Wednesday, January 25, 2012
So, I am planning on getting back to writing about David...I really am. But life has not gotten any less busy now that the holidays are over. Home-groups started again last week. We had a party for my sister on Saturday...it was lots of fun. And now David and I are starting to look at houses, cause we are wanting to buy sometime this year. Also this weekend is our 6th anniversary. WOW 6 years!!! They have really flown by. So with all that going on, I am hoping to get back to David (from the bible) soon. Cause it is not February and my two "resolutions"(writing at least 4 times a week, and eating Paleo - just for January) have failed...
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
David - a man after God's own heart
"But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” " (1 Sam 16:7)
When I was 18 and not dating, but wishing I was, I was given a word out of 1 Sam 16. It is the story of David being anointed as King over Israel. It starts with Jesse (David's Father) bringing his 7 older sons before Samuel, and God rejecting each of them. Then they send for David.
"So he (Jesse) sent for him (David) and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” " (1 Sam 16:12)
The gist of the word was that if I did not worry about the outside of a guy: looks, charisma, sense of humor, etc. but waited for God to point out the man that He had chosen for me, then I would get the whole package. I would get not only a man with a heart after God, but the looks and everything else.
Fast-forward a few years to 22, I was engaged, and not happy. Looking back, I knew all along that it was not the right relationship. However, I was desperate to be married, and he was everything that I thought I wanted. The relationship was dying a very slow death, but I could not just let go. One night I was in bed praying, and God reminded me of the word from Samuel. He highlighted the end of verse 12 "Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” " In that second, I knew what God was saying was "when it is the right man, I will speak, I have not spoken this time, it is not right". It was such freeing moment. I was able to end the relationship with peace.
Fast-forward another few years and I meet a guy named David, and he ends up being my "David". He is everything I ever wanted in a husband and more. Before he was born, God told his parents that they would have one son, and that his name would be David, because he would be a man after God's heart. And he is. He is funny, and caring, and handsome, and perfect for me.
David's story starts with promise from God that takes years to fulfill. But God is faithful, and David trusts him, and so he walks in all the blesses of the promise.
The passage will always remind me of God's fulfilled promises in my own life, and it will always remind me to hope and trust for promises that are yet to be.
When I was 18 and not dating, but wishing I was, I was given a word out of 1 Sam 16. It is the story of David being anointed as King over Israel. It starts with Jesse (David's Father) bringing his 7 older sons before Samuel, and God rejecting each of them. Then they send for David.
"So he (Jesse) sent for him (David) and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” " (1 Sam 16:12)
The gist of the word was that if I did not worry about the outside of a guy: looks, charisma, sense of humor, etc. but waited for God to point out the man that He had chosen for me, then I would get the whole package. I would get not only a man with a heart after God, but the looks and everything else.
Fast-forward a few years to 22, I was engaged, and not happy. Looking back, I knew all along that it was not the right relationship. However, I was desperate to be married, and he was everything that I thought I wanted. The relationship was dying a very slow death, but I could not just let go. One night I was in bed praying, and God reminded me of the word from Samuel. He highlighted the end of verse 12 "Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” " In that second, I knew what God was saying was "when it is the right man, I will speak, I have not spoken this time, it is not right". It was such freeing moment. I was able to end the relationship with peace.
Fast-forward another few years and I meet a guy named David, and he ends up being my "David". He is everything I ever wanted in a husband and more. Before he was born, God told his parents that they would have one son, and that his name would be David, because he would be a man after God's heart. And he is. He is funny, and caring, and handsome, and perfect for me.
David's story starts with promise from God that takes years to fulfill. But God is faithful, and David trusts him, and so he walks in all the blesses of the promise.
The passage will always remind me of God's fulfilled promises in my own life, and it will always remind me to hope and trust for promises that are yet to be.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
In the line of Christ
Matthew 1
1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren; 3 and Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begat Hezron; and Hezron begat Ram; 4 and Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon; and Nahshon begat Salmon; 5 and Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 and Jesse begat David the king. And David begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Uriah;
I have always been fascinated by genealogies. I remember the being in maybe 2nd grade and reading thru Matthew's genealogy and Luke's genealogy and seeing that they are different. I spent a lot of time comparing the differences. I asked my uncle, who was our pastor at the time, about the differences. He said that one of the theories is that one of the genealogies was Mary's, and the other one was Joseph's.
A few years later I read thru Matthew again, and what I noticed is that there are four women mentioned. (I have highlighted their names above) This really got my attention. Why these women?? What was it about them that made Matthew feel that they, and their stories were worth calling attention to, and memorializing for all of time? They had to be pretty amazing women. So my mom and I began to look into them...(we started with Tamar, and it led to one of my mom's "wow, being a parent means you have to talk about uncomfortable stuff with your kids" moments...you should ask her about it).
As we started reading Ruth again this month, I began to think about these women again. What stood out to me right away is that both Ruth and Tamar are in the line because of the Levirate Law. In fact at the end of the Ruth, when the Elders bless Boaz they say "The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: [12] And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman." (Ruth 4: 11b-12 emphases mine). As I was praying about the Ruth/Tamar connection I heard the word Mercy. The Levirate law was in place as mercy and protection for the Childless widow, someone who would otherwise have no place to turn. It required the bother-in-law to go above and beyond for his brother’s family.
Another thing that stood out is that three of the four women are foreigners. Tamar was a Canaanite, Rahab was from Jericho, and Ruth was a Moabite.
I have been mulling over these thoughts for weeks. I feel like they are puzzle pieces that are turned the wrong way, and if I can turn them enough times, I will make them fit. And when I do they will make a brand new picture, or at least they will add depth and dimension to the existing picture.
Any thoughts??
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Ruth - an overview...or where I should have started yesterday
First off, here is the link to my mom's first blog on Ruth. Secondly, I know that I should have started with an overview of the book. I then should have narrowed my focus by highlighting characters, starting with the smaller characters and finishing with Boaz. But last year God gave me a word from the book of Ruth, for a friend, about Jesus being her redeemer. And since then, that storyline is what I see most clearly when I look at the book. So I kinda had to write that one first, so I could see everything else.
One things that I saw for the first time as I read the book last week is that the book is a chiasm. My mom gave a good summary of what they are here. I noticed it as I read the introduction. It looks like this:
1. Naomi Emptied (1:1-5)
2. Naomi Returns from Moab (1:6-22)
3. Ruth and Boaz meet in the Harvest Fields (2:1-23)
4. Ruth goes to Boaz at the Threshing Floor (3:1-18)
5. Boaz arranges to marry Ruth (4:1-12)
6. Naomi Filled (4:13-17)
What a nice pattern. I like patterns. What this one showed me is that the story is about Naomi as much as it is about Ruth and Boaz. I love Naomi, she is a rich and complex woman. My daughter's middle name is Naomi, it means pleasant. There is much in Naomi's character that I want to see grow in Lucy. Naomi is wise, and trusting, but she is also sad. Which is understandable, most of what we know of her life is that she faced lots of hardships: a famine that affected her family so greatly that they felt that had to move out of Israel to survive, the early death of her husband, followed by the death of both of her sons. When she returns home and meets with the women of Bethlehem, she tells them to call her Mara, which means bitter. But I don't think that she was bitter in her heart, I think she was saying that her life had been bitter.
What I see in Naomi, under the sadness, is a trust in God's sovereignty. At every turn, bad or good, she looks to God as the source of the event. (1:13b, 1:20-21, 2:20, 4:14)
That is what I want for Lucy, why I chose her name. I want her to know that God is in the middle of every event in her life, good and bad, easy and hard. That He is always turning things to Good. That we must trust Him to take our bad decisions (moving to Moab), our hopeless situations (being a childless widow), and even random choices (the field that Ruth picked to work the first day), and use them not only for our benefit, (Ruth as a daughter and Obed a grandson to continue her husbands line) but also for His greater plan, (David and ultimately Jesus come from her family). That in the end she could say like David "The Lord is portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me." Ps 16: 5-6 (emphasis mine)
One things that I saw for the first time as I read the book last week is that the book is a chiasm. My mom gave a good summary of what they are here. I noticed it as I read the introduction. It looks like this:
1. Naomi Emptied (1:1-5)
2. Naomi Returns from Moab (1:6-22)
3. Ruth and Boaz meet in the Harvest Fields (2:1-23)
4. Ruth goes to Boaz at the Threshing Floor (3:1-18)
5. Boaz arranges to marry Ruth (4:1-12)
6. Naomi Filled (4:13-17)
What a nice pattern. I like patterns. What this one showed me is that the story is about Naomi as much as it is about Ruth and Boaz. I love Naomi, she is a rich and complex woman. My daughter's middle name is Naomi, it means pleasant. There is much in Naomi's character that I want to see grow in Lucy. Naomi is wise, and trusting, but she is also sad. Which is understandable, most of what we know of her life is that she faced lots of hardships: a famine that affected her family so greatly that they felt that had to move out of Israel to survive, the early death of her husband, followed by the death of both of her sons. When she returns home and meets with the women of Bethlehem, she tells them to call her Mara, which means bitter. But I don't think that she was bitter in her heart, I think she was saying that her life had been bitter.
What I see in Naomi, under the sadness, is a trust in God's sovereignty. At every turn, bad or good, she looks to God as the source of the event. (1:13b, 1:20-21, 2:20, 4:14)
That is what I want for Lucy, why I chose her name. I want her to know that God is in the middle of every event in her life, good and bad, easy and hard. That He is always turning things to Good. That we must trust Him to take our bad decisions (moving to Moab), our hopeless situations (being a childless widow), and even random choices (the field that Ruth picked to work the first day), and use them not only for our benefit, (Ruth as a daughter and Obed a grandson to continue her husbands line) but also for His greater plan, (David and ultimately Jesus come from her family). That in the end she could say like David "The Lord is portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me." Ps 16: 5-6 (emphasis mine)
Monday, January 2, 2012
The kinsman-redeemer
We met Boaz in Chapter 2 of Ruth. He owns the fields that Ruth is gleaning in. Some of his character traits are stated clearly in the text. We know that he was older than Ruth, because in Chapter 3 he thanks her for not running after a younger man. We can tell that he was wealthy, he OWNED the fields that Ruth was working in, and he had lots of servants. He seems to have had a place at the city gates with the other elders, because in Chapter 4 he goes and sits at the gates with them while he waits to conduct his business with the other relative. So he was wise and well respected in the community. We can also tell the he was not only kind, but thoughtful as well. He offers Ruth a place with his maid-servants, and instructs that no one give her a hard time. That is kindness. He also offers her lunch, knowing that if she and Naomi had just come into town, and she was there gleaning, Ruth could not have had much food available to her. He gives her more than enough grain, so she can take some home to Naomi. That is thoughtfulness.
I think that he must have known Elimelech and Naomi when they were younger. Were they cousins...2nd cousins? Bethlehem was not a big place, I am sure that everyone knew everyone. Did Boaz and Elimelech play together as boys? Did their families celebrate holidays together? Was he at Elimelech and Naomi's wedding? Did Boaz rejoice with Elimelech when he had two sons? What did he think when Elimelech decided to move to Moab? I wonder if he tried to talk him out of it. I think that his heart must have broken when he heard that Naomi had come home a widow, with her son's widow by her side. I think that is why he is so struck by Ruth and her care for Naomi, and I think that is why he goes above and beyond for her on that first day. He is remembering he cousin and friend, and doing for Ruth what he could not do for Elimelech.
In Chapter 3, when Ruth comes to the threshing floor, he is clearly honored and maybe a bit surprised by her request that he act as kinsman-redeemer and marry her:
10 And he said, Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter: thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
(Ruth 3:10 - American Standard Version)
He agrees to marry her, and redeem Elimelech's inheritance, but only on the condition that the nearer relative does not want to. I wonder if Boaz knew what this other cousin was going to say before he asked him. He seems to have because when he first presents the deal Boaz does not mention Ruth, only that Naomi is selling a piece of land. It is only when the cousin says that he is interested in redeeming the land does Boaz tell him that condition is that he marry Ruth. At this point the cousin says that he can't do it, he is already married, and he does not want to risk messing up his own inheritance, so he tells Boaz to go ahead and redeem the land. I was reading some commentaries today, and one was talking about this point of the 2nd relative being married and not wanting to go forward with the deal because of the risk to what he already had. It made me wonder, why was Boaz not married? Was he a widower? It seems unlikely that he would have never married, but I suppose that is possible as well. Whatever the case, Ruth was God's provision and grace to Boaz, as much as he was to her. She is young and strong, full of compassion and determination, and she brings him financial gain as well.
The story ends with Boaz and Ruth having a son, Obed. We are then told that Obed is the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David...so Boaz and Ruth are in the line of Christ. (Matt 1:5)
What we see in Boaz is a foreshadowing of Christ the true Kinsman-Redeemer, the one who identifies with us in our time of need, and acts our behalf to be our salvation.
I think that he must have known Elimelech and Naomi when they were younger. Were they cousins...2nd cousins? Bethlehem was not a big place, I am sure that everyone knew everyone. Did Boaz and Elimelech play together as boys? Did their families celebrate holidays together? Was he at Elimelech and Naomi's wedding? Did Boaz rejoice with Elimelech when he had two sons? What did he think when Elimelech decided to move to Moab? I wonder if he tried to talk him out of it. I think that his heart must have broken when he heard that Naomi had come home a widow, with her son's widow by her side. I think that is why he is so struck by Ruth and her care for Naomi, and I think that is why he goes above and beyond for her on that first day. He is remembering he cousin and friend, and doing for Ruth what he could not do for Elimelech.
In Chapter 3, when Ruth comes to the threshing floor, he is clearly honored and maybe a bit surprised by her request that he act as kinsman-redeemer and marry her:
10 And he said, Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter: thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
(Ruth 3:10 - American Standard Version)
He agrees to marry her, and redeem Elimelech's inheritance, but only on the condition that the nearer relative does not want to. I wonder if Boaz knew what this other cousin was going to say before he asked him. He seems to have because when he first presents the deal Boaz does not mention Ruth, only that Naomi is selling a piece of land. It is only when the cousin says that he is interested in redeeming the land does Boaz tell him that condition is that he marry Ruth. At this point the cousin says that he can't do it, he is already married, and he does not want to risk messing up his own inheritance, so he tells Boaz to go ahead and redeem the land. I was reading some commentaries today, and one was talking about this point of the 2nd relative being married and not wanting to go forward with the deal because of the risk to what he already had. It made me wonder, why was Boaz not married? Was he a widower? It seems unlikely that he would have never married, but I suppose that is possible as well. Whatever the case, Ruth was God's provision and grace to Boaz, as much as he was to her. She is young and strong, full of compassion and determination, and she brings him financial gain as well.
The story ends with Boaz and Ruth having a son, Obed. We are then told that Obed is the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David...so Boaz and Ruth are in the line of Christ. (Matt 1:5)
What we see in Boaz is a foreshadowing of Christ the true Kinsman-Redeemer, the one who identifies with us in our time of need, and acts our behalf to be our salvation.
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