The difference between earthly covenants and God’s covenant is that God saturates the divine covenant in love and grace – because the Lord cares about the divine/human relationship.

What do we learn about God through a covenant?

First and foremost: God never forgets nor reneges on divine promises. God was faithful to David by establishing a covenant, yet also spoke to him about his descendants. The Lord promised David a dynasty, a kingdom that would never end, a temple, and a father/son relationship with his progeny. 

Furthermore, God promised that divine love would never be taken away. The Lord shows continuous love to people, even when they go astray. Unlike the nations of the earth, the fickle nature of people, and the inconsistent commitment of others, God is a Being whose very nature is love.

In a world of broken families and severed relationships; of selfishness and trying to impose one’s will on another; of taking advantage of others; and in a world that is messed up and depraved because of sin and unfaithfulness, God stands as the consistent, never-changing Sovereign of Love who graciously blesses people. 

What sort of covenant is this?

Short answer: a covenant of grace. It’s demonstrated in how the tables are turned on David with grace. David intended on doing something for God. But the Lord completely turned it around and blessed him abundantly beyond what David could even ask or think. David had it in his heart to build a house for God, but God comes back and says that an enduring house (household and dynasty) will be built for David.

How does this covenant apply to Christians?

All the good and gracious promises given to Abraham, Moses, and David are all fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.  

The New Testament Gospels are steeped in the language and explanation that Jesus is the Son of David, the Promised One, Savior, Lord, Teacher, and Healer. He will save the people from their sins and bring them to a spacious kingdom full of the grace and love. 

Through the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ we are brought into union with God and participate fully in all the promises of the New Covenant of love. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. All this love is personified in Christ.

Where is the covenant?

The Davidic Covenant is not limited to a specific place or a building. God is present with people wherever they go. 

A common understanding in the ancient world was that there were local gods, not a universal God over all the earth. The Jews were unique in the belief that there is not one square inch of this entire earth where God is not present. The Lord does not need a permanent structure because God is everywhere. 

We, as New Covenant people, are God’s temple. The Lord takes up residence within our lives. We possess covenant loyalty and faithfulness, continually, in the person of the Holy Spirit.

What do we learn about ourselves?

Timing is important. David had a good idea and good motives for wanting to house the Ark of the Covenant in a temple. Yet, God let David know that the timing was off. So, David would need to be patient and let his vision of a temple come to fruition with his son. 

However, that didn’t mean David was idle. By the time he died, his son Solomon had most of the building materials already stockpiled and ready for the temple construction. Waiting does not necessarily mean passivity. 

A vision for life or for ministry rarely is implemented quickly. It needs to grow and mature before it will bear fruit. Two sage questions to ask, therefore, are:

  1. Is the future I am imagining, a future that God desires, or do I have my ladder leaning on the wrong building?
  2. If I am imagining a good and gracious future, is it the right time for it to happen? 

We also learn about ourselves that we must bank on the promises of God – and trust in the person and work of Jesus because all of God’s promises are fulfilled in Christ. In Christ we are taught how to live, and by his wounds we are healed. Jesus is the hope of the world. 

There is grace to be found; forgiveness to be had; and dreams to be realized, if we are attentive to the promises given to us in Holy Scripture. Do not let your sanctified dreams die, because they might not yet have come to full term.

God’s direction for our lives is needed. We have responsibilities as God’s covenant people to be faithful and uphold the ethics of the kingdom, as expressed by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5-7)

Perhaps what we learn most about ourselves is to surrender our plans to God. My life is not all about me. Most of the Christian life is about weaning ourselves away from our own thoughts and ingenuity, learning to submit to God’s plans for our lives. We must pray and not make assumptions, because after a night of prayer, the prophet Nathan withdrew his building permit for David.

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.

Psalm 127:1, NIV

The Lord is gracious, loving, and loyal to covenant promises. We are to live into what God is building on this earth: an ethical kingdom with people characterized by mercy, purity, and peace-making. 

Soli Deo Gloria.

Messages of Hope (Zechariah 8:1-17)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
A 14th century tapestry of the Apostle John’s vision of the New Jerusalem

The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.”

This is what the Lord says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.”

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?” declares the Lord Almighty.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets said who were present when the foundation was laid for the house of the Lord Almighty. Before that time there were no wages for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely because of their enemies since I had turned everyone against their neighbor. But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the Lord Almighty.

“The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people. Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse among the nations, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.”

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the Lord Almighty, “so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid. These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the Lord. (New International Version)

The name “Zechariah” means “Yahweh remembers.” The Lord indeed remembers the divine covenant which was established. And God will fulfill all promises made.

The Lord is determined to do good – not really because people so much deserve it but because it is God’s character to be good, and thus, do good, even when there is little goodness on the earth to be found.

New Jerusalem by Sister Gertrude Morgan (1900-1980)

God’s judgment is but for a moment; but the Lord’s promise, salvation, and peace shall endure forever. God’s wrath is quite real and certain, yet it is a brief extension of the Lord’s steadfast love. Rebellion and judgment are never the last words; forgiveness and grace are:

Many times he [Yahweh] delivered them [the Israelites],
    but they were rebellious in their purposes
    and were brought low through their iniquity.
Nevertheless, he regarded their distress
    when he heard their cry.
For their sake he remembered his covenant
    and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
He caused them to be pitied
    by all who held them captive. (Psalm 106:43-46, NRSV)

All of the Old Testament prophets end their message of impending judgment with the final note of hope. That is, it won’t always be this way. There are better days ahead. The Lord’s coming is not all wrath; it’s mercy and hope. Notice the five brief messages of hope which Zechariah gives the people:

1. Yahweh burns with jealousy for Zion

Throughout the Bible, God likens the relationship to the Israelites much like a lover – as if the Lord were married to them. God’s covenant relationship with people is at the heart of understanding the whole of Scripture. Whenever they stray from divine promises, Yahweh is offended and hurt. 

God is an emotional Being, which is why we have emotions as people created in his image. Early humanity strayed so far from God that it hurt:

The Lord saw that humanity had become thoroughly evil on the earth and that every idea their minds thought up was always completely evil. The Lord regretted making human beings on the earth, and he was heartbroken. (Genesis 6:5-6, CEB)

Yet, God was gracious, sparing Noah and his family. The Lord took a group of Noah’s descendants, Abraham’s family, and set godly covenant affection on them. Through the Israelites, God hoped to lead the entire world to right relations. Yet, they, too, came to fail the gracious covenant made and set their affections on others.

Like a jilted lover, God longed for Israel to remain faithful, and, at the same time, was hurt and angry. Just as the prophet Hosea did not give up on his wife, even though she was brazenly unfaithful, so God looked at Israel as a spouse and could not bear to give her up.

2. Yahweh returns to Zion  

Jerusalem will be known as a faithful city and a holy mountain. The presence of God is what makes that happen. Because even though people can be fickle, inconsistent, complacent, and unfaithful, Yahweh remains true to the divine character of steadfast and immovable love for people.

You will never again be called ‘The People God Left.’
    Your land will never again be called ‘The Land God Destroyed.’
You will be called ‘The People God Loves.’
    Your land will be called ‘God’s Bride,’
because the Lord loves you,
    and your land will be his. (Isaiah 62:4, ERV)

3. The streets of Jerusalem will be full of children playing

The elderly will be sitting there watching the kids play, full of delight at the scene. Much too often we Westerners measure both the significance and success of our cities by its industry, businesses, buildings, wealth, and culture.

Methinks we may be misguided with such measurements. Instead, I suggest, along with the prophet, that we gage our cities by their effect on both the old and the young – because long life and children are signs of blessing from God.

4. Nothing is impossible with Yahweh

Is anything too hard for God? That, my friends, is a rhetorical question. If the Lord can cause old women to bear children (Genesis 18:10-14) and large armies to evaporate (Judges 7:1-25) then there is nothing more preposterous than to always view everything from our puny human perspective. Mary gained such a vantage and believed. We, too, have such an Advent hope within us.

“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:31-38, NIV)

5. Yahweh renews and restores

Separation, diaspora, and disconnection will become a thing of the past. The Lord sets all things right again, brings people together, and heals, so that everything exists as it is meant to exist.

Deliverance from sin, death, and hell is the means of bringing renewal to the earth and its people. Salvation belongs to God. Righteousness and justice will characterize the future.

For the word of the Lord is upright,
    and all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice;
    the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. (Psalm 33:4-5, NRSV)

Hope is fully realized when people put their trust in God and do their part by having strong hands and faithful hearts. We must be truthful and gracious whenever we speak. The Lord expects us to do the right thing by one another, both personally and publicly. We are to never cook up plans to take unfair advantage of others. Instead, we need to keep our lives simple and honest.

The promise of blessing is assured by God. However, the timing of that blessing is conditioned by our response. And there is no better time than the Christian season of Advent to recall what the Lord will do, as well as what God wants us to do.

May we be people of hope and let hope live in our hearts now and always, to the glory of God. Amen.

The Shepherds’ Candle of Joy (Luke 2:8-20)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
The Shepherds by Malaysian artist Hanna Varghese (1938-2009)

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (New International Version)

We Are Meant For Joy

The past 10-20 years have seen an explosion of understanding concerning the brain. Even though there is so much we still do not know, what we do know is that our brains cannot survive, let alone thrive, without emotions like joy. The frontal lobe of the brain monitors our emotional state, while the thalamus (the information center that regulates consciousness) helps determine how to express our feelings.

We feel joy in our bodies because of the release of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin in the brain. Both of these chemicals are associated with happiness (in fact, people with clinical depression often have lower levels of serotonin).

So, simple activities like going for a walk in nature, petting a dog or cat, kissing a loved one, standing and sitting in a worship service, and yes, even forcing yourself to smile, can help those neurotransmitters do their job and raise your mood.

Neurologists and scientists have also discovered that practices of mindfulness, silence, contemplation, and meditation stimulate the brain’s cortex and create a state of happiness, contentment, and joy. And those practices also enable individuals to become more self-aware, more aware of others and what is happening around them, as well as a heightened awareness of unseen realities, like God and angels.

God with Us

The way that God has wired us means that joy does not come from getting all the presents we want for Christmas or having everything go our way. Instead,  joy is the fruit of meaningful movement of the body and relational interactions with God and others. We do not need to look for joy in a store because joy comes being with God, God’s creation, and God’s people.

The good news of a Savior coming to this earth means God is coming to be with us. This is good news of great joy! We are loved because God is good, not because we are good. And because God is good, and we are a mess of humanity, there is joy that the Lord is coming to save us!

Seeing Shepherds by American painter Daniel Bonnell

The Shepherds

The reason Christ’s birth was good news of great joy to the shepherds is that they were shepherds.  Shepherds in the ancient world were generally looked on with contempt. In fact, the ancient Egyptians refused to eat with Jews because they were mostly shepherds (Genesis 46:31-34). 

  • Shepherds spent most of their time living with their sheep outdoors, to protect the flock. 
  • Shepherds were not dressed well, not culturally refined, and smelled like sheep poop. 
  • Shepherds also had the notoriety of being drinkers. Because they slept with the sheep, many shepherds would pass the time and deal with the chilly air by taking a nip of alcohol. We do not really know whether most shepherds were drunkards, or not; but we do know they had a bad reputation.

So, becoming a shepherd was not a profession any young person aspired to. Nobody took out a student loan to major in shepherding at the University of Jerusalem. King David started out as a shepherd. He was the runt in his family and got stuck with the job nobody else wanted. Out of all the persons and people-groups the heavenly angels could have come to announce the birth of Christ, it was shepherds.

Grace

The good news of great joy for all the people is truly a gospel of grace. The announcement to a bunch of stinky shepherds is profoundly significant and cannot be overstated. It is important because grace is being shown to the lowliest of society. A lowly Savior, born to a lowly family, and placed in a lowly feeding trough, came to reach the lowly, common, ordinary person.

To have this kind of attention from the sovereign almighty God is like the owner of a dog coming home at the end of the day. We, as the common, ordinary mutts of society, are beside ourselves with joy, feeling privileged to be in the same room as Jesus.

It is only the lowly and humble in heart who will see God and enjoy the Lord’s presence. That is because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. It is why the angels came to the shepherds and not the religious leaders. It is good news of great joy for all the people. The gospel is not limited to those who are the most educated, the wealthiest, or from the most prominent of families – it is for everyone.

Worry and Anxiety

Yet, many people still live their lives primarily in fear, worry, and anxiety, instead of joy, not getting the message of joy firmly pressed into their minds and hearts. Even though a Savior is born, we still experience the harshness of a world under the dominion of darkness.  We worry about constant disease, financial difficulties, and the daily stresses of life.  We fret about dealing with ornery people, hard circumstances, family members who go astray, and the little plastic things on our shoelaces coming off leaving the shoestrings frayed! 

Sometimes, we strain to see much joy. Jesus is the son of David, born in the town of David – both were anointed as kings but had to go through a lot of hardship before realizing their kingships. We live in the time between the two advents of Christ in which the kingdom is already here but not yet here. It is a time characterized by a weird mix of sinners and saints, despair and joy, adversity, and comfort.

Joy is not found in having every circumstance go our way and having everyone like us all the time. Joy comes from the gospel of grace, from God coming down and being with us.  Being in the presence of the Master makes all the difference. If joy comes from being with God in Christ, then cultivating and practicing the presence of Jesus in our daily lives is important.

Solitude and Silence

Another reason the angels came to the shepherds is that the shepherds were away from the growing crowd that was swelling in Bethlehem due to the Roman census. The shepherds were out in the sticks, by themselves, experiencing a silent night. And so, they were able to hear the message of God when it came.

Noise comes in various forms, both around us and within us. Sometimes we even create noise on the outside so that the noisy racing thoughts on the inside will get drowned. To be quiet is to be able to listen. To listen is to receive another’s voice. And receiving the voice of the angels, their message, and their praise to God, is the pathway to joy and the way out of unhappy inner noise.

Freedom

We need deliverance primarily from ourselves, from our own brokenness, and from unhealthy ways of coping with hard circumstances. There is far too much unhappiness in this world. For example:

  • One in every two-hundred teenage American girls cut themselves on a regular basis.
  • More than half of people in the United States with serious depression do not receive or will not get adequate help. 
  • Anxiety disorders affect nearly sixty million adults in the United States. 

The coming of Jesus into this world makes a difference. Christ’s incarnation means that God has come to meet the deepest needs of our lives. Our deliverance is realized by eagerly anticipating the Lord, spending time with him, and allowing his loving presence and compassionate voice to transform our hearts, changing us from the inside-out. 

Christianity is not a magic happy pill to swallow; it is a relationship with God that is to be cultivated and which grows over time.

Joy is relational. No amount of positive thinking, buying new stuff, or good situations will create it or sustain it. Christianity offers joy in Jesus – not a cheap sentimental happiness of having every prayer answered or each situation go our way – but the settled joy of God with us.

Neither worry nor fret. Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. In the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. 

What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb. If I were a wise man, I would give him frankincense or gold.

Yet, what can I give him? I can give him my heart.

How You Are Matters (Ruth 4:13-17)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
The Meeting of Ruth and Boaz by Marc Chagall, 1960

So Boaz took Ruth home as his wife. The Lord blessed her, and she became pregnant and had a son. The women said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord! He has given you a grandson today to take care of you. May the boy become famous in Israel! Your daughter-in-law loves you and has done more for you than seven sons. And now she has given you a grandson, who will bring new life to you and give you security in your old age.” Naomi took the child, held him close, and took care of him.

The women of the neighborhood named the boy Obed. They told everyone, “A son has been born to Naomi!”

Obed became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David. (Good News Translation)

Your Commitment Matters

Ruth, although not a Jew, committed herself fully to her Jewish mother-in-law and to the Jewish people. Her faithfulness mattered and eventually realized the blessing of family and community.

It wasn’t an easy path for Ruth to enjoy such blessing. She and her mother-in-law, Naomi, came to Bethlehem as two poor widows. Even though Bethlehem today is known around the world, back then there wasn’t much to it – just a small non-descript village in Judah a few miles south of Jerusalem.

Your History Matters

The Bible contains a lot of genealogies. Bible readers often skip over those portions of Holy Scripture to get to the more meaty and interesting stuff. But there’s a lot there.

Genealogies serve to remind us of who we are, where we have come from, and thus, what direction we are headed. Each and every human life has an historical context, a past which informs the present and can help guide for the future.

Naomi had a long history as part of the Jewish community. Ruth was a Moabite. Moab was an ancient kingdom which was located in the present day nation of Jordan. The original ancestor of the Moabites was Moab, a son of Lot. Lot was a nephew of the Jewish patriarch Abraham.

Moabites and Israelites didn’t get along. Moab had their own god, Chemosh, and did not serve Israel’s Yahweh. The person, Moab, was conceived under difficult and dubious circumstances – and it seems this context set the tone for the entire nation of people. (Genesis 19:30-38)

Our genealogical histories can bog us down or they can inspire us. Yet, the unseemly parts of our past family can actually serve to reveal something wonderful.

Your Receiving of Grace Matters

All genealogies are filled with less than stellar characters. But they’re also testaments to grace.

Both Ruth and her husband Boaz were recipients of the Lord’s grace.

Boaz, having a long history of the covenant as a Jew, nonetheless also had a difficult family past. Much like the conception of the ancient character of Moab, one of the ancestors of Boaz, Tamar, and one of the Jewish patriarchs, Judah, had a rather twisted experience. (Genesis 38:1-30)

Both Boaz and Ruth became great grandparents to King David. And they both are listed together in the opening genealogy of Matthew’s Gospel as ancestors to Jesus the Messiah, known as the son of David.

Grace changes history. If Jesus can have a genealogy, much like us, filled with both faithful committed people and dubious characters, then I believe we can give ourselves, and each other, a bit of slack on our shared human condition.

Your Spiritual Family Matters

For the Christian, there is an historical continuity across the millennia with our ancient spiritual forebears. The drama of redemption unveiled throughout the whole of Scripture connects us with Father Abraham, to the deliverance out of Egyptian slavery, to the saving events of Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension, and beyond into the union of Christ and the Church.

A Moabite widow is redeemed into a new community. She marries a Jewish man and conceives a child in grace, born in the humble village of Bethlehem. Centuries later, another woman, Mary, experiences a conception of grace and gives birth to a child in the very same place – Christ the Lord, our Immanuel, God with us.

Jesus was born of David’s genealogical line, from ordinary people, just like Ruth and Boaz. Because it is only from humility that greatness can arise.

Your Faith Matters

Your faith and my faith grows in the context of an ordinary life. We live and move and have our being within the grace and providential care of God. Our faith is rooted in the soil of grace, anchored and moored in the deep of faithful servants who have gone before us.

Like Ruth, we humbly attach ourselves to a larger community and seek to give ourselves for the life of the world. Like Mary, we willingly confess to the angelic messenger:

“I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38)

Our Father in heaven, you hold all that you have made within your gracious and merciful hand. Help us in all things to see your loving providence working out a good plan for the earth. Just as Ruth from Moab became one of your people, so you call us by name and hospitably invite us to your Table.

In Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, you meet us in the ordinary routines of our lives. You have graciously taken our pains, fears, sorrows, bitterness, guilt, shame, and sins upon yourself and given us a new life and a new community.Turn our suffering to glory, and our tears into joy.

Holy Spirit, giver of life, you guide us into grace and truth through generous love. As Boaz went out of his way to provide abundance for a poor widow, let us be generous with both our speech and our actions. Teach us to be alert to the needs of others so that everyone may have their daily bread.

Blessed Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Spirit – the God whom we serve, you are our past, present, and future. We give you praise and commit ourselves to the words and ways of Jesus, in whose name we are bold to pray. Amen.