Category: Biblical Wisdom

Sometimes the answers we seek to life’s troubles are in the Bible. Can I make a difference? Does God care? Am I good enough?Yes!

Appreciating the Bare Spots

Posted on by Wendy
This leafless limb always annoyed me when I looked out my window.
This leafless limb always annoyed me when I looked out my window.

There is a limb on an oak tree, outside my bathroom window, with no leaves on it. It annoys me every time I look out at the trees. It’s surrounded by limbs full of lush green leaves. Instead of appreciating all of the beautiful foliage that surrounds it, my eyes always seem to go directly to that bare spot. I wonder why it has to be there. It’s too high for my hubby to cut. Why can’t it just fall on its own?

My life can be like that too, I suppose. Everything can be going great. Everyone is healthy and relatively happy. (I do have teenagers!) Life can be overall really good, but there can be one small bare spot among all of the goodness and I can find myself focusing on that.

Perhaps you have experienced that too? Maybe everything is going great, but you hate your car. Maybe you have a great job, but you really dislike your boss or one of your co-workers. Maybe there’s a particular person in a club, group, or class that you are involved with, who aggravates you to no end. Maybe you have a job that pays very well, but offers you no satisfaction. The list is endless of the little things that we allow to consume our thoughts.

We can become so focused on the bare spots in our lives hat we start to miss all of the good things. We begin to forget all of the abundant blessings that we do have. Sometimes, there’s a good reason for those bare spots.

Look what I saw perched on that bare, unappealing limb.
Look what I saw perched on that bare, unappealing limb.

As I was gazing out the window this weekend, guess what I spied sitting on that leafless branch? Yes, that’s a hummingbird. I had to look closely to see it, but there it was. As I continued to watch, it flew away and returned over and over and its mate did as well.

So, all of this time that I had cursed this bare limb, it was providing perfect refuge for a tiny hummingbird. It couldn’t have provided rest for a hawk or an owl; they are too big and it would likely break under their weight, but it seemed to have been tailor- made for the hummingbird.

This got me to thinking about the bare spots in my life. What if there’s a reason that some things don’t go as perfectly as I plan in my own mind? What if God is using those spots that I see as bare, to create something else entirely? What if I were to learn to give thanks in all circumstances and know that God is always at work, and then intentionally focus on the abundance and all of the good?

Hey, there are two Bible verses there. “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

Hmmm, I may be onto something here. What do you think about appreciating the bare spots or at least not focusing on them? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

If the Mona Lisa was a Book…

Posted on by Wendy
Every August, we start a new year with a fresh crop of sixth graders.
Every August, we start a new school year with a fresh crop of sixth graders.

My hubby and I teach a middle school Sunday School class during the school year. We take a break for the summer to rest and rejuvenate and reconnect with our adult class. It’s always fun, but I also look forward to getting back to the kids, which is kind of  a miracle in itself.

I said for years I’d be willing to work with any group of kids except for middle-schoolers, only to find that God has really given me a heart to work with this age group. I suppose simply living produces a learning all on its own.

We have a fairly large crop of new kids this year, ones who have just entered the sixth grade. Our class is usually very different from what they have been involved in before. We all sit in a circle and everyone has to talk. They only balk on that the first couple of Sundays and then they are totally into it. Kids this age really love to talk about themselves.

We ask them to bring their Bibles every Sunday and give them a Jolly Rancher when they do. They catch onto that pretty quickly too. We have them look up verses and read, no iPhones allowed, and then we try to relate it to their lives. We feel that the key to a desire to learn about God’s word is to make them understand that it has relevance to their lives. Isn’t that they key for everyone?

I think that the Bible is like the Mona Lisa. Her eyes are supposed to follow you wherever you are in the room. The Bible speaks to you wherever you are in your life.

We always like to start with the story of  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, found in the Book of Daniel. Most of them are familiar with the story because of their miraculous rescue from the fiery furnace, but when we have them actually read it, we are able to point out similarities to their lives.

First of all, we point out that the three friends and Daniel, were taken as captives to Babylon. The culture was completely different. They ate different foods and drank a lot of alcohol. They worshiped different gods. At this point we ask them how different middle school is from their elementary school environment. This is where many of the eighth graders will chime in about all of the foul language. Peer pressure inevitably comes up and they all have something to add.

As we read further, we find that these friends stood together and refused to eat the foreign food and drank just water and remained incredibly healthy. They didn’t try to fit in by doing things they knew were wrong. Then they refused to bow down to a golden statue even though not doing so would result in them being thrown into the fiery furnace.

They stuck together and they prayed together and God delivered them. Then we talk to them about their friends and choices of friends. Is peer pressure always bad?  What happens when friends pray for each other and when they stick together and refuse to bow down to whatever may be going on in middle school? What would have happened if one of them caved and gave into the pressure to go against God?

They usually leave intrigued by the notion that the Bible is relevant in their young lives and I too, always leave a little amazed by God’s ability to speak to all of us wherever we are on the age spectrum or faith spectrum.

If you haven’t read the about Daniel and his three friends in awhile, check it out. It really is some amazing stuff. It may surprise you on how it relates to you on your walk at this very moment.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

First Fruits

Posted on by Wendy
The Bible tells us to give God our first fruits.
The Bible tells us to give God our first fruits.

My hubby and I were discussing our church’s financial issues recently, along with the idea of tithing. The idea of ten percent comes from the Old Testament in Leviticus and Numbers and has to do with taking care of the priests. In the New Testament, not surprisingly, Jesus tells them to give generously to all who are in need.

I love this about Jesus. He wasn’t bound by a mere number. He liked to raise the bar on the human heart. He wasn’t nearly as interested in the legalistic as he was in matters of the heart. He was more impressed by the poor widow who only had two coins to drop in the offering plate, than the rich man who gave the prescribed amount.

Our conversation turned away from actual money, but to physical and spiritual tithing. How much of our actual time do we give to the church? Is it even close to ten percent? How about spiritually? How much time each day do we spend in prayer or Bible study? How much time do we spend growing our faith? Is it at the top of the list everyday or do we fall into bed at the end of the day and say a quick bedtime prayer as we fall asleep?

God’s feelings about our gifts to Him are made clear in the Cain and Abel story. He accepted Abel’s sacrifice because it was the best of what he had grown, the first fruits. Cain only brought, “some” of what he had, not his best. I wonder if we are doing much better than Cain? Are we giving God our first thoughts and steps of the day? Does our service to our church community find itself first on our to do list, or do we wait sometime til Saturday night to even think about church? Do we go an entire week without talking to God?

I was reading in a recent Bible study where Paul was fussing at the Hebrews. “You have been believers so long now, that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.” Hebrews 5:12

Has our modern society with limitless amounts of information at our fingertips, really decided that we simply can’t understand the Bible, so we wait until Sunday mornings and limit our learning to one hour? I feel like that probably does not qualify as first fruits.

The more I learn about the Christians being persecuted in Iran and Iraq, the more I feel like we need to get back to giving God our first fruits. The world is in turmoil. I think that we not only need to pray; we need to read God’s Book and get really grounded in what we believe. We need to give our time as much as our money to causes close to the heart of Jesus. The church definitely qualifies.

I heard Joyce Meyer say one time, “As a Christian, when you get up in the morning and your feet hit the floor, hell should shake with fear.” We have been given that kind of power. What we do with it, is up to us.

What’s your take on physical and spiritual tithing? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

We Only Have to Do What We are Called to Do

Posted on by Wendy
This bee never questions its calling. It simply works hard at pollinating.
This bee never questions its calling. It simply works hard at pollinating.

I have had so many wonderful conversations with God this summer while tending my garden. One of them was the fact that in a garden there are many insects. They are all different, but they all have an important job. This little bee was very busy pollinating my squash blooms. It doesn’t seem like much, yet I would have no squash without the bee. I watched that bee for a little while and it went from bloom to bloom. It never seemed to tire and it never stopped to question its existence.

This ladybug is always at work too. She rids my tender plants of pests that will harm them.
This ladybug is always at work too. She rids my tender plants of pests that will harm them.

I photographed this ladybug on my okra plants. Ladybugs are good insects that eat the bad ones who would harm my plants and keep them from producing. The ladybug flies from plant to plant eating the bad bugs. She’s like a little super hero. God even provided her with an awesome little red and black uniform.

This spider moves to wherever the pests are.
This spider moves to wherever the pests are.

Then there is the garden spider. I confess that I am a reformed spider hater. They have always creeped me out. But, when this one appeared, I knew she had a reason to be there, so I left her undisturbed, even when she was blocking a tomato that was ready to be picked. But, I learned something about spiders this summer, they move their webs to where the bugs are. If I had a tomato or a squash with a hole in it that had drawn bugs to it, the spider would be close by. She moved around to get her job done, kind of like the ladybug. She still kind of scares me and I always look for her before I pick anything, but she has a job to do and she’s getting it done.

My hubby and I used to watch the news every morning on a television in our kitchen. When our cable provider decided that every television in the house would require a box to work, we had to get rid of the kitchen television. We switched to music and its been fun and freeing. However, we have been completely out of the world news loop.

We have known that Israel has been under attack and we have been praying for the safety of the people in the Jewish country. We haven’t known the details, but we know in our hearts that Israel will always be under attack until Jesus comes back.

I have just learned some of the horrific details of the Christians under attack in Iraq and I have been moved to tears. I have been praying for their safety and for world intervention. Then there’s the Ebola virus that is sweeping through Africa. I spent the entire day yesterday questioning the purpose of the simple words that I share here about my truthfully, bountiful life and God’s presence in it. I felt guilty for living in complete safety with abundance. Shouldn’t I be doing more?

I prayed a lot about it and this morning, God brought me back to my garden pictures. All of the little insects are doing what they are called to do. I haven’t been called to Africa to fight Ebola or to the foreign mission field. I haven’t been called to physically render aid to our persecuted brothers and sisters in Iraq and Israel fighting for their lives. For the moment, I have been called to write about God’s existence in the world around me and to share it with others.

Just by doing what I am called to do, makes me a success in God’s eyes. If I can make just one person seek more of God in their lives, I feel successful in my own eyes. Your calling is different than mine. No two will be exactly alike. No one knows why God calls us to do different things, but faith leads to obedience and that’s truly all He asks of us.

We are all important pieces of God’s plan, in His eyes. Feeling insignificant doesn’t come from Him. So, I will do on this day what I am called to do and share with you. What are you called to do? Let’s get to it!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Your Testimony

Posted on by Wendy
We sometimes forget how beautiful and freeing grace can be.
We sometimes forget how beautiful and freeing grace can be.

I have a dear friend who has spent the past year and a half, wrestling with God. She was raised Catholic, but had lapsed for the most part. Her son, had friends who invited him to the Baptist church. He really loved it and kept telling her how much he was learning about the Bible. She decided to attend.

She also loved it, but had no intention of joining. Jesus had a different plan and repeatedly put on her heart that she needed to join. The thing was that they wouldn’t accept her Catholic baptism. They wanted her to profess her faith as an adult and be dunked. She wrestled with Jesus for a long time about it.

She told me that he kept telling her that she needed to be baptized. I told her if that was the case, she better get baptized. I asked her if it ever occurred to her, that if she would be obedient, that she could stop wrestling. She smiled and shook her head.

She and her son were both baptized last Sunday. She asked me if I knew what all joining the church entailed. I told her she had been baptized. Now, she and her son would simply stand in front of the congregation and publicly say they wanted to join. Then she asked me about her testimony. She said that word kept coming up and wasn’t really sure what it meant.

I told her that it’s simply your story. How exactly did you find your way to Jesus? What sorts of detours did you take along the way?

She considers her past quite checkered and has had a lot of regrets. When we have talked about it before, I reminded her that there are no degrees of sin. It’s all the same in God’s eyes and it’s all bad. Her sins are no worse than anyone else’s. That kind of thought comes from Satan, not Jesus.

But, that day, after her baptism, when we were talking about the concept of testimony, her story had changed. She said she was happy to share her past if it would help others. Then she intently looked at me and said, “I mean, I have no reason to be ashamed, right?”

I can’t tell you the joy I felt at her words. She really had, “gotten it.” She truly understood and embraced grace. I told her, “no.” She had no reason to be ashamed. Jesus had washed all of the past away. She was forgiven and loved.

That’s the beautiful freeing power of grace. So many of us lifelong Christians forget the freedom that comes from knowing Jesus. We are forgiven. We are loved. Jesus doesn’t care about our baggage. We have work to do.

And as far as your testimony, she nailed it. If you can help somebody on their faith journey with it, by all means share, but that should be the only reason you feel the need to bring up your past mistakes. Jesus has moved on and we should too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Tossing Out the Bad

Posted on by Wendy
I discovered this squash on my daily garden check. It had to be thrown in the trash.
I discovered this squash on my daily garden check. It had to be thrown in the trash.

I check on my little garden everyday. There are usually a few tomatoes and okra to be harvested and sometimes some squash. Yesterday, I discovered this unfortunate squash. Something had burrowed into it and it was rotting rather quickly. I hate to throw out something that I have taken the time to nurture and grow.

But, if I leave something rotting, hanging on the vine next to healthy fruit and vegetables, it will draw more pests, putting my entire little crop in danger. That little squash stayed in my thoughts and made me think about how our lives can have similar issues.

We can be cruising along, minding our own business, when something unexpected happens to us. A person or a situation can make us angry,  hurt our feelings or make us jealous. Often, these feelings are fleeting and only upset us for a very short time. But, sometimes, we allow these feelings to take root in our hearts.

When we allow things like anger, jealousy and hurt feelings to take root, they begin to take on a life of their own. They grow and get bigger. They fester. They begin to poison the good things in our lives. Feelings of contentment, thankfulness and forgiveness begin to take a backseat, while the negativity continues to grow.

As we focus on the negative, we attract more pests, and all of the good gets overshadowed by the bad. There is no room for the Holy Spirit within all of that negativity because we shut down and can no longer hear him. There is no room for things like love, joy and peace which are the Spirit’s fruits.

We can allow that one slight, whether big or small,  to take over our entire being. The good news is that we can take precautions.

The good news is we have a guide-book to help us navigate life’s sometimes bumpy, roads. The Bible has a ton of advice on dealing with life’s curve balls. Philippians 4:8 says, “And now dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

I have always loved that verse. It helps to remind us to focus on the good, not the bad.

Psalm 37:8 says, “Stop being angry! Turn from your rage. Do not lose your temper- it only leads to harm.”

We are told here that we do have a choice whether to turn towards or away from anger.

Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us, “And, don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.”

Here again, we have a choice about how we deal with our emotions. Sure, we are going to get angry and we will likely get our feelings hurt from time to time, if we choose to live among other humans. We may find ourselves with some jealousy over someone else’s accomplishments. These are normal feelings, but they are only feelings. When we acknowledge them honestly in prayer, we can activate the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives and toss them in the trash where they belong, like that little squash.

Then, we can live in peace with joy. I think that is something worth striving for. What about you?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Seeing Past the Messy

Posted on by Wendy
These tomatoes had some dirt on them from the garden, but God made dirt!
These tomatoes had some dirt on them from the garden, but God made dirt!

I was piddling in the garden this morning and I picked some tomatoes and a couple of pieces of okra and knocked on the kitchen door and handed them to my son. I asked him to put them on the counter. As he took them he replied, “But, they are dirty.”

I chuckled as I answered, “Of course, they are dirty; they came from the dirt.”

He shook his head and did as he was asked.

As I returned to the backyard, I pondered our brief encounter. We are programmed from a very young age that dirt and mess are not good. We then turn around and pass that same mentality to our kids.

But, when you really think about it, some of the things that produce the biggest mess, bring us the greatest joy. I have delighted in growing my own vegetables. I feel the presence of God when I watch a bud turn into a flower and then into an actual edible vegetable. It’s dirty though. I have to keep a pair of shoes by the door or I will track dirt in from the outside. The veggies often have dirt on them. There are bugs too, good and bad.

But, frying okra that I grew myself? It’s an amazing feeling.

Pets are another example of the constantly messy, but totally worth it. Our dogs have to be bathed and brushed. They shed constantly and the house has to be vacuumed several times a week and there are still hairballs. But, there’s nothing like waking up in the morning to a wagging tail or coming home to these amazing creatures that seem to think I am the greatest human being ever made. What a gift!

Is the mess worth it? Oh, yes!

The media has programmed us to believe that our houses should look like the ones on television or in magazines, perfection. We can also be lead to believe that our relationships should look that way too. But, relationships, like the garden, are messy. People are messy.

When we really allow ourselves to love another human being, it’s messy. There are times when our feelings will get hurt. There are times when we no longer “feel the love.” That is where faith comes in.

If some of my tomatoes get worms, I don’t dig up the entire plant. I simply remove the injured fruit and search for the worms. Those suckers are good at hiding too.

When my dog has some type of accident on the floor, I clean it up. Yes, it’s disgusting. Yes, I may fuss at him. But, I’m certainly not going to take him to the pound and be done with him.

Human relationships are messy. There’s no way around it. It’s true that getting your feelings hurt and your heart broken is painful. But, is loving each other worth it? You bet. So much so, that it made the red-letter words in the Bible.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jesus  (John 13:34-35)

I don’t think I can top that.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Lessons from the Church Parking Lot

Posted on by Wendy
While giving driving lessons in the parking lot, I contemplated the lessons we can learn inside the church.
While giving driving lessons in the parking lot, I contemplated the lessons we can learn inside the church.

My hubby and I recently took our fifteen-year-old daughter to our church parking lot to let her drive her car. She had only been behind the wheel one other time and it was time to get her learner’s permit. Before we let her get on the open highway, we thought it might be a good idea to get in a little practice.

There wasn’t a soul there, so she was free to learn how much pressure to put on the gas and brakes without giving us all whiplash. She got a little practice in going in reverse and using the blinkers. She parked it in one of the many empty spaces. Then she started driving around the church, I pointed out the lines on the pavement and told her she was supposed to keep the car between the lines. With a little practice, she was able to. (Thankfully!)

My hubby commented that people come to our church all of the time to do the same thing. I told him that one of her friends had practiced there too. He said that he often saw people on Fridays, when he cuts grass there, pulling into the parking lot, looking around and changing drivers. They are looking for a good safe place to practice.

The thought occurred to me how going inside the church provides us with safety as well. When we are traveling on our life’s journey, we need a lot of instruction and practice. We need a guide-book. God has provided us with one. The Bible has all kinds of answers and wisdom to deal with life’s crossroads. Attending church can help us decipher it.

We also need the instructions from more experienced Christians. I wouldn’t let a sixteen-year-old teach my fifteen-year-old how to drive. She needs someone with more experience. Church offers the unique opportunity to be around other Christians in various stages of their faith walk. All can offer valid encouragement and advice, but those who have been on the journey the longest, are those who I seek when I really need wisdom.

The church community can also help us to keep it between the lines. Life can get tricky and we can find ourselves in areas of gray. As you know, crossing the lines on the road can be dangerous or even deadly. The lines on our life’s journey can be the same. When we have good friends within our church community, we can counsel each other when the lines get blurred. The Bible tells us, “He who walks with the wise, grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Proverbs 13:20

Sometimes we can find ourselves out in the parking lot. We may be hesitant to go in for a million reasons ranging from something in our past to fear of being embarrassed or judged. We need to remember that what goes on inside the church is soothing balm to weary souls, no matter what your story is. Let’s get out of the parking lot and into the church and be sure to drag any stragglers along too.

It’s cool and comforting on the inside and God is waiting with open arms, just thrilled that you stopped by.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Letting Kids Decide

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes, we can forget that our spiritual safety is just as important as the physical.
Sometimes, we can forget that our spiritual safety is just as important as the physical.

In a recent Sunday school class discussion, someone commented that they knew someone who was going to let their kids decide at age twelve, if they were going to continue to attend church.

I was floored. I immediately asked those who were in attendance to raise their hands if their parents took them to church as kids. Everyone in the room raised their hand. I then asked if it was something that they wanted to do or had a choice in, everyone once again agreed. They had no choice and didn’t enjoy it. Yet, here they were as adults, in their thirties and forties, with children of their own, attending church.

Hmmm, I think I recall a Bible verse about that in Proverbs. “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6

A twelve-year-old child is in 6th or 7th grade. Would we allow that child to stop eating vegetables if they chose to? Would we allow that child to stop doing their homework if they chose to? Would we allow that child to start staying out all night and drinking with friends? Would we allow that child to start experimenting with drugs?

These are ridiculous questions. The answer to all of them is a resounding, “no.” But, these questions deal with the physical body. What about the spiritual?

An AP poll in 2011 reported that 77% of Americans believe in angels and 88% of Christians believe in angels. If we believe in angels, then we have to believe in an unseen spiritual realm. We also have to believe that there are evil forces in that unseen realm as well.

The Bible is very clear about this in Ephesians 6:12. Paul tells us that we are “not fighting against flesh- and- blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world , and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” He then goes on to discuss the Armor of God.

So the question becomes, would we send a twelve-year-old into a spiritual battle without the backing of the Armor of God? Do we believe that a child’s soul is any less important than his physical body? As Christians, there can only be one answer to that question. The answer has to be, “no.”

I have never met a parent who regrets taking their children to church. I have met many who regret not taking their children to church. The kids may whine and complain about having to attend, but they whine and complain about eating vegetables, doing their homework and attending school, too. Some things just aren’t a choice when you are growing up. They are a necessity and the adults know best.

That’s how God set it up. What do you think about letting children decide whether to attend church or not? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

When All Seems Lost…

Posted on by Wendy
The book of Ruth is a beautiful story of God's ability to make lemons into lemonade.
The book of Ruth is a beautiful story of God’s ability to make lemons into lemonade.

I have always loved how ugly caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies and I’ve always loved the expression, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” It’s kind of been my life’s motto.

I recently followed along with a Bible study on the book of Ruth on the website, #Shereadstruth. Ruth is a short, easy read. I had read it before, but this study pointed out things I hadn’t thought of. If you are a “happily ever after,” fan, this is the book for you. It’s a story of tragedy and of redemption. It’s a love story. It’s a story of God’s ability to take any mess and make it beautiful. It’s a story of hope.

The gist of it is a husband and wife move to a foreign land with their two sons to escape famine. While there, the husband and both sons die leaving the wife, Naomi, alone with here two daughters-in-law. Naomi has nothing left and women couldn’t just go out and get jobs in those days, so she decided to return to home to Bethlehem. Remember who was born there?

She encouraged her daughters-in-law to return home to their fathers. Both objected, but one agreed. The other, Ruth, refused to leave Naomi’s side. Ruth tells her, “Your people will be my people and your God, my God.” This profession of faith would seal Ruth’s fate in the end, as well as Naomi’s.

When they arrive in town, the people are happy to see Naomi. However, Naomi is filled with grief. She has even changed her name to Mara because it means the Lord has made her life bitter. She is still a believer in God, but she believes her life is over. At this point, the writer in the study said, “Don’t put a period where God has put a comma.”

I never really thought about it that way. I have always focused on Ruth in this story and her obedience to Naomi, but Naomi was the one who was most hurt, and God provided for her too. First, he gave her a wonderful daughter-in-law, who became her daughter in every sense. Ruth stood by Naomi and she loved her. She followed all of Naomi’s instructions. She fed her everyday after she was able to gather grain.

The field that Ruth just happened to end up in was a close relative of Naomi’s, named Boaz. (Yeah, right, there are no coincidences where God is concerned. He was working on this story from the very beginning.) Boaz was very kind to her; also God at work. Finally, when Ruth let it be known that she was interested in marrying him, he went through all of the proper channels and made it happen.

The women were saved. Ruth and Boaz married and had a son. The Bible says that Naomi laid him in her lap and cared for him. Have you ever experienced the joy of holding a newborn? The women of the town praised Naomi and she realized God had indeed provided. He didn’t replace what had been lost, but He provided something new and just as special.

And the baby? His name was Obed. He would have a son named Jesse and Jesse would have a son named David. Yes, that David, the one who slayed Goliath and united a kingdom. Isn’t God amazing?

He was at work in this story and He is at work in yours, even when you can’t see it. Have you ever had a time when you thought all was lost, but are able to now look back and realize God was at work?  I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂