[Thursday's Devotional] - Ruth 4: The right way (verses 1-12)

Boaz had several options after Ruth’s proposal. He could have ignored the existence of a closer Redeemer and taken Ruth as a wife, he could have abandoned Ruth to protect his own estates. But he did not, he did everything the right way.

Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, ‘Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon.   I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, 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 his home town. Today you are witnesses!’

Ruth 4: 9-10 [NIV]

I doubt you have been asked to be a Guardian-Redeemer, but we all have choices. Particularly when we are under stress or in pain we look for a way out and head towards the first one we see. But do you stop and think about whether this is just ‘a’ way out or God’s way out?

Boaz ensured he did everything the right way, so that problems couldn’t arise later on. It may have taken longer but it meant future security instead of unease.

When you can only see one way out do you always take it?  Who do you ask for prayer and advice?

When there is an opportunity to move forward it can be difficult to stay still, even if we know that it isn’t right.  But it is also easy to remain inactive for fear that it isn’t the right way.  So pray and ask others to help you discern what God wants for you.

Lord, help me to learn patience when I want to move forward. Make the right path clear to me so that I can feel secure walking on your path.

Anna Naish

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Ruth 3: Seeing opportunities

Today, we see men and women as equal; they can make decisions, have a job, and choose a spouse.  But, that was not the case at the time.  This chapter is not a romantic film scene where Boaz and Ruth see each other with new eyes and fall madly in love.

But, Naomi had recognised the caring nature of Boaz towards Ruth and saw an opportunity for Ruth to move forward.  Ruth knew how Boaz had helped her and recognised that he would take care of her and look after her.  It is a chapter of mutual understanding and care.

One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, ‘My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for.  Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours.  Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing-floor.  Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes.  Then go down to the threshing-floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.  When he lies down, note the place where he is lying.  Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.’

Ruth 3: 1-4 [NIV]

Opportunities to leave our dark places and move forward from difficult situations come in all sorts of ways.  But how do you respond to them?  Are you afraid of leaving the dark place because you are unsure of where it will lead, or afraid of returning to it?  Do you find it easy to trust that God will provide a way out of the darkness?

Ruth would never forget the death of her first husband, a hard journey to Naomi’s homeland and living on the leftovers from the fields. Moving forward is not about forgetting what has passed but realising God has a plan ahead.

Lord, thank you that you always have a plan for us. Help us to trust in you as we face the opportunities you have given us.

Anna Naish

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Ruth 2: In need

The Torah told Jewish farmers not to harvest every grain.  This meant that those who struggled to eat could be fed by collecting what was left.  It meant that people who were trapped by unfortunate circumstances were able to work and eat.  Boaz followed this rule but also sought to ensure that Ruth was kept safe and sustained.

So Boaz said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me.  Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.’

Ruth 2: 8-9 [NIV]

God provided for those who had fallen on hard times without any welfare system to protect them.  We live in a country that has benefits for those that cannot work and need support. But, we still have charities like the Foodbank because the need, especially in crisis, is so great.

Naomi and Ruth had been settled and supported and fell on hard times through no fault of their own.  When you think of those who are on benefits or need the Foodbank, do you stereotype them?  Do you wonder what has brought them to this point?  Do you know how easy it could be to fall into that position?  Mark 2:23 tells us that Jesus and his disciples needed to glean wheat at least once.

Yesterday we thought about the people who are in place to help us. Today think about how you could be like Boaz not just doing what is required but going beyond.

Lord, thank you for putting me in a position where I can show your love goes beyond the expected by the way I treat others. Help me to see opportunities and then grasp them with both hands.

Anna Naish

[Monday's Devotional] - Ruth 1: Heart ache and pain

This week the devotionals are going to travel through the Book of Ruth and will be looking at how God leads us in times of trouble and pain. We are not always struggling, but when we do, it is easy to lose sight of God and how we can move forward.

This chapter shows the change of Naomi who was happy and settled with her married sons into a widow without sons and alone in a foreign country. In such a desperate state she believes that God is against her and tries to push away the only people who want to stand by her.

‘Look,’ said Naomi, ‘your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.’

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 even death separates you and me.’   When Naomi realised that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Ruth 1: 15-18 [NIV]

How did you cope the last time there was pain, disappointment or loneliness in your life? Did you distance yourself from support of friends and the love of God?

Or did you see what good things God was doing in the midst of the anguish? God placed Ruth in Naomi’s life to be a support who would not leave. God places people in our lives to support us and we need to recognise that God has sent them.

How have you seen God working in big or small ways when you have been struggling? Who has God placed in your life to care for you?

Lord, please help me to see the good things that you are doing in my life and be thankful for them.

Anna Naish

[Friday's Devotional] - And the winner is...

So we’ve been round the houses as it were. We’ve faced the ups and downs of everyday life and somehow – and you may not be sure how – we’ve come through to this day and we’re still standing. We may have seen some fall by the wayside and been unable to help them but we’re still here. Do you wonder what the secret of our survival up to this point is? It’s love. Not just any sort of love, although it will help at times, but God’s love.

From our very beginning we have God’s love to help us along every step of the way, even if we don’t recognise it. Then once we have found Jesus and invited him into our life, well, then it’s a whole new ball game isn’t it. The sun is shining and we can face the world with a smile, and a smile is nothing unless you give it away. So give the people you meet a smile, especially if you see someone who is struggling with no smiles left. Give them one of yours, and perhaps a kind word, because no-one needs a smile more than when they have none left. Then see the love spread around them.

God’s love is with you every second of your life and even if you’re not having a good day, and you’ve forgotten that for the moment, something – maybe the smell of a flower or fresh baked bread, the song of a bird, a ray of sunlight on a cloudy day, or a smile from a stranger – will bring you back to Him and his love for you.

Oops! I nearly forgot. And the Winner is.........You.

Lord, We would be nothing without your love and we thank you that you give it with grace and mercy. Help us to spread that love among those around us, especially those who have not found you yet. Amen.

Jim Finch

[Thursday's Devotional] - Pick yourself up

Every day it happens that somewhere in the world, and maybe close to home, something goes wrong. From time to time it happens to each of us – we make a mistake and it’s costly in some way, or someone else does something that makes things difficult for us, either accidentally or cruelly and deliberately. And it always seems so unfair, why me? - it wasn’t really our fault, we feel like giving up, we just can’t cope anymore, we’re fed up with everything. Often those around us feel our disappointment and unhappiness just as much as we do and there seems little they can say or do to help. So now our mood has brought them down too.

I recently heard about a young teenager, still at school, who wasn’t doing his homework as well as he could and sometimes didn’t do it anyway. On being challenged by his mother, who had been informed of his poor work at school by a teacher, he said it wasn’t worth bothering, he couldn’t do it, it was too hard and there was no point anyway as he wouldn’t do any good in his exams. It was all a waste of time. You will understand that his mother was distraught at hearing from the school and more so at her son’s reaction.

Is that how we react when life is not as kind as we would like it to be? NO! At first we may be hurt by what has happened, but then we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and start all over again. And very importantly we remember that God is on our side and we can trust Him to help us overcome any disappointment. He has a way of turning things round again just when we thought it was getting worse. Talk to Him and let Him know how you feel, then make the effort to put things right as best you can. God will never let you down.

Lord, thank you for being there with us when things don’t go exactly as we want them to, and we are struggling to cope with life as it happens around us. Give us the strength to start again and keep trying, remembering to trust in you, and follow the path you have set us on. Amen.

Jim Finch

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Is your heart in it?

As we have once more come to the time of Harvest, we have been reminded of the need for giving, and I’m sure we all give something in some way all year round. But what is the feeling about our giving?

No doubt we all give time and money to our families which is necessary, and many give to charities, the church, and some occasional ‘good causes’. It’s nice to be able to give something where it is needed, but is your heart in it? Are you giving for the right reasons and because you want to? Or is it because you feel ‘obliged to’ or because there may be some reward forthcoming? If you play the Health Lottery is it because you want to help the NHS more than you do through taxes? Or because you may need their help at some time? Or because you want to win some money? Do you give money to a political party hoping for some business reward or because it is expected through a union membership?

God tells us to give with a good heart and for no other reason than the pleasure of giving – and being able to do so. And don’t feel guilty if you can’t afford much, remember the widow’s mite. Your offering will never save the world, nor all the starving children, nor the endangered animals, nor even your local church if the situation isn’t right anyway. So enjoy yourself and don’t go looking for any reward, it’s the smile you may never see - on the face of someone who benefits from your gift.

Lord, thank you for putting us in the position of being able to give something to help others less fortunate or needing assistance, and help us to send a smile with our gift to lift someone’s heart. Amen.

Jim Finch

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Are we satisfied? Or...

We live in an age when so much that anyone could wish for is readily available if you can afford it.  So, are we satisfied with what we have, or do we always want more?  The latest games or smartphones, a house of our own or a bigger one, a nice new car, to dine at the best restaurants?

Some people are put in the position, perhaps because of their career or circle of friends, to be expected to ‘upgrade’ what they have to maintain their present situation. To meet what would be expected of them, as it were. And it is natural that as we progress in life, in our career and in family life, that we try to improve our standard of living to the best of our ability as far as our income will allow. However, life is full of ups and downs and sometimes we have to ‘cut our cloth according to our means’ while hoping that things will improve again. At the present time, and for the last few years, many have had to cut back on life’s little luxuries. Some have had it much worse than that.

So, I pose the question – are we satisfied? Personally I have known what it is like to have a very nice house, a big car, and a good standard of living with lots of treats along the way. Now I am retired and have only fixed pensions to keep me going. Things are a bit tight and those treats are few and far between. So am I satisfied? Well I still have my dreams - a nice house in the country, able to afford some nice holidays, a decent car, money to spare at the end of the month. But I have no reason to believe that any of that will come to pass. However, God seems to make sure that I have all I actually need and manages to give me little treats along the way which are gratefully received. I am content.

So, dream on - but be grateful for what you have and trust the Lord to supply all you need.

Lord, thank you for all that I have and all that you supply me with. It is so much more than many people in the world can ever hope for. I may strive to provide better for those I love but I am satisfied with all that I have. Amen.

Jim Finch

[Monday's Devotional] - As you sow

As you sow, so shall you reap. I can’t tell you the Biblical reference offhand, and you will probably know that I seldom give them anyway – although many do and they can be quite helpful.

[Editor’s note: here are some Bible verses about reaping what you sow]

So if we have accepted Jesus as our Saviour, and follow God’s commandments to the letter, we will be taken into Heaven when we leave this earth and have eternal happiness. That sounds straightforward enough on the face of it. However, just a moment, we may have accepted Jesus as Saviour and the Son of God, but the rest of it is not quite that easy. Fortunately, if we confess our sins to God he is gracious and forgiving, although there may have been many in the past, and perhaps still today, who think that to ask for forgiveness just before they die will be enough to save them from whatever Hell awaits. Obviously I don’t know, but suspect that such action is not considered acceptable to Him.

Therefore we have to try every day, all the time, to match the standard set by our Saviour. Although we may manage to avoid breaking some of the 10 commandments, it is all too easy to break most of them in thought, word, or action. It is said that “the man who makes no mistakes makes nothing”, so let us atone for our mistakes by asking His forgiveness and making the effort to avoid them in the future.

Lord, guide us and help us to avoid the pitfalls that are around us every day, that we may go some way toward being the person you would have us be. Amen.

Jim Finch

[Friday's Devotional] - Family

Christians often talk about being a part of God’s family, and it’s a wonderful description that Jesus Himself uses.

Some of the things that the Bible says about being in God’s family are very warm and comforting, but among them is this one that caused me to sit up a bit when I read it:

“Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived.  Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting round him, and they told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.’

‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ he asked.

Then he looked at those seated in a circle round him and said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.’”

Mark 3:31-35 [NIV]

 

We are invited into God’s family, and God welcomes us with open arms as we come back to Him. But it doesn’t end there.

As Augustine put it

“Love God and do what you want”

…the point is that if we really do love God more and more we will want to please him and we discover that this is the way we were really meant to live, being part of His plan for changing the world for good.

 

Tim Norman

[Thursday's Devotional] - Friend

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”   John 15:15 [NIV]

Jesus’ first followers became His friends.

We talk about being God’s friend.

But what does that mean, and how do we become God’s friends?

The verses just before give us a clue:

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”  John 15:12-14 [NIV]

Yesterday we ended with two questions:

“What is God saying to you?” and “What are you going to do about it?”

It has been said that these are the two fundamental questions of being a Christ follower. As with any other friendship, if we are Jesus’ friends then we want to please Him and not to do things that don’t please Him.

Tim Norman

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Follower

What does it mean to be a Christian?

Jesus spoke about ‘making disciples’, people who would learn and follow his teaching – living it out and making more disciples.

A Christ-follower is someone who asks “how do I use my role to build God’s kingdom?  How can I do my job to bring glory to God?” and saying “You can work through me in any way you want to.”

Jesus’ first followers clearly grew in their own discipleship, and learned to trust and obey Jesus more:

“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

Luke 5:1-11 [NIV]

So What?

What is God saying to you?

What are you going to do about it?

Tim Norman

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Finder

God can seem far off, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who always feels close to God. Yet, many people have found inspiration in these words

^“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13 [NIV]

Michelangelo painted God reaching out to man, and Adam only has to reach out his finger to touch God.  John Ortberg takes this as his inspiration in the book God is Closer than you think, with lots of helpful ways of knowing God better, learning from the experiences of all sorts of people throughout history.

People come on Alpha for all sorts of reasons – some are facing a life change, some are keen to come because friends enjoyed it, many are just curious want to find out more for themselves.

In week 2 of Alpha we read Jesus’ story of the lost son together. People relate to the way in which he wandered away from his father wanting something better, finally going back after running out of money and friends. To his great surprise he is welcomed back with open arms, he is found by his father.

Earlier this month an Alpha guest spoke about how her life has been transformed since being found by God last year on Alpha and grown in confidence as she has known God’s peace in her heart, and the lady next to her immediately talked about how she would love to know that as well.

As well as people who are found by God for the first time, I love to hear about people going deeper with God getting to know him more and to live life with him, seeking perhaps to live according to a prayer like this one:

O most merciful redeemer,
friend and brother,
may we know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly,
for your own sake.

- St. Richard of Chichester, adapted

Tim Norman