Devotionals @ The Mount Church

We’ve probably all heard infamous stories of meddling mother-in-laws, ones who resemble the humorous example in the sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond.” This particular television show positions a young couple and their children right across the street from the husband’s overbearing parents. The mother-in-law constantly criticizes the daughter-in-law in that “bless your heart” backhanded kind of way. The daughter-in-law is always self conscious, trying to live up the standards of her mother-in-law’s cooking or cleaning or child rearing. The husband spends most of his days clueless or trying to extinguish fires created between his wife and his mother. It’s really not an uncommon portrayal of these types of family relationships.

The Bible, however, illustrates this unique link between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law in a much different way. In the book of Ruth, God uses a mother and her deceased son’s wife as exemplars of loyalty and sacrifice. Naomi is a mother to two sons, both of which were killed in battle, leaving behind wives. Having previously lost her husband as well, Naomi was left with just her daughters-in-law. Though she was surely lonely and scared, this mother knew that the young women should go back to their homelands in order to remarry and continue on their lives. However, Ruth refused to leave Naomi’s side, despite the mother-in-law’s urgings. And her willingness to support the family in this way illustrates numerous lessons about how we, as loyal followers of Christ, should help meet the needs of those around us, how we should find ways to be true givers.

giving is sacrificial

Naomi and Ruth both mourned the loss of a shared loved one; however, Naomi was wise enough to realize that Ruth was still vibrant and youthful, still likely to remarry and continue on with a family of her own. Despite her fewer years, however, Ruth proved to be even wiser, understanding that the love she had developed for Naomi was far more important than starting a new life. Naomi was her family, and she was easily willing to sacrifice an comfortable future for a continued relationship with a woman she respected and cherished.

In verses 8 and 9 of Ruth 1, “Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the LORD show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and to me. 9 May the LORD grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Ruth, however, responds with humility and a sacrificial spirit: But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me” (16-17). She did not hesitantly follow along out of guilt or obligation; she stayed committed to Naomi because of an unconditional love, a love worth giving up her own independence or dreams.

giving requires sensitivity and humility

Ruth not only loved Naomi, but recognized a need in Naomi’s life that only she could fulfill. Naomi had been left alone, outliving a husband and both sons. She was in need of companionship, but just as importantly, she had physical needs which would be even harder to meet as she got older. Ruth obviously understood the tangible, day-to-day hardships Naomi would face as an elder widow with little chance of remarrying, so she not only remains loyal to Naomi as a friend, she also commits her life to serving Naomi’s needs. In Ruth 2:2, “Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.’” She acknowledges that Naomi will need her help to physically survive and is humbly willing to become a servant to aid her. She readily visits fields to pick up scraps so that she and Naomi will not have to go hungry.

giving reaps rewards

Ruth was never looking to be repaid for her love and service to Naomi. She was simply loyal because that is what she knew Naomi needed at the time. Because of her willingness to give sacrificially to her mother-in-law, however, God blessed Ruth obviously and generously.

First, when Ruth visits Boaz’s fields and asks to take only the leftovers, this honorable man orders his workers to leave a bountiful supply of grain behind for her. (Boaz gave orders to his men, “Even if she gathers among the sheaves, don’t embarrass her. Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.” Ruth 2:14-16)

Second, Boaz not only gives food to Ruth, but eventually buys Naomi’s family’s land and marries Ruth herself. Such an action provides both stability and protection for Ruth’s future, even though she was willing to live without these things for Naomi’s sake. (Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!” Ruth 4:9-10)

Last, God blesses Ruth’s loyalty and service in the most awesome way. She gives birth to a son, Obed, part of the lineage of the future king David, a royal family for sure. Because of Ruth’s example of conditional love and giving, God not only blessed her present life but allowed her to be part of the most incredible legacy. (”Naomi has a son.” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.” Ruth 4:17).

Early in the book of Ruth, when Boaz learns of the devotion Ruth has shown Naomi and God, he says “”I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge” (Ruth 2:11-12). God did indeed give Ruth refuge and rewards. When we, too, love God enough to sacrifice to meet the needs to those impoverished around us, then we will finally, truly understand the peace and blessings God desires us to possess. Ruth is a perfect reminder of the giving spirit present in the hearts of those who love God.

In daily devotions and study, we as Christians often focus on the power, sovereignty, and omniscience of God. Or the kindness, forgiveness, and creativity of God. But what we often overlook, because we take it for granted, is the uniqueness of our God. If God is not completely different than the other gods, Biblical and otherwise, we have little reason to base our faith in Him, no reason to whole-heartedly accept that He is the absolute God. It is the combination of those earlier mentioned traits, as well as many more, that does make our Christian God unique.

Other religions focus on multiple gods, none singly possessing all the characteristics that our God demonstrates throughout scripture. Some religions focus on self-actualization or a belief that individual humans can become god-like themselves. Those who claim that they aren’t “religious” often replace a formal god with money, fame, friendships, or a long list of other things. The bottom line, however, is that none of these alternatives to the one true God can compare to His ability to create and rule the world and still have an intimate relationship with His creations.

The Old Testament reminds us numerous times of the unique qualities of our God. From God showing his compassion by walking in the garden with Adam and Eve to Him demonstrating his wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah to Him proving his power in Elijah’s challenge to the prophets of Baal, our God reminds us that no other god can compare. And He directly addresses his uniqueness in Isaiah 46.

In this chapter of Isaiah, God first mocks the idols of the people, revealing their inability to truly affect our lives:

Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols are borne by beasts of burden.
The images that are carried about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.

They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.

“Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all you who remain of the house of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since you were conceived,
and have carried since your birth.

Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

“To whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?

Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.

They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.
Though one cries out to it, it does not answer;
it cannot save him from his troubles.

He further reiterates the weakness of any other god-figure compared to Him after explaining that these idols are simply metal statues and nothing more. He, on the other hand, is an all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving God, a God worthy of worship and praise.

“Remember this, fix it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.

Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.

I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.

From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that will I bring about;
what I have planned, that will I do.

Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are far from righteousness.

I am bringing my righteousness near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,
my splendor to Israel.

prayer

Father God, thank you for reminding us of one of the most important things about our faith in you—there is no other like you! Help this reminder give us the strength to resist giving our time, resources, and devotions to other gods in the world around us. Your unique ability to create intimate relationships with us makes all other temptations (power, fame, money, success) pale in comparison! Allow us to be sensitive to your word and the Holy Spirit in a way that continually prompts us to praise your uniqueness and to remain faithful to you only.

It seems like life is made up of three areas; there are the joyous times like after the birth of a new baby or recovery from a serious illness. There are the trying times like the death of a spouse or failure at a job. And then there are all those other times, times when life seems to be simply moving along, and we are following behind taking care of family, going to work, and goofing off on the weekends. In the midst of times of happiness, it’s easy to feel blessed by God, to go to Him with thanksgiving for the gifts he bestows. Likewise, in the difficult moments of our lives, it’s easy to cry out in pain to God, asking, often begging, for his refuge and guidance.

Therefore, both extremely positive moments and extremely negative ones are the times when we can more clearly see the intention of God in our circumstances. Cheerful experiences are often seen as rewards for obedience, while sorrowful ones offer a time of growth and patience. When we are not experiencing these extremes, in the more “mundane” days of life, we often ignore any connection between our circumstances and God’s work in our lives. However, it is often in that “calm, still voice” and during those everyday moments that God desires to demonstrate both his compassion and power. We must learn, though, to listen more deliberately to the Holy Spirit in order to always recognize that God lays out each day with purpose.

One prime reminder of God creating important circumstances for us is found in the eighth chapter of Acts. Philip, a follower of Christ, had spent much time preaching to crowds and performing numerous miracles through the Holy Spirit. However, one of the most significant impacts he made occurred on a desert road as he walked without a specific goal in mind.

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”

The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Acts 8:26-40 (NLT)

Philip is a man from whom we can learn many things:

1. Be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s urgings.

As Christians, we often forget the purpose of the Holy Spirit as a guide in our lives. We ignore what seems like “gut” feelings, and, instead, rationalize the decisions we make, often without seeking counsel from God. However, if we live anticipating the urgings of the Spirit, we will be much more likely to recognize the opportunities God gives us to serve him effectively. Philip never seemed to question that push in this scripture. Instead, he was obedient without hesitation.

2. Be mindful of the needs of others

It’s obvious to us as we read Acts that God had a purpose for sending Philip down that desert road, yet it in the moment, it would have been easy to overlook this circumstance as nothing more than a fellow traveler. Philip’s sensitivity to the voice of God, however, and his willingness to get involved in someone else’s life opened the door to a moment of revelation and salvation for the eunuch, a gift even more precious that a miraculous physical healing.

3. Be knowledgeable of the scriptures

It wasn’t Philip’s kindness, only, that caused the eunuch to surrender to Christ; it was also Philip’s knowledge. The eunuch was obviously intelligent enough to read the scriptures; however, his insight into their meaning was lacking. Philip was able to make the connections between the Old Testament prophecy and the life of Jesus for the eunuch in a way that convinced him to accept the grace of Christ. Without Philip’s commitment to the word of God, he would have been useless in this circumstance.

Peering into this one event in Philip’s journey reminds me to stop allowing daily circumstances and busyness to prevent me from serving God and to start realizing He put me in those circumstances (no matter how ordinary they seem) to do exactly that.

It’s often easy to look through the disciples’ miracles in the New Testament and think, “Wow, those men were amazing!” The truth is, however, that they demonstrated no power that contemporary Christians cannot also exhibit because it was not their individual righteousness, their numerous good works, their eloquent preaching, or even their years with Jesus Christ that allowed them that strength; it was the Holy Spirit, the same spirit that dwells among believers still. I am often encouraged when reading about the early church. Acts 1-2 reveal much about how believers are unified and empowered through God’s gift of the Holy Spirit.

the holy spirit offers comfort after the ascension

There’s no doubt that the crucifixion and burial of Jesus was heartbreaking for his closest friends and followers; in addition, I would imagine His ascension into Heaven was bittersweet. Their Master would be entering Heaven once more to join the Father, but they would be left with a void here on earth. God recognized the loneliness and weakness believers would experience without the physical presence of the Messiah, so he sent the Holy Spirit to continue His relationship with us. Jesus comforted the disciples’ anxiety about his departure with these words:

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:7-8 (NLT)

What a comfort it still is to know that we are never abandoned by our Savior. He is not only available through our prayers, but daily we can experience his power through the Spirit.

the holy spirit fulfills prophecy

When the Holy Spirit entered the followers of Christ at Pentecost, people around them were skeptical, to say the least. Their speaking in tongues led critics to blame drunkenness, but Peter, the rock of the Church, stepped up quickly to hush the cynicism with God’s word from the Old Testament:

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
” ‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Acts 2:14-21 (NLT)

the holy spirit works through believers to save men

As the disciples followed Christ during his three-year ministry, they saw numerous miracles. Jesus often healed the ill and raised the dead, but the most remarkable power was the ability to save souls from sin. It’s a task only God is big enough to do; however, God’s Holy Spirit works within believers to use us as instruments in leading others to salvation through Jesus. What an amazing responsibility we have to be sensitive to the Spirit’s voice in our lives. The disciples witnessed thousands begin to follow Jesus; we can, too.

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Acts 2:38-41 (NLT)

the holy spirit encourages unity

God never intended His people to rely on the government or charitable organizations to meet their needs; He expected believers to be so unified in the Holy Spirit that they work together so that all physical needs were met, and individuals could spend their time glorifying and testifying about God instead of worrying about circumstances. What a world we would have if our church began to live like these early believers, still trusting in the promptings of the Holy Spirit. What brotherhood they must have known!

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2: 42-47.

The life of the disciples and the start of the early church is not a Christian fairy tale. It’s the reality of what God can do when his people accept and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit.

You have probably heard the adage, “Money can’t buy happiness,” many times in your life. Well, maybe it can. It can definitely buy fun and popularity and even power. It can buy new relationships and a luxurious life. Seems to me that many people with money are pretty happy. What money, fame, authority, or friendships cannot buy, though, is joy. There’s a distinct difference, in my mind, between happiness and joy. Happiness is a temporary pleasurable experience; however, joy is eternal; it’s permanent and unconditional. And it’s only bought with a relationship with the sacrificial Savior, Jesus Christ.

Before the birth of Christ, God promised that His Son’s arrival would bring “a great joy” to a sinful world, a world of hate and anger and violence, the world in which we still live.

But the angel said to [the shepherds], “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

Luke 2:10 (NIV)

The New Testament reveals many men and women who received the “joy of salvation,” a supernatural ability to live gladly despite unfathomable hardship or turmoil. Regardless of her previous guilty conscience, the woman at the well found joy in Jesus’ forgiveness. Though initially doubtful, Thomas found joy in the resurrected Savior’s patience. Imprisoned, Paul and Silas found joy in Christ’s continual presence through the Holy Spirit. And each day around us, fellow Christians overcome devastating trials while still rejoicing in the omnipotence of God.

This eternal joy, a gift of grace, no doubt, is brilliantly illustrated in “The Ransomed of the Lord Return with Joy,” a poem by David Payne paraphrasing the sentiments of Isaiah 35:

The wilderness and dry land sings

As each becomes the place of springs

Where fountains play and streamlets flow

And fairest flowers shall freely grow,

Gold crocuses and Sharon’s Rose

Whose mystic petals each disclose

The beauty of the Son of God

Who once himself this desert trod.

God understands our difficulties because he experienced them, yet over and over again, he uses his creativity to remind us of the hope we have of answered promises unseen by us at this time. The refreshing waters and spectacular flowers of the desert become symbols of the love and mercy and grace God gives freely. Together, these things bring us joy, a confidence much greater than the happiness the world can offer.

questions to consider

1. In your life, who exemplifies this illustration of joy? Who reflects the gladness of Jesus despite hard times?
2. Where can you find such “springs” of joy in your desert life? How might your joy help you share Christ with someone else?
3. In what areas of your life do you need to pray for more of this “fruit of the spirit”?

prayer

Father God, I pray that you will give me a life of joyful dancing, as you describe in Jeremiah 31:13, so that I may glorify you in gladness and despair:

“Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance,
And the young men and the old, together,
For I will turn their mourning into joy
And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.”