Naomi

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have been reading the book of Ruth.  I set out to read Ruth because she was noted for her faithfulness, but instead I found myself really understanding Naomi.  Naomi and her family left Bethlehem during a time of drought and famine looking for place where things were better.  I think this is a natural inclination of all of us.  If it’s difficult here, maybe we should move there and it will be better. 

The move seemed to be a good one. They were prospering in their new location.  Her sons grew and took wives. The household was full with happy laughter of a family that loves each other. Then something happens.  It doesn’t say what, but we know that her husband dies and then her sons.  She is left alone with her two daughters-in-law.  At this point, she decides to return home.

She must have been a nice woman, because both of her daughters-in-law decide to return to Bethlehem with her. As they start out, Naomi realizes she doesn’t want the girls to leave their home, so she tells them to go home back to their own families.  She has nothing to offer them. They both initially refuse, but one goes and Ruth stays.  The two travel back to Bethlehem.  Once there, her former friends and neighbors come out to meet her, but she declares to them:

Ruth 1:20 “But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty as dealt bitterly with me.”

This is a feeling we can all relate to.  There are times when we wonder why God allows things to happen.  It’s a hard time to travel through. It’s hard when your heart is broken over the pain and trials of this earth. Naomi felt abandoned.  Her husband and sons were dead and it felt like God had turned his back.

I don’t believe that God afflicts us. I do believe that life afflicts us.   God never turns his back. We sometimes turn away from him and think he moved. We sometimes get so focused on looking down at our misfortune; we don’t look up to where God is.  God knew her husband and sons would die and he prepared a way for this woman to get her hope back.  He prepared a way for her story to last through generations.  He hadn’t forgotten her. He was working things out for her.

Ruth, of course, didn’t leave Naomi. She traveled back to Bethlehem.  Naomi entered Bethlehem calling herself Mara, which means bitter.   Ruth showed her honor and before long, every ones opinion of Naomi changed.  No longer was she the poor little widow with no one to care for her.

Ruth 4:14 “Then the woman said to Naomi. “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel!”

Naomi’s relative Boaz, married Ruth and together they were a family to Naomi. They are the great grandparents of King David and in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Naomi went from bitter to blessed.  I want to encourage anyone in the time of bitterness, to not lose hope.  God has a plan and nothing we experience is wasted. It helps mold us into who God needs us to be.

Jason Gray - Nothing Is Wasted (Official Lyric Video) from jason-gray on GodTube.

Name Calling

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have been writing a short story about some events in my childhood.  When I was a child, I was called shy because I was quiet.  I was called short, but that was a statement of fact.  My older brother, on the other hand, loved to tease me and he called me “ski slope nose”, for the way my nose turns up on the end.

Does what people call us define us?

There were a couple of taunts we would chant back when someone called us a name.  “I am rubber, you are glue.  Everything bounces off me and sticks to you” or “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.”

The taunts never worked.  Words hurt.

Words like, stupid, mean, ugly, worthless – hurt, regardless of the teasing tone used when spoken.

If we really think about it, God says we are his children. 

I John 3:1 “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”

If God acknowledges us as his children, we are accepted, imperfections and all, by the creator of the universe.  What can mere mortal say to hurt us?

Perhaps the world has labeled us because they don’t know us.  They don’t know our heavenly father, so they can’t understand us.

Of course, not all labels people place on us are cruel.  It’s nice to be called, smart, nice looking, sweet, compassionate and generous. 

At this point, in my life, I have learned a few things.  When I am shopping and the clerk tells me how nice I look in a product, it feels nice, but I know this is a sure sign the clerk is hoping to make commission on a sale.

 

Matthew West - Hello, My Name Is (Lyrics) from matthew-west on GodTube.

God I need you now

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week and several weeks and months before now, I have been praying for my sister and her family.  Her husband has been battling cancer for months. There days of hope and days of despair. This week she put on facebook that “now is the hardest time, now it’s the time to let go” my heart broke for her. 

My sister lives on the other side of the country. I can’t just get in my car and run over to see her.  I have to sit here, pray, and continue to go to work every day trusting God to comfort my sister and her family.

Sometimes I find myself just crying out to God.  God I need you now.  In this situation, I know my family needs God now. They need to feel His presence and wallow in His comfort. 

God knew hard times would come.  He knew people we loved would get sick and sometimes die before us.  He knew all of that.

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

It might be human nature to only think it’s a miracle when we see it happen. I think sometimes our miracles don’t happen in this life, but the next.  The thing to remember is if we get our miracle and healing happens, we need to thank God.  Even if we don’t see our miracle, we can still trust that God loves us and cares about us.  He is who we cling to in hard times. He is really all we need to cling to,  since He is the only one that can carry our burdens for us. 

 

Plumb - NEED YOU NOW (How Many Times) [Official Live Performance] from plumb on GodTube.

Fear Not

 

 

Somewhere in time, last week, a job I had applied for was offered to me.  I am very excited about the change. This is a new opportunity. It offers me the chance to mentor and train, two things I love to do.  This position also requires that a person has a lot of knowledge.  I have a lot, but I don’t know everything.  I started to get worried.  What if everyone I was trying to help needed to do or know something I didn’t know how to do?  I can research and find an answer, but if I did that every time, I wouldn’t have time to help anyone. On and on it goes.

What I was experiencing was fear in the form of new job jitters.

We all experience fear for one reason or the other, but many times our fears are tied to what if and maybe scenarios.  Why do we fear things that may or may not happen? 

In the King James version of the Bible is says fear not 74 times and be not afraid 29 times.

I was afraid and fearful, why?  There is no need.  I have been doing this job for 17 years, so this position is a natural transition for me and a perfect choice.  It was then that it occurred to me.  I had no reason to worry.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

It was amazing how quickly my fearful meanderings left once I realized where my strength came from. 

Chris Tomlin - Whom Shall I Fear [God of Angel Armies] (Live Performance from Passion) from chris-tomlin on GodTube.

Celebration Sunday

 

 

Somewhere in time, approximately two thousand years ago, on a Sunday Morning, the stone was rolled away.  The Friday before, the Roman government had killed what they thought was a man. They had nailed him to a cross and watched him die.  To verify he was dead, a soldier stuck a spear into his side and out of it blood and water flowed as a sure sign of death.  The body was taken, wrapped as you would a mummy and placed in a tomb.  A huge rock was rolled in front and armed guards stood around it. 

At this point, if you were a follower of this man, you had moved beyond discouragement into despair, but what they didn’t know was that Sunday was coming. 

We need to realize the wages of sin is death.  Sin is only punishable by death.  There can be no justice if all sinners don’t recieve the same penalty.  God knows this, so he sent his only son Jesus, to die in our place.  When we get to heaven and are judged, God will pass sentence and it will be death -  but Jesus will have paid our penalty.  Jesus already took our punishment for us.  All we have to do now it accept the free gift he gave his life to give.

To prove that God rules death as well as life, death was not the end.  On Sunday morning when woman came to the tomb, the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty.  Imagine the amount of joy they felt when they found out their Savior was alive.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

This is truly a Sunday of celebration.  We were dead, but yet we live.  We were guilty, but yet forgiven.  We deserved judgment, but yet we received mercy. 

Because of the sacrifice of the Cross, we have redemption in Christ Jesus.  I can think of no greater reason to celebrate.

Allison Durham Speer - I Will Glory in the Cross from bill-and-gloria-gaither on GodTube.

Turning Thirty

 

 

Somewhere in time, in a few weeks, my niece is turning thirty.  I have had nieces and nephews before her that have reached this pinnacle, but they didn’t announce it.  In my mind, none of my nieces or nephews are over thirty.  I cap the oldest one at twenty-nine, or I did until my niece reminded me this group of precious people are growing up and growing older.

Thirty is a milestone.  We face milestones at different times in our lives.  Special birthdays and major events can all lead to a time of reflection or a time of planning ahead.  With this can come anxiety or joy, depending on the thoughts entertained. This is a time to decide if what we have accomplished this far is what we wanted to accomplish and also set a course for the future.  All of this is good, but ultimately, God has a plan for us also.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

With my niece, she is a ray of sunshine in the lives of all who know her.  I’m not sure if she is looking forward or backward at this milestone of her life, but I know the plan God has for her life is something special.

Thirty years ago, a song was written with the title, “Turning Thirty”, by a young songwriter named Randy Stonehill.  In honor of my niece who is turning thirty, I have tweaked the words of this thirty year old song for her.

 

I’ve got a place near the ocean
Where the rent is way too high
I love to watch the ships come in
And hear the seagulls cry
But lately I’ve been taking stock

Of all that I’ve been through
Oh tomorrow is my birthday
Feels funny but it’s true
I'm turning thirty

Now I’ve got a spouse who really love me
He makes my life so sweet
And a little fluffy doggy
Who plays games around my feet
And my world is very different
From those lazy single years
But if I had the chance to go back
I'd rather stay right here
Turning thirty

I have friends who care about me
They’re the best I’ve ever had
And they always stood beside me
If ever times got bad
And I love to read a good book
Even when I don’t have time
I prefer my kindle to the nook
One download and it’s mine
Turning thirty

Well, now thirty ain’t like fifteen
And it’s not like twenty-five
My ankle’s a little stiff

But there’s no lines around my eyes
I’ve still got my energy
And I’ve got beautiful hair
I'm not too old to rock ‘n roll
And I’m not really scared
Of turning thirty

Happy Birthday! I love you.

Saint Patrick

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week a new Pope was elected.  This man has chosen the name Frances since it represents a spirit of peace and humbleness.  This week is also the observance of the celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day.  For this reason, I am republishing last years’ blog about Saint Patrick. 

Somewhere in time, about the third century, a young man was out for a walk.  He lived on the isle of Britain, which was part of the Roman Empire. At the time, those in Britain lived in relative peace.  This particular day, his peace was shattered and his world turned upside down.  He was out by the ocean.  We don’t know if he was fishing or just out admiring the view when he was captured by slave traders from a neighboring island.  They captured him and took him to Ireland where he was sold.

Alone on an island, he didn’t speak the language.  He had no money, no friends and no relatives.  He was no longer free, but a slave to whoever purchased him.  He was sent to tend the livestock out in the fields. I’m sure he had moments when despair threatened to overtake him, but he never completely lost hope. He used this time, to pray and cry out to God.  God always hears when we cry out to him, we may just not realize it right away.

I’m sure it seemed like a long time, but one night, while praying, he sensed God telling him how to escape.  If it wasn’t God’s voice, then it would be a fool hardy endeavor.  To help an escaped slave was punishable by death.  God told him to follow a certain road to the coast and there a boat would be loading that would give him passage back to Britain.  He did as instructed and followed the road, found the boat and was offered passage back to his home.

Finally, he was home, hallelujah!  He decided to enter the Priesthood, God had rescued him from slavery, so he would serve God, wholeheartedly, the rest of his life. 

While in seminary, he felt a burden for the people that had kept him in captivity.  He knew the people lived in spiritual darkness, he had seen it with his own eyes. They needed to hear about the love of Christ.  He told the church leaders of his plan and they tried to dissuade him.  Ireland was a rough land, the people would not listen, or so they thought.  The young man wouldn’t take no for answer.  Finally the church gave permission and with his new name, Patrick set out again, this time for Ireland by his own choosing.

Patrick brought the gospel of Jesus Christ to the sin darkened island of Ireland. Patrick loved the people and chose to demonstrate God’s love in many ways.  The people responded and turned to Christ.

It really is a wonderful story.  Patrick had to endure capture and slavery before he was free to demonstrate love.  Sometimes God brings us through things so that on the other side we can reach out for him in a new way, one we would have never thought of otherwise.  Be patient and trust, God always has a plan.

I wonder what St. Patrick would think about the way we celebrate a holiday to commemorate his life.  I’m not sure he would be able to recognize some of the celebrations we have now. It might be more accurate to go to church, feed the poor or reach out in some way to those around us.  That would be more of a demonstration of the life of Patrick.

I started to think, if Patrick were here, what he would tell us.

2 Thessalonians 3:15-17 (NIV) “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”

Patrick’s work is still evident on the island, as people are still turning to the Lord, even today.  Below is a video from a group of Irish young people that are choosing to serve the Lord through music.  I think Patrick would be proud.

 

Rend Collective Experiment - Second Chance (Official Music Video) from rendcollectiveexperiment on GodTube.