If the Shoe Fits

If the Shoe Fits

In the final chapter of Ruth we see a family redeemer remove his sandal as a symbol of passing up his opportunity and responsibility to care for the vulnerable and invite in the foreigner, while another redeemer steps up in his place. This reminds us of Israel’s call to be a light to the nations and a kingdom of priests, but they neglected their call in order to look out for themselves. Thank God another, better, truer Redeemer came in their place. One whose sandals all others were not worthy to untie.

God Means For Good

God Means For Good

In Ruth 3 we see Naomi try to take matters into her own hands to provide for Ruth. The stage is set for history to repeat itself and for Israel to continue "doing what is right in their own eyes". But right at the climactic moment, something changes. What Naomi purposed in her own understanding, God intervened and used for the good of all His people.

A Faithful Friend

A Faithful Friend

The book of Ruth has often been treated as a side-story in the Bible about friendship or finding love… but it is so much more! The foreign barren widow, Ruth, points us forward to the King of all creation, Jesus. In this historical story we find the loyalty and faithfulness of an oppressed woman teaching us about the loyalty and faithfulness of a good God.

The Coming of Our Lord

The Coming of Our Lord

The Thessalonian church needed to be reminded of the hope they had - that the true King of the world would return to set all things right finally and fully. This truth comes along with an assurance, that the false kingdoms humanity has built out of rebellion against God will surely fall. Even still today, we need this same hope and reassurance. King Jesus is coming. He will set all things right. And the empires we’ve built that oppose him will fall, but if we trust in him and follow him into his kingdom, we will be gathered into his salvation.

Hope for the Hurting

Hope for the Hurting

Paul wrote again to the small oppressed church in Thessalonica, continuing to encourage them in their faith, love, and hope. Their faith and love had continued to show strong, but in the midst of oppression and false teachers they struggled to hold onto hope. Paul's reminder and assurance is that Jesus is indeed coming back and when he does, he will put an end to the injustice and set all things right.

Four Essential Questions

Four Essential Questions

To wrap up our series in the Psalms, we look at some of Jesus' words at the end of his sermon on the mount side-by-side with Psalm one. The wisdom in these words bring us to our starting point in coming to the Scriptures, as well as our starting point in current life circumstances. We must begin with the question of who God is and how He is at work in the world, rather than beginning with ourselves, in order to rightly understand our place.

Psalm 136 - His Faithful Love

Psalm 136 - His Faithful Love

A call and response psalm: where the call reminds us of the Story of God at work in His world, and the response is praise. God is a god who has chosen to make a covenant with His people and He will never give up on that promise. His relentless, unfailing, unending love and solidarity with His people leads to salvation and life!

Psalm 90 - God, Our Eternal Home

Psalm 90 - God, Our Eternal Home

Psalm 90, perhaps the only psalm we have from Moses, is a story of coming home. Though Moses lived in many different places, from the palace of Egypt to the mountains to the wilderness of the Exodus, he always found his home in the eternal loving arms of God. When we wander from our home with Him, our days become numbered and we enter into the limits of man. Thank God for His work through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ which brings us back home! Now may we enter not only into our eternal home, but also into the work of Christ.

Psalm 65 - God at Work in His World

Psalm 65 - God at Work in His World

The psalms show us God's people longing to return to the house of God, to His dwelling place. At the start of the world there was an overlap of God's dwelling (heaven) with humanity's (earth) in Eden. This was lost because of mankind's rebellion. The temple for Israel was a picture of this, where God's dwelling would overlap with humanity's. Israel also lost their home and access to the temple because of their own rebellion. Psalm 65 shows us a virtual return to God's house and reminds us that God has not given up on His creation. He is still very much at work in His world, bringing healing and reconciliation to the land and to the people. One day, His home will overlap again with man's.

Psalm 1 - The Two Trees

Psalm 1 - The Two Trees

In the beginning of creation there were two trees at the center of the story holding out a choice to humans: will you trust the Creator to show you what is good and what is not, or will you rebel against Him to try and make yourself king of your own life? Psalm 1 reminds God's people that one of these choices leads to life and the other leads to death. How have the first humans chosen? How have you and I chosen? If we've already gone to the wrong tree, is there any hope to find our way back to the right one?

Psalm 145 - The Truth About God

Psalm 145 - The Truth About God

As we begin our series in the Psalms this summer, we start by looking at four eternal truths about who God is. So far 2020 has been a tumultuous and strange year. These truths about who God is and how He is at work in His world give us anchors during the storm - something to hold onto and to rest in, knowing that no matter what may change in our present circumstance, God is always Good, Great, Glorious, and Gracious.