Most are familiar with the picture of the Bride of Christ, his church, and He being the bridegroom. Christ also used the analogy of a wedding ceremony, where we do not play the actual role of the bride, but rather that of the bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-13). In this parable, our love for the bride and groom, our true heart, is manifested and displayed in our actions. Read Matthew 25:1-13.

the bridesmaids

In a Jewish wedding ceremony, the bridesmaids played two roles-to attend the bride, and to light the bridegroom into the home. It was customary for the bride to wait for the bridegroom in the home, while the bridegroom prepared for the marriage ceremony. He would arrive at an unannounced time, usually at some point in the night. Upon his arrival, the bridesmaids would light their lamps and line the walk to the house entrance, as both an honor and a service to the bridegroom. Carrying their lamps out at his arrival was the chief concern, their utmost duty.

Christ paints a picture of two types of bridesmaids, the wise and the foolish. The wise are prepared, and though the bridegroom tarries, they are equipped to last the night and honor the groom by serving him well. The foolish are not. Matthew Henry likens the foolish bridesmaid to the hypocrite, the one who professes to know Christ, but only outwardly looks the part. The foolish bridesmaid, when realizing the bridegroom has come and is unprepared, seeks help from the wise, but cannot share in her work. It is a picture of the one who comes to the realization that Christ has come, yet their life is not submitted to Him, it does not honor Him, and seeking last-minute, quick refinement does not work. Ultimately the foolish bridesmaids miss the wedding ceremony and celebration, the Bridegroom turns them away in the end. Whereas the wise bridesmaid, though the bridegroom is late in coming, has a heart to maintain and endure through the night. She has readied herself for His arrival, is able to share in His joy, both celebrating and honoring Him. It is a beautiful picture that both service and duty are performed with happiness and joy because of the great love for the bridegroom, the chance to share in His happiness, and the desire to make Him great, to bring Him glory.

the bridegroom

In his parable, the bridegroom comes to claim his bride at a very late hour, much later than expected. And indeed, this is often the case, from our perspective–the Lord rarely moves in our time, but in truth is never early or late, we simply are impatient. He is preparing for his bride and will gladly come to take her as soon as all is ready. Christ himself openly proclaimed that no one knows the day or the hour of His return (Matthew 24:36), but promises that He is going to prepare a place for us, His bride (John 14:2). This story vividly depicts this very process. Psalm 45, one of the prophetic psalms, gives us a deeper look into the Bridegroom King. He is most handsome, mighty, and victorious (verses 2-4). He loves justice and righteousness (verses 4-6), and He is coming to claim His bride (verses 10-11). It is a picture of perfection, beauty, great strength, and deep love. This is the one we are to prepare for, the one we are to wait eagerly for, and the one we rejoice in honoring. And He longs for us to share in His celebration-”with joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king” (Psalm 45:15).

application

Isaiah 29:13 reads, The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” Where is your heart? This is a key point in the passage-the difference between celebrating with wedding party and being turned away, between eternity with your Savior and eternal separation. Do your words match your actions and your heart?

• Often, even as Christians, we fail to live as our mouths proclaim. What circumstances and situations most often bring about compromise in your life? Why?
• What “night” (trials, temptations, painful circumstances, etc.) are you facing right now? What is enabling you to endure this night?
• What motivates the wise bridesmaid?
• Is there a sense of joy and anticipation when you think of service?
• How do you view your bridegroom (Christ)? Does this match His description in Psalm 45? Why/why not?
• How can you cultivate a deeper love and understanding of the coming Bridegroom?

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water; but He Who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of Whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, to clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His granary, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Luke 3:16-17, RSV

When thinking about the Kingdom of God and the nature of His people this week, I was reminded of the line, ‘His winnowing fork is in His hand …” as a reminder that God is constantly in the process of, not only shaping us to become more like him, but weeding out the pretenders from His true followers.

In Matthew 19, we find Jesus approached by the Pharisees, who drill him on questions about eternal life, commandments and the kingdom. Seemingly fixated on deeds rather than faith, they ask him: “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” Acquiescing momentarily, he runs off a list of commandments. But then, when a likely rich, young man comes to him and says he has kept the commandments, Jesus ups the ante: “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

As we see in the following verse, this was an additional step of faith the young man, tragically, was not willing to make.

And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 19: 23-24, NAS

Here, we see Jesus clearing drawing a dividing line, a line in the sand. While God does not wish any to miss out on being part of his kingdom, he recognizes that some, because of their selfishness, pride, false religiosity, showmanship and lack of full and abiding acceptance of Christ, ultimately will be hewn from his side. The chaff, he says, will be burned with unquenchable fire.

Throughout this section of Matthew, we find Jesus speaking in parables because the true believers will understand and learn from the parables, while the pretenders and unbelievers will simply not grasp the meaning behind the stories. One such story about a wedding feast (Matthew 22:1-14) again draws a distinction between the few — God’s chosen, us, his people — and everyone else. When the father sent out his son to gather up guests for the wedding, those who had been invited (here, we can equate them with the Pharisees, non-gentiles or overtly religious people without true abiding faith) paid no attention to the invitation. They were punished. The father again opened up the invitation to those along the “main highways” (equated with the Gentiles). The father surveyed the room of guests, which included both people of good and evil, spotted one not clothed properly for the wedding and cast him out into the “outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Isaiah 61:10, NAS

As his people, God wants us to be properly fitted for his service. Some may shimmer, present a “holy” demeanor and do all the right “church” things, but without an abiding, all-surrendered faith in Jesus, their presentation is tarnished and fading. Jesus’ winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will snatch up the good and cut off the bad. Just as the enemy is called the prince of darkness, was once shimmering but now a hobbled, fallen angel, so too are those who infiltrate the church and our lives in an attempt to skirt us off course. But his people are made precious in his site. In trusting Him with our lives, we not only gain the fruit of the spirit, we should relish it and vividly display it in our daily lives.

… For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11, NAS

application

Today, thank God for calling you to himself. You are uniquely made and uniquely gifted. You have an intricate series of interests and talents to serve in his kingdom on earth in preparation and anticipation for the New kingdom. Ask God to make you steadfast in your faith, not only knowing in your head, but having an intimate knowledge of Him in your heart. Pray that you begin to trust him for fully each day and that he would rightly equip you for service in his kingdom. Be encouraged that, as a child of God, whether awake or asleep, you abide in him, and he abides in you.

The parable of the vineyard owner in Matthew 20 illustrates these characteristics of God in a concrete way.

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4He told them, “You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went.

He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?”

“Because no one has hired us,” they answered.
He said to them, “You also go and work in my vineyard.”

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.”

The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. “These men who were hired last worked only one hour,” they said, “and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.”

But he answered one of them, “Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

So the last will be first, and the first will be last.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary gives helpful insight into Jesus’s purpose in this parable, especially to his contemporaries. The Jews, “God’s chosen people,” had a difficult time accepting that the coming of Christ also meant that they were no longer more important to God than the Gentiles, even though these Gentiles were only recent believers in their God. God loved both Jew and Gentile equally and blessed them equally as well. Many Jews were angered. Many were jealous. Many were confused. Jesus used this story to help them understand that God makes no distinction as long as individuals believe, accept, and love him.

Currently, the differences between Jew and Gentile are not so prevalent in our culture, but this parable is still applicable, for we are often just as selfish, jealous, and confused as those Jewish people trying to figure out Jesus. This illustration, therefore, is relevant in our contemporary lives for many reasons:

1. God is in charge. Matthew Henry points out that Jesus’s parable reminds us that “God is debtor to no man.” In other words, he is the ultimate boss, the one decision maker, the supreme leader. We must submit to his power, as the laborers did to the owner, regardless of our own desires.

2. God is forgiving. Though it’s sometimes hard to give up our selfish wishes to follow God’s commands, he rewards our obedience with blessings. He also, however, forgives us when we are not as quick to obey as He would hope. In many ways, this parable offers such relief. For it does not matter when you convert to believing in God, or what you were like before the conversion; what matters, to God, is the change. After that, we are all blessed and loved equally.

3. God expects compassion. Since our purpose in life is to reflect Christ, one of the most important traits Christians should possess is compassion. The laborers who had worked the hardest and the longest found it difficult to find compassion for those who had only worked an hour and reaped the same benefits. God, however, expects us to celebrate blessings for all and to avoid wishing negative consequences for a fellow believer. How many times, though, do you find yourself thinking like those laborers: “well, that sure isn’t fair!” Instead, God expects us to remember that He is sovereign, has been merciful to us, and anticipates our love for one another.

I will admit, I was confused after my first reading of this passage in Matthew. And then I realized, my inability to comprehend the meaning of the parable was due to my sympathy with the all-day workers. I exhibit the same self-centered thinking, thinking, that after careful reading and studying, I realize must change. I should no longer compare myself and my Christian walk to those around me because God never does. Whew, what a relief!

]]> http://devotionals.themountchurch.com/2008/08/19/the-last-shall-be-the-first/feed/ 0 http://devotionals.themountchurch.com/2008/08/18/the-net/ http://devotionals.themountchurch.com/2008/08/18/the-net/#comments Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:00:02 +0000 lapn http://devotionals.themountchurch.com/?p=100

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. when the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Do you understand all these things?”

“Yes,” they replied, “we do.”

Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”

Matthew 13:47-52

In reading through the Matthean parables, there is a recurring theme of a coming separation, a distinction being made between the righteous and the unrighteous, the wicked and the good. Here in chapter 13, Jesus uses this theme several times as he refers to separating the “weeds from the wheat” (verses 24-29; 36-42) and in our focus passage, the “good fish from the bad fish.”

Of at least twenty-four species of fish in the Lake of Galilee, many were unclean or completely inedible. Fishermen’s nets were not able to discriminate the clean from the unclean fish in their catch. So, once the haul was brought in from the sea, the fishermen would have to manually sift through the load and separate the good from the bad, the edible from the inedible.

Jesus is using this parable to illustrate the dividing line that is already in place and will one day be revealed to all, the dividing line on which there will be only two sides: those who are in Christ and those who are not. The Kingdom of God carries a standard by which all of mankind will be measured, and depending on our actions and adherence to the Kingdom’s standards, we will either be categorized among the righteous or “cast away” among the unrighteous.

Mankind is the sea, and the Kingdom of God is the Net. Until the final day, the day when Jesus draws in the Net, He will continue to seek and save the lost. He will continue providing opportunities for people to hear His voice, to respond to His calling, and to accept the gift of eternal life He offers through Jesus’ atonement for our sins on the cross. But, once the Net is gathered in and the separating process is completed, the line of demarcation will be drawn across the world, as well as the church. Those who have never accepted Christ as their Savior will be tossed into the fiery furnace (Hell) where they will spend eternity separated from God. Also, those who professed God with their lips but not with their hearts and lives will find themselves revealed at the final sifting as well. While this parable probably primarily refers to the world, it is not inaccurate to apply it to the church as well, because the same line (The Net, The Kingdom of God) that separates the wicked from the righteous will also ultimately divide Jesus’ true disciples from the merely professing ones. This begs the question for us to consider, “When the four corners of the Net are drawn in and God’s eternal Kingdom is revealed, will we be found among the ‘keepers’ or tossed out among the ‘non-keepers?’”

The time is now for us to decide, for us to be making the wise choice to live our lives for God so we can spend eternity with Him. The Net is not something for us to fear, but rather something to be respected, to be revered, to willingly be caught up in. We should want to be captured by the Kingdom of God, recognizing it as our safe passage to an eternity spent with God, not an encumbrance to be avoid be tangled up in. The Net, God’s Kingdom, is our salvation. It is the vehicle that God created to provide eternal life for His true disciples, His beloved children. This world will one day cease to exist, but God’s Kingdom will last forever. Being in it is our only hope for eternal life and our only guarantee of being found among the righteous when the day of reckoning arrives.

All of humanity will be “caught” by the Net, there is no doubt about that. The only question is, when Jesus reaches in and pulls us out of it, what will He say? Will He say, “This one’s with me for eternity” because of the obedience He sees in our lives, or will He be forced to toss us away from Him because of our rejection of the gift He offered us?

prayer

Jesus, I know there is a day coming when I will face my eternal destiny, a day when I will either enter into the rest and joy that You have prepared for me or the eternal separation and darkness that is prepared for those who don’t know You. I don’t want there to be any doubt that I’ll spend eternity anywhere else but with You, so I want to make the right choices here and now. Father, thank You for the gift of salvation provided to me through Jesus’ death and the blood He shed on the cross for my sins. I confess to You that I am a sinner and that I need Your forgiveness. Thank You for dying for me and for taking the punishment that I deserved. Please come into my life, fill me with Your power, and help me live for You from this day forward. Please help me to make You the first and highest priority in my life and help me grow in my knowledge and understanding of You as I study Your Word, pray, and learn about You from others who love You. Please help me to fulfill Your calling on my life to make sure others who are drawn into the Net will know you too and spend forever with You as well. I love You, Jesus, and I thank You for saving me. In Your name I pray and believe, Amen.

Consider some popular examples of public accountability (or lack thereof) – Tyco, ImClone, and Enron. Most people who follow the stock market or consume even a smattering of business news can identify those companies for having displayed gross mismanagement of assets or unethical accounting. Often, such companies are investigated and high-ranking individuals are brought to court in order to be held accountable for their actions. Such examples need not be limited to corporate interests or money.

Nobody is exempt from being accountable for something, from politicians and public figures to school teachers and technicians–everybody is expected to perform tasks in such a way that they do not fall short of the expectations of others.

We are all familiar with the various aspects of personal accountability. Whether it involves job performance, parenting, driving, or our daily walk with God, we are usually well aware of what is expected of us.

Go ahead and read Nehemiah 5:1-13.

In this passage, Nehemiah actually introduces us to the fundamental paradox of true personal accountability: it works best when it ceases to remain personal.

While we may understand our shortcomings, we all require a reference point or incentive in order to correct our behavior. Without at least one other person to investigate our progress, we are no longer accountable for our actions–we no longer have an obligation to explain or justify our actions, which is at the very heart of what the word ‘accountable’ means.

Nehemiah was wise enough to realize that simply making the lenders and money collectors take an oath to halt their improper practices would not be likely to yield a positive and lasting result. Nehemiah made note that they would need to be accountable-to each other and to God. The result of breaking the promise would be a swift and visible judgment from God. The passage says that the people did what they promised… so are we to assume that they did it out of fear alone? The often-negative connotation that the topic of accountability brings with it is due to the fact that we sometimes fail to see the greater purpose behind it-a closer relationship with God and each other.

Any time I have ever teamed up with an “accountability partner” for some purpose relating to my spiritual life, I usually tend to approach it from the perspective that I should repair my negative behavior simply to spare myself the embarrassment of having to admit to that person that I have once again failed to reach my goal or fallen prey to the same sin in my life. For a short time, that approach works-though it usually falls apart as soon as it becomes evident that I am only seeking to save face and not actually trying to glorify God. True progress begins when we understand that our accountability to each other should embody our desire to please God with our thoughts and actions.

Instead of treating our spiritual accountability like a box awaiting a check-mark for good effort, we should view it as an opportunity to fill ourselves with more and more things that please God until there is less and less room for the things that do not.

a personal example
I’ve had a sizable collection of Christian music albums for as long as I can remember having something to play them on, but several years ago a friend told me that if I listened to only Christian radio in my car for an entire month, it would change my life in a significant way. At the time, I was in my car about two hours a day, and while I certainly expected it to be more positive and uplifting than my normal listening, I hardly thought I would find it enjoyable… much less life-altering. However, that friend knew me well-whether singing it, playing it, writing it, listening to it, or even just humming or whistling it to myself-nobody can take away my love for music. That is what made the challenge significant. Over time, my friend would not only ask me if I was still listening to the new music, but they would also ask me what I thought of it-what I liked and disliked, etc. Quite frankly, it was a difficult transition and it took years of bouncing back and forth for that type of radio listening to really grow on me. Every time, though, it became easier to jump back to the Christian music stations-and I had more to discuss with my friend all the while.

God currently uses that music as a wonderful tool in my life… like an ever-present reminder of my accountability to God. It’s rather difficult to willingly defy God when songs of His greatness and love for me are right on the tip of my tongue. Though it certainly doesn’t have to be music, I would urge any Christian to find something easily accessible that reminds them of God, and simply keep it close by. Spiritual and lifestyle accountability with fellow Christians doesn’t always have to be a deadly-serious thing (though it could be). Often, it’s simply a bridge to a greater understanding of each other and God’s will for each of you.

Being accountable for how we respond to God’s will is not about embarrassment, failures, addictions, or even having a friend ask us the same question each week after church just to check up on us… it’s about the joy that God is faithful to bestow upon us when we seek His will together.

Dear Lord, You are such an incredible friend. You record my words and deeds not because you wish to recount my shortcomings, but because you rejoice in my successes. So often, I cannot justify myself before you, so I simply ask your forgiveness. I thank you for the people you put in my path to remind me of the standard you have set for us, and I pray that you would give me every opportunity to shine brightly for You today, so that those who see me will see You too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.

Matthew 6:5

Jesus was teaching on the topic of prayer when He spoke those famous words from the passage we’ve come to know as, “The Sermon on the Mount.” Knowing how important prayer is, and how vital a role it is intended to play in our lives as believers, Jesus was taking the time to teach not only His disciples that day, but also all the throngs of people that had gathered on that mountainside, and even us today.

Prayer is not supposed to be a wish-list similar to what we’d leave with milk and cookies for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve or the vain repetitions and babblings of people who are merely interested in sounding spiritual rather than truly being spiritual. Prayer is so much more than, “Now I lay me down to sleep” or even, “Our Father Who art in heaven…” Prayer, in short, is meant to be personal, sincere, and instinctive, not robotic, rote, and empty.

Prayer is a dialogue with God, a two-way conversation, where both parties speak and both parties listen. Just as two best friends would respectfully interchange with one another, so prayer is meant to be between us and God. But prayer doesn’t have to be just a one-on-one event. Prayer can also be corporate. Exodus 2:23 records the mass groanings of the Israelites as they cried out to God under the bondage of their slavery. Verse 24 says that God heard their groanings. Exodus 15 records a coporate prayer of praise that was set to music heralding the Israelites deliverance from the Egyptians at the Red Sea. The “Prayers of Ascent”, Psalms 120-134, were apparently sung by the people as they went up to Jerusalem for various festivals. Once the Psalms were written, they were probably prayed and sung by the people on sabbaths and other occasions of rejoicing before Yahweh. (Deuteronomy 16:11) Sometimes the prayers would be spoken by one person on behalf of the rest of the people, such as we find in Nehemiah 1:5-11. Corporate prayer has long played a prominent and necessary role in the worship gatherings of God’s people.

However, it is very easy for us sometimes to fall into one of several extremes when it comes to the implementation of corporate prayer in our worship services. One such extreme is to find ourselves perhaps reciting an ancient liturgical prayer, not really paying attention to the meaning of the words and how they apply to us today. Churches that use a more high form of worship have to guard against this, lest their congregants memorize the words and vainly recite them without much regard to their power or intent (Matthew 6:7).

Another extreme is to mentally check-out during a corporate prayer. This is often the case when someone else is praying on behalf of the whole group, and rather than listening to and agreeing with what is being offered, the listener is mentally adrift, perhaps thinking about something else entirely, or even nodding off to sleep! That is not what corporate prayer is meant to be, either. Another extreme when it comes to corporate prayer is to avoid it because it is not what one has ever been accustomed to or it simply feels uncomfortable or awkward. There are many who have grown up outside of the church or in a denomination that didn’t regularly practice the art of corporate prayer, so to them it can feel “out-of-place.” We must work hard to avoid all these extremes.

Corporate prayer is more than liturgy, more than words penned by someone else, and certainly not an outdated form of worship. Corporate prayer is meant to be the united confession, repentance, submission, and outpouring of a specific group of people to Almighty God. It doesn’t have to fit any particular denominational mold, but rather it needs to be sincere, authentic, heart-felt, and humble. God has honored many a corporate prayer that has been offered in unity and humility on behalf of families, churches, ministries, communities, and even nations! It is not something to be avoided, but rather something to be engaged in and utilized for its utmost potential.

application

(Choose one or all of these if you like)

Think back to the last time you participated in a corporate prayer. What role did you play? Were you fully engaged? How could you have been more participatory?

Write out a prayer for your family to use corporately to praise God for His blessings on your home. Consider whether or not you’ll make it a call and response format or a corporate recitation, or something else.

Find an old church hymnal and read some of the corporate prayers and creeds and responsive readings at the back. Study them, look up the Scripture passages they were taken from and learn the context in which they were written so you can consider how they still apply to your life and the life of the church as well.

prayer

Thank You, Lord, for the gift of prayer and the privilege of talking to You one-on-one like this or with a group of my brothers and sisters in You. I confess that I so often under-utilize the power of prayer and I’m concerned that may be true for a lot of churches as well. May my life and the life of my church reflect our belief in prayer and the power it has to move mountains when coupled with our faith in You and our humble submission to You and Your will. May you be pleased by the priority I make it to talk to and listen to You on a daily, consistent basis, and may the same be true for all of us who corporately comprise the Bride of Christ. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

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.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Philippians 4:6

How many times have you said to someone “I will pray for you…”, and then never followed through on the promise? If you are like me, that has happened more times than you wish to admit. We all know we should pray. We also know that prayer is a good thing to do-we may even declare to others that, “God answers prayer.” But do we put any actions behind those words? This is an area that I am continually being challenged in, but looking back over the years I can see a pattern of growth and some positive changes. There are many “baby steps” that we can take to grow in this area of spiritual discipline.

give it time

The very first thing we have to do to build a pattern of prayer in our lives is to schedule time for it. If we don’t do this, we can never claim it is a priority in our lives. By scheduling time for it, I mean choosing a time in our daily lives that we will devote to prayer. Maybe your time will be on your commute to work, or while you are in the shower, or sitting in the pick-up line at school. Maybe it’s the last few minutes of your quiet time, or the first few minutes of the day. You can do it while you exercise, or the last five minutes of your lunch break. No matter when or where it is squeezed in during your day–just make a place for prayer. As you grow to practice it, rely on it, and enjoy it more, the time slot will grow. You will find yourself doing it as second nature as you utilize and understand it more.

write it down

Maybe you don’t enjoy journaling or writing out your thoughts. Well, for prayer purposes, you need to “just do it” anyway! Buy yourself a small notebook and begin recording your prayer requests in it. Remember to date the requests, and then leave space to write how God answers your prayers. If you do this consistently, you will have an excellent written legacy to show you how God does hear you and answers your prayers. It will be a memorial to his faithfulness and will show you a record of your spiritual discipline. Your faith will grow (Hebrews 11:6). Your relationship with God will grow (Philippians 4:6,7). And your relationship with those you pray for will improve (Matthew 5:44, James 5:16).

watch it grow

I have asked God for things my whole Christian life. And I suppose he has answered many of my requests. But about four years ago the circumstances in my life drew me into a pattern of fervent prayer. And an amazing thing happened-God began to give me “in your face” answers! I prayed for certain tings constantly throughout my day. I fasted and prayed even more. And God’s answers came pouring into my life! Big, bold answers that truly were beyond what I had imagined possible (Ephesians 3:20). When this began to happen, I began to see God in a new way. I felt so connected with him. He was personally involved in my life. He obviously loved me enough to specifically answer my prayers. And as he answered those prayers, I was able to trust him for even more. My relationship with him blossomed. My faith grew leaps and bounds. And my prayer life was brought to a new level of understanding. Prayer really does change things.

So, as we all endeavor to walk with Jesus, as we all attempt to grow in spiritual maturity; don’t over look the importance of prayer in the equation. Start with a small step and definite commitments. Buy a notebook. Find a time. Choose specific requests to trust him for. And place one foot in front of the other as you continue your walk in becoming more like Christ. The blessings will be real. The rewards will be evident.

action points

1. Choose a time and place you will devote to daily prayer.
2. Buy a small notebook to record prayer requests and answers.
3. Choose a specific area of need to concentrate your prayers in, as well as general requests.

prayer

Heavenly Father, I thank you that you desire for me to spend time talking with you. I thank you that you do hear my requests and you desire to answer me. Help me to discipline myself in this area. Help me to trust you for your answers. Grow my faith and broaden my vision as I entrusts my requests to you. Reveal your power to me. Amen.

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.

…and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Matthew 28:20b

The presence of God is a promise to those who know him personally. It is an assurance and a hope to all who struggle in this world. It is a truth you can build your life around. But it is so much more. His presence carries with it many promises that are recorded in his word, and gives us a peace to go through life. The subject of his presence is one that I feel he revealed to me in a very personal way. Although I have never heard God speak to me audibly, about 10 years ago I found myself faced with a medical procedure that I knew was going to be painful. I was afraid. I was living in dread of that appointment. And as I drove to the doctor’s office, I was praying aloud to God, asking him to make it not hurt. Suddenly, as I drove, I felt a quiet come over me, and these words came to me as clearly as if they were spoken aloud: “I have not promised you a life free of pain. But I have promised you my presence in every circumstance.” I almost looked into the back seat to see if someone was sitting there, the words seemed so real. And as I considered them in my heart, peace flooded over me, and I was no longer afraid. His presence is real. And it is powerful.

Scripture tells us much about God’s presence. It is absolutely necessary for life, but if we were to actually see him, we would die. It is truly an awesome thing. As I searched the scriptures this morning, I found several verses that speak to the benefits we receive as a result of his presence. This list is in no way all-inclusive, but it gives us a glimpse at what blessings are ours in connection with his presence. Psalm 31:20 says that his presence provides a shelter for us. How often do we feel like we are beaten down by this world we live in? When we acknowledge his presence, we can hide in that shelter. Exodus 33:14 says that “rest” comes as a result of in his presence. Do you need rest from the trials of life and the demands placed on you? His presence will give you that rest. All we need to do it take it.

Psalm 23:4 tells us that God’s presence casts out fear, regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in-even the approach of death. Fear is such a common enemy. It has a paralyzing effect on its victims. What a great comfort and strength to know that God’s presence does away with fear. Psalm 16:11 says that his presence fills us with joy. Not happiness that changes with our circumstances. Not a thrill that will soon pass. But joy that continues on in our lives just because of his presence. Look at all we miss when we do not “practice his presence”. And lastly, Psalm 139:7-12 assures us that there is no place we can go that will exclude his presence. His presence is all-encompassing. It is everywhere we could go and anywhere we could not. We cannot escape his presence…and that is such a wonderful truth. He is always with us, even to the end of time.

So we, like the people of Nehemiah, need to focus on and thank God for his presence. Without it we would fall to the enemies of this world. Without it we would perish. But with it, we can enjoy shelter, rest, joy, and the freedom from fear. Praise God for the gift of his presence, and recognize it moment by moment throughout your day.

application

Choose something this week to remind you to “practice his presence”. You can put a note on your mirror, a sticker in your car, or a dot on your briefcase. Just choose something that will catch your attention and remind you that God is always with you and you can trust him with your problems, heartaches, and concerns. As you acknowledge his presence, you will experience the blessings that go along with it.

prayer

Father, thank you that you are always with us. Thank you for the precious gift of your presence and what it does in our lives. Help us to remember that you are with us always, and that you give us rest and joy as we trust in you. We love you, Amen.