Author: Rebekah Hargraves

Fruitful Day 8 Kind Beauty

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Galatians 5:22-23
Galatians 5:16-18
Romans 2:1-5
Hosea 2:14-20

Fruitful, Day 8

I have become incredibly passionate about proclaiming – and living out in my own life! – the vital importance of walking by the Spirit’s power to experience victorious Christian living.

Still, so often we forget to surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leadership when we seek to grow in Christlikeness and sanctification. We have the mistaken idea that the fruit of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23), will somehow be cultivated in us and lived out when we strive for it.
This is impossible!

When we pay attention to context, and back up to verse 16, Paul shows us exactly how these fruits will grow in our lives, “I say, then, walk by the Spirit, and you will certainly not carry out the desires of the flesh.” Walking by His Spirit is to closely abide in relationship with Him through studying His Word, prayer, and living in biblical community. As we surrender to Him, He cultivates His fruit within us, and we begin living it out.
Here’s the key: the Holy Spirit.
Apart from His work in our lives, we can produce no good fruit.

So far, we’ve studied Love, Joy, Peace, and Patience in our Journey Theme.
Today, we’re studying Kindness.
What a beautiful realization to know that if kindness is a fruit of the Spirit,
then it’s proof our God is kind.
Kindness characterizes His Spirit.

Isn’t that encouraging?
We do not serve a harsh, unfeeling, mean, rude, uncaring God.
We serve a kind One.

One of my favorite passages revealing His kindness also comes from the pen of Preacher Paul in his letter to the Romans.
“Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)

I love this beautiful passage because it so clearly shows us the loving, compassionate, caring, tender kindness of God. He doesn’t beat us over the head with our sin, as if cruelty and condemnation would somehow spur us to repentance. Instead, He showers upon us His kindness, He shows us His long-lasting forbearance and patience as His tender love draws us to Him.

We see this so clearly throughout the Old Testament.
Again and again, we read of the Israelites, God’s chosen people, forsaking Him and turning to do their own thing instead. Yet repeatedly, the Lord reaches out to them, sends prophets to tell of His love, rescues them, and reveals Himself to be incredibly compassionate and patient. His love for them never ends, therefore He is kind and forgiving as He seeks to woo them back. (Hosea 2:14-20)

I have experienced this kindness of God myself when His Spirit gently and lovingly convicts me of sin, inspires repentance in my heart, then compassionately clarifies to me all is well between us and has been forgiven. Then, this fruit of kindness begins flowing outward to touch other’s lives with the kindness of God as He draws them ever closer to Him.
What a beautiful thing! 

This is one reason biblical community and church fellowship are emphasized throughout Scripture. We need each other, and we need each other’s kindness flowing from the Spirit within us. I have experienced this kindness firsthand from God’s people in countless ways, including phone calls and texts to check on me, meals delivered after I’ve had a baby, birthday and book launch parties thrown for me, prayers when I’m going through a hard season, a meal train set up in preparation for my husband’s upcoming deployment, offers to mow my yard and tend to other things around our home while my husband is away, babysitting my children so I can have some moments to myself, impromptu money showing up in my PayPal account with a note saying, “Go get yourself some coffee,” and more.

Each time I have been shown the kindness of God through the actions of His people, it has comforted my heart, brought me joy, and drawn me ever closer to the God Who inspired these Christian sisters of mine to bless me.

Never underestimate, dear reader, the impact of your Spirit-led kindness on others! It is no small thing to live out the fruit of the Spirit known as kindness.
It changes lives, friends.
It has changed mine.

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If Day 15 End Of Evil

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 8:22-23
Genesis 3:15-19
Ephesians 2:4-5
Romans 6:17-18
Revelation 21:3-4

If, Day 15

It’s been a hard eighteen months, hasn’t it? A pandemic (and accompanying struggles), social unrest, tragic loss of life, a divisive election cycle, personal attacks and online debates, and the list continues. Right about now, I think we can all relate to Paul’s words in Romans 8:22-23,

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in labor pains until now. Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits– we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.”

Something within each of us longs for peace and a perfect world. We long for justice, righteousness, and love to prevail. Whatever our background, personal theology, faith, or lack thereof, this desire reveals the truth of the Bible when it cries that the broken world in which we live – fraught with so much sin and heartache – isn’t the way it was supposed to be. And – praise the Lord! – one day it won’t be like this any longer.

The first two chapters of the Bible are so beautiful. They present a perfect world just as God designed it to operate; a world without sin, heartache, trial, loss, suffering, or sadness of any kind. But by the third chapter, perfection is lost when sin enters the story, and all manner of brokenness quickly ensues. In fact, read one chapter beyond that, and murder takes place!

In Genesis 3:16-19, God lays out the initial consequences faced by men and women as a result of their sin (toil, increased pain in childbirth, etc.). But humankind’s spiritual condition as a result of the fall is far more grave. From the moment of the first sin, throughout all of history, humanity as a whole are “dead in our trespasses” (Ephesians 2:5) and “slaves of sin” (Romans 6:17). We are leading lives we were never meant to live, suffocating in a brokenness for which we were not designed, and so we groan.

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis illustrated this truth well when he asserted, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”

We were made for another world, and another world is precisely what is offered to us! All human efforts throughout history to construct utopian societies, to return to the Garden, to reach perfection, tranquility, or peace on our own, have failed.
Imperfect humans simply cannot create perfection.

But God, in His grace and mercy, constructed a plan that has never, and will never, fail. His plan was one He promised way back in the Garden of Eden, when sin first entered the world! Revealing His great love for His people, even in the midst of their sin, He says in Genesis 3:15, “I will put hostility between you [Satan] and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. [Jesus] will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The entire rest of the Bible unfolds God’s grand plan to restore the world to what He originally intended, an obliteration of sin and a restoration to righteousness in Christ, a destruction of heartache and pain and a return to peace in the Lord.

This plan looked like God sending His Son, Jesus, to be the sacrifice for our sins so we might take on His righteousness as our own and be granted eternal life in Him forever. What glorious news!

Romans 6:17-18 says, “But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.” This is the promised change we undergo when we “confess with [our] mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in [our] heart[s] that God raised him from the dead.” (Romans 10:9)

Just as the first two chapters of the Bible are beautiful in their perfection and peace, the final two chapters of the Bible are just as beautiful (if not more so!) as we see the promised perfection and peace we anticipate! May you embrace these words from Revelation 21:3-4, and may they bring you hope and peace!

“Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.”

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Ready Day 11 Unlikely Abundance

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Thessalonians 1:3-8
James 1:2-4
Romans 5:1-5
1 Peter 4:12-19

Ready, Day 11

Never one to shy away from an uncomfortable topic, Paul begins his second letter to the Thessalonians by writing about the persecutions and tribulations we will endure in this life. His choice is not terribly shocking; in fact, trials and tribulations are common topics throughout the New Testament. As we’ve seen in Read His Words Before Ours, believers are repeatedly instructed to delight in these hardships, for they produce godliness in us and are a part of our sanctification process.

What is a bit shocking, perhaps, are Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 1 regarding these sufferings. He asserts our hardships are “clear evidence of God’s righteous judgement that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you are also suffering.” (verse 5)

Did you catch that? Our trials, tribulations, persecutions, and sufferings in this life are direct evidence of the righteous judgment of God.
They are evidence He is considering us worthy of the kingdom of God!
That’s a big deal!

Similarly, in 1 Peter 4:13, Peter urges,
“Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, that you may also rejoice with great joy when His glory is revealed.”

Amazingly, there is a direct connection between the suffering we experience in this world and the abundant level of glory and rejoicing we will experience in the next.

Recently, I wrote a social media post reflecting this idea of life’s hardship leading to a deeper walk with Christ, and how this serves as a precursor to our coming glory.

The concept of the hardships in this life leading to a deepening of our walk with the Lord and serving as a precursor to coming glory inspired a post I recently wrote on social media.

“We have to stop being so myopic and quit looking just at the US. We need to zoom out and look at the world as a whole, both now and down through history.

When we do that, what we see is that the church has repeatedly been strengthened in the hard times. In fact, the church has always proven to be stronger, more faithful, and more able to lean on Christ when times are hard and persecution is rampant than when everything is easy, earthly freedom abounds, and we all become complacent.

It’s not that I’m over here begging God for hardship so that the church would wake up and stand firm and learn what it means to be strong in the faith. But, as I’ve said before, God is always on the move, not the least of which being in those times when the church is persecuted or facing hardship.

While we don’t yearn for hardship and freedom infringement, we can be a little excited about seeing God strengthen, build, and grow His church in amazing ways – and prove Himself the faithful sustainer of that church!- if the church does begin to lose some of its freedoms.

So, brothers and sisters in Christ, please do not lose heart!
Please do not fret or wring your hands or get worried and worked up.

No. Rely on your faith.
Live it out.
Test it.
Prove that it can withstand hardship. And excitedly watch God work!”

We will undoubtedly face hardships in this life. They are promised to us.
Yet, those hardships are never an indictment against God, grounds for disproving the Bible, or trials that render God weak or useless.

Far from it, friends!

While we don’t yearn for hardships, trials, and sufferings, we are able to rejoice when they come because we know they will produce abundant fruit in our lives,
both now and in eternity.

No pain we suffer in this life is purposeless. Rather, it serves a great purpose and provides us with an opportunity to watch Romans 8:28 come true right in front of our eyes.

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God,
who are called according to His purpose.”

Take heart, my friends! The sufferings of this present life are leading to an abundance of glory unlike anything we can presently imagine.

Hold on. Hold fast. Look up. And keep the faith!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Reveal Day 6 Filling The Empty

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 1:1-5
Romans 15:8-13
John 1:1-13
Luke 2:8-11

Reveal, Day 6

When I was growing up, Christmas was always my very favorite time of year. It was also my Daddy’s favorite season, and his excitement automatically spilled on us all. Christmas is still magical to me, even at the age of 28. Now, I also experience it through the eyes of my children, witnessing their wonder and curiosity, which increases my own anticipation.

While my love for Christmas hasn’t abated, my childhood naivety has. With my own aging has come the subsequent aging, and then passing, of so many with whom I celebrated Christmas as a child. The loss of these special people creates an undercurrent of grief and sadness when I think on Christmas. Add to this, the reality of being a mother of two and often falling prey to the lie I must be all things to all people in December. Here in the wake of hurry and loss, Christmas joy quickly wanes. What was once so tangible and easy as a child is complex and difficult to grasp as an adult.

Maybe you feel this way, too? Perhaps you’re grieving a loved one this Christmas. Or maybe, like many of your fellow sisters-in-Christ, you feel hurried and harried, busy and overwhelmed by all you feel you must do to make Christmas special.

You’re not alone!
Amazingly, in studying the first Christmas, we find a beautiful mystery experienced by all who welcomed the Savior.
Great joy.

And yet, it’s important to remember that those who welcomed Christ at the first Christmas battled their own churning chaos.

Jewish persecution ran high. Rome increasingly took more and more control of land, of taxes, of daughters as sex slaves, of food, and of morale, as Jews were pressed on all sides to serve the wealthy.

After 400 years of silence from any prophetic voice from Yahweh, the Lord God, it was easy for Jews to look around in fear at the swirl of chaos, wondering if joy had slipped away forever.

And finally, there were those who stood in direct opposition to a Messiah. King Herod certainly was not interested in welcoming a Newborn King, and so for him, there was no joy. Herod was bent on destroying Him so he could continue relying solely on himself, his own capabilities, and his own glory. Herod rejected the Savior, and the result was a complete lack of joy. He found only death, fear, and a reliance on self that never satisfied, but instead destroyed himself and others.

Do you find yourself reflecting Herod’s harried attempt to protect self and somehow attain happiness? Instead, does it feel like stress and hurry persistently steal away any elusive joy that might be found? What if our lack of joy reveals something about the focus of our hearts?

It’s shockingly easy to rely on ourselves to be the savior of the season as we purpose in our hearts to bake all the cookies,
watch all the Christmas movies,
attend all the parties,
complete all the shopping,
do all the crafts,
send out all the Christmas cards,
say “yes” to all the requests,
and decorate our home to the Pinterest max.

The chaos beckons with glitter and lights and peppermint drizzle,
while joy quietly waits to be delighted in.

If Christmas is feeling a bit more chaotic than cheery, is it time to consider that maybe self is the idol we’re trusting? Is it any wonder joy feels out of reach?

Scrolling all the way back to the beginning of time, when God spoke His voice into the mass of nothing, bringing forth all of everything, we find a God who delights in bringing His joyful presence into the chaos of emptiness.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty (…).”
(Genesis 1:1-2)

From nothing, His voice filled the chaos, bringing forth a creation He delightedly declared “Good!”

“Then God said,’Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good (…)”.
(Genesis 1:3-4, emphasis mine)

As darkness drew nigh that first Christmas and one girl’s laboring screams filled the night, followed by the shrill cry of a newborn babe, delight was filling the dark once more.  The very same Word was going forth from the Father once again.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

“I came from the Father and have come into the world.” (John 16:28)

His light was shining in the darkness as He Himself took on human flesh.

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:9)
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (…).” (John 1:14)

The Joy of Jesus had come to rescue His people,
drawing them out of eternal night into eternal day. 

If your Christmas season is feeling heavy with sorrow and rising stress, cling to the same Living Hope around Whom angels and shepherds hovered as they welcomed the light of the world, and the Joy whose presence promised unending delight.

Our emptiness, our longings, our stress, and our sadness all point to our need for the fullness of God and our souls’ longing for Immanuel, God with us. As C.S. Lewis once said, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

Focus your eyes on that other world this Christmas, friend. With eyes of faith, see the One Who came to offer His life for you, His light in exchange for your darkness, and watch your Christmas joy surge and swell!

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Worship VII Day 1 Be Still My Soul

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 46
Isaiah 43:1-7
Romans 8:31-39

Worship VII, Day 1

I’ve always loved the beautiful hymn, “Be Still, My Soul” by Finnish writer Veikko Antero Koskenniemi. In studying the rich Scriptural truths behind these inspired lyrics I’ve discovered deep theological waters. Journey with me into cavernous springs of solid truth and sweet grace as we unpack the foundational truths behind one Finnish man’s heart cry.

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;
bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
leave to thy God to order and provide;
in ev’ry change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
thro’ thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

While Veikko’s lyrical melodies wash over us,
ancient truths from the heart of God are reborn within us.

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” ~ Romans 8:31b

“For He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘the Lord is my helper; will not fear; what can man do to me?’” ~ Hebrews 13:5b-6

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” ~ Romans 5:3-5

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” ~ Romans 8:28

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
to guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice, who ruled them while He dwelt below.

“Be still”, Veikko croons as he quotes from King David.
How strenuously our bodies, minds, and souls push against this gift of slowing to stillness and silence before the God of the Universe! Yet, He continues washing us with truth…

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” ~Proverbs 16:9

“The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.” ~Proverbs 16:33

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” ~Jeremiah 29:11

“And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” ~Mark 4:39

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
and all is darkened in the veil of tears,
then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
from His own fullness all He takes away.

Deep, dark waters of loss threaten to pull us under with gripping physical force, but Hope sings low and clear with growing intensity, “I have defeated death!”

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’” ~ Job 1:20-21

 

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~Romans 8:38-39

Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
when we shall be forever with the Lord,
when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

One day, time will cease, we will breath our last, and with our very own eyes, we will behold the mysteries that have eluded us for so long. At long last, we will be face to face with the Lover of our souls, the Great Rescuer of our hearts. We will be Home, and forever, we will dwell with the Lord of All. Oh, come Lord Jesus!

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” ~Revelation 21:4

Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely. ~ Revelation 22:17

Come away and drink deeply of the sweet waters of truth and feel the embrace of grace by the Father who loves you without end! The next time you hear this hymn or sing it yourself, remember just how much truth from God’s Word you are meditating on and memorizing, and may it encourage you in your walk with the Lord!

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Ten Day 8 Worth Of One

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Exodus 20:13
Genesis 1:26-27
Exodus 21:22-25

Ten, Day 8

Be honest, sister.
Have you ever tried to earn God’s favor?

I’ll be the first to admit I have!

Entrapped in a multi- year-long season of legalism, I believed the Ten Commandments, as well as God’s instruction to the church in the New Testament, were provided as means for pleasing God with our behavior . . . to earn His favor. I subconsciously viewed my obedience as a means to control God. If I obeyed His commands, then surely God would love and protect me and no harm would come my way . . . right?

Wrong.
My limited perspective was nearsighted and false. As I have grown in my understanding of the Word, I’ve learned the commands of God reflect His character. They reveal His nature, His righteousness, His love, His goodness, and His desire for us to be holy, as He is holy. As we live in obedience to Him out of a heart of gratitude for His glorious gospel, we are transformed into His image and reflect Him to the watching world.

In our series on the Ten Commandments, we’ve reached God’s commandment, “Do not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Most everyone agrees murder is wrong, but have you ever pondered why? What makes murder so grievous? Today, we’ll unpack why murder is such an affront to the heart and nature of God.

Our conversation starts at the beginning of time, in the garden of Eden. As God created mankind, He proclaimed,
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)

We see the result of this proclamation in the very next verse:
“So God created man in his own image;
He created him in the image of God;
He created them male and female.” (Genesis 1:27)

This is precisely why murder so terrible; when someone murders a fellow human being, they are snuffing out the life of an image-bearer of God Himself.

The sacred nature of human life is further illustrated in this Levitical law:
“When men get in a fight and hit a pregnant woman so that her children are born prematurely but there is no injury, the one who hit her must be fined as the woman’s husband demands from him, and he must pay according to judicial assessment.  If there is an injury, then you must give life for life,  eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,  burn for burn, bruise for bruise, wound for wound.” (Exodus 21:22-25)

This law clearly illustrates the importance God places on a human life,
even the smallest and most vulnerable!

For believers living after Jesus’ death and resurrection, who live everyday with the gift of the Holy Spirit within us, this commandment takes on new meaning and a higher level of accountability. As Jesus teaches in Matthew 5, our abstention from murder should extend to unrighteous anger, insults, and denigrating or slanderous speech.

In fact, Scripture explains, such treatment of a fellow image-bearer reveals a heart of hatred. Hatred of another human, even our enemies, stands in direct opposition to the example set by Jesus’ sacrificial death.

Instead, Jesus calls us to love our enemies and offers us a living demonstration: even in the midst of His agony on the cross, He didn’t spew judgement or hatred. His heart of mercy triumphed over the pain of injustice His body suffered as He interceded for His tormentors.

“Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

God’s command to preserve life, working in concert with the other passages we’ve discussed, creates a beautiful picture of the Father’s fierce heart of love for His children. The command truly comes alive and we see, for perhaps the first time, just how highly God esteems us as His creations. We bear the image, the breath, and the Spirit of Almighty God. Therefore, rather than taking a life, we are called to willingly lay down our own lives, in gratitude and love for the One who gave Himself to rescue us.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Redeemed Day 8 From Empty To Full

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ruth 1:20-21
Ruth 2:17-23
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Redeemed, Day 8

A beautiful theme we find throughout Scripture is God’s delight in taking the marginalized, downtrodden, destitute, and abused outcasts and bringing them close to Himself. He showers them with His love and redemption, changing both their stories and their hearts.

He reveals His tender Father-heart toward all who trust Him for salvation by forevermore making them into an example of His amazing redemption.

We’re already deep into Ruth’s story, but if you’d like a refresher, catch up here!
Once Upon A Time
The Lord Is Against Me
Comfort In The Bitter
Favored Not Forsaken

In fact, don’t take our words for it, read Ruth’s short book for yourself!
It’s truly a beautiful story.

We’re picking up Naomi’s story of emptiness in the middle of her literal destitution. She has suffered the heavy losses of spouse, two sons, and hope-filled dreams of a future, and now, entirely empty, she is in a prime position to receive from the Lord.

While Naomi has sunk to the depths of utter desolation, we find God at work in her life.

Perhaps, like Naomi, you feel empty?
Perhaps you are overwhelmed with loss and bitterness from a life that hasn’t turned out as you’d imagined.
Perhaps the hurt is too great to bear and you’ve shut away all feeling, resigned to go through the motions of living until your body wears out.

Take heart, precious sister, because Naomi’s story doesn’t end here.
Your story doesn’t either.

Upon her return to her homeland, God begins using people close to Naomi to demonstrate His faithfulness, goodness, and kind provision.

In chapter 2, we find resourceful and hardworking Ruth asking Naomi to allow her to glean in the barley field belonging to Boaz, a distant relative. Boaz not only generously allows her to glean in his field, but also ensures she has access to as much of the harvest as possible, providing Ruth and Naomi with their much-needed sustenance. Furthermore, Boaz issues clear orders for Ruth’s emotional and physical protection.

God provides for Ruth and Naomi’s physical needs, both securing their safety and delivering sustenance in abundance.

And He isn’t finished there!

As we continue on through the book, we see God’s plan for full restoration unfold. God stirs Boaz’s heart, and Boaz steps in to become Ruth’s kinsman redeemer, thereby providing Ruth (and through her, Naomi) with full financial and familial redemption.

Through Ruth and Boaz, God has answered the cry of Naomi’s heart.
He has restored her relationships: she is once again part of a loving, growing family.

Most importantly, He has rekindled hope within Naomi’s spirit.

Throughout this four-chapter book, we see firsthand the power of community and friendship. Sometimes, in the midst of deepest pain, it can be nearly impossible to hear past the scream of hurt in our hearts and clamor of spiraling negative thoughts.

In those moments, ever faithful, God provides.
He sends a Ruth.

Through Ruth’s hands at work in the fields, God reminded Naomi of His faithful
provision.
Through Ruth’s arms wrapped around Naomi’s slumped shoulders, God reminded
Naomi of His abiding love.
Through Ruth’s steadfast encouragement, God spoke to Naomi of hope.
Of promise fulfilled.
Of joy to come. (Psalm 30:5)

Their beautiful example of life-giving friendship personifies Ecclesiastes 4:9-12:
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

The Lord created friendship and chooses to use the beautiful healing power of community and friendship to encourage, bolster, and uphold those who are hurting. To those who have never heard the gospel, being in relationship with someone like Ruth is an opportunity to encounter Jesus.

Just as Ruth was the hands, arms, and sweet voice of Jesus speaking truth and life back into Naomi’s bitter spirit, so too can we demonstrate the love of God to those around us who are hurting. May we remember the power and love we are called to emulate for one another as the body of Christ and in the lost world around us!

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Neighbor Day 8 Reaching Beyond Isolation

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 10:25-37
Matthew 28:18-20
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Psalm 139:1-6

Neighbor, Day 8

I look out my window and see her walking to her mailbox. I suddenly realize we have now lived in this house, next door to this lady and her family, for a whole year, yet I know very little about her.

I’ve certainly never invited her over for tea or coffee like I intended. All I really know about her is she is a fellow homeschool mom. Embarrassingly, I don’t even know how many children she homeschools.

Perhaps you can relate to this scenario. Sadly, it’s an incredibly common one in our age of isolation and busyness. But common though it may be, it is a far cry from what God intended for us.

From Genesis 2:18, when God first declares it is not good for man to be alone, to Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, which speaks of the sad danger of doing life in isolation, we see God created us as relational humans, designed to do life in community.

Not only that, but a crucial aspect of the Christian life is seeking to fulfill the Great Commission, which centers around relationships and living an invitational, hospitable life.

But we have allowed busyness to creep in.
We have allowed to-do lists, expectations, and goals
to crowd in and crowd out
long teatime chats, visits, hospitality, and potluck dinners with friends and strangers alike.

We may not realize, however, how foundational prayer is to reaching our neighbors with the love, light, and good news of Christ. Scratching tasks off the to-do list, or removing events from our calendars, in an attempt to make space for discipleship is a good first step, but it won’t get the job done. Even purposing to “do better” and be more hospitable in the future leaves us relying on our own efforts.

Instead, effective discipleship is a living, moving partnership with the Father,
and it all starts with prayer.

4 Prayers to Pray As We Seek to Reach Our Neighbors

1. Pray for eyes to see and a heart to care.
We all have neighbors with whom we have barely had a complete conversation, let alone made time to build deep and authentic connections. Often, this stems from a lack of understanding of the huge importance of befriending our neighbors and sharing the love of Christ.

So, let’s pray for understanding hearts, ones who care more deeply for those around us than we do for our own comfort, convenience, or daily agenda. Then, pray for eyes to truly see those around us, eyes not fixed on our own busyness and to-do list, but rather on the people the Lord has placed in our communities. Let’s ask for God’s vision for reaching our neighbors. He will undoubtedly answer our prayers!

2. Pray for opportunities to reach out, and the fortitude and intentionality to follow through.
Once our hearts are in the right place, we can pray for opportunities to build relationships with our neighbors. Those around us are often just as busy as we are, so unless we are praying for open doors and for the will to intentionally take advantage of the opportunities when they do arise, they may just slip by unnoticed. As we work to build trust, our consistency and follow-through are key.

3. Pray for receptive hearts.
We don’t know what our neighbors are currently going through or what their worldview may be, but God does. We can ask His Spirit to touch their hearts and make them receptive not only to our invitations to get together, but also to the words He leads us to speak.

4. Pray for God to speak His powerful, incisive words through us.
Lastly, let’s cover those anticipated conversations in prayer. Let’s ask for His wisdom and discernment to guide our words. Finally, we can seek the Lord’s blessing on our efforts to genuinely connect with, love, and serve our communities.

And then sit back and watch what He does with your willingness to obey and live out His great commission, right where you are, in your very own neighborhood!

It can feel rather uncomfortable to reach out to people we don’t even know. But it is part of our Great Commission from our Lord, and it is worth the awkwardness it may take to get there!

Step out in faith and obedience, and the Lord will do the rest!

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Shielded Day 5 Wrapped In Truth

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 6:14
John 14:1-7
John 5:19-29
2 Corinthians 10:1-6
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Shielded Day 5

We are at war.
Our enemy is real, and he will come after us in fierce attack mode.
But take heart, dear friend, because the story doesn’t end there.

In Ephesians 6:10-18, Paul speaks hope into our spirits, encouraging and equipping us for the spiritual battles we face every day on this side of heaven. He teaches us precisely which weapons we need in order to fight back successfully, from a stance of victory.

What Paul describes as the armor of God is the very armor God Himself possesses.
He has gifted it to us
so we might share in His strength and power
and be equipped for victory.

Today we’re going to focus on one foundational piece of armor, the belt of truth.

The belt of truth refers to the whole canon of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. It encompasses everything we are told about the way to heaven, God’s design for men and women, right and wrong, and more.

The belt of truth is God’s righteous, holy standard on all matters pertaining to life
and godliness.
It is unchanging,
relevant,
applicable,
sufficient,
and anything but relative.
When we know and embrace His truth, fully surrendering ourselves to the sufficiency of Christ, Jesus tells us in John 8:32, we are free.

Why the belt of truth? In Paul’s day, soldiers wore military uniforms in which every other piece of armor hinged on the belt. The belt served as the foundation and held everything else together and in place.

In the same way, truth is the foundational weapon with which we face the attacks of the enemy and emerge victorious. When we go to war against the father of lies, we fight with truth.

It is only by first knowing truth we can then access the other pieces of our armor (righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation).
It is only by first knowing truth we will be able to expose the lies of the enemy.

Jesus, for example, wielded the belt of truth successfully in His wilderness season of temptation. Each time Satan threw something at Jesus, a temptation, accusation, or other falsehood, Jesus fought back only ever with the truth of the Word.

Furthermore, our understanding of truth is not merely something we turn to when the going gets tough. It is a belt we must wrap around ourselves every single day of our lives, for as Paul points out in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, it is the Word of God which equips us to successfully live our day-to-day lives:

“All Scripture is breathed out by God
and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work.”

In an age of relativism, when fewer and fewer people are believing in absolute truth, we can know without a shadow of doubt absolute truth does exist. Truth lives within the pages of Scripture and is there, at the ready for us, whenever we need it.

Perhaps even more amazingly, we have a Helper with us every time we read truth, One Who will guide us into an ever-growing understanding, day by day:

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
(John 14:25-26)

With the aid of our Helper, the truth of God’s word becomes a powerful weapon in our hands:

“For the word of God is living and active,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow,
and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
(Hebrews 4:12)

If we want to be overcomers in Christ,
victors in our every run-in with the schemes and attacks of Satan,
becoming students of the Word must be our starting place.

When we dive into the pages of Scripture, guided by the Holy Spirit,
we will be equipped to stand firm.


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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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