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The GT Weekend! ~ Here Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Think about those moments when you have been utterly caught off guard by the Holy One. You are living your mundane, breathing in and out, and suddenly, you realize it, He Is Here. He is speaking. He is calling. He knows your name, your face, and your story. Pause to reflect on how you have most recently encountered the God of the Universe. It probably wasn’t angels singing and a heavenly message delivered with swirls of light, but be assured, if you haven’t heard from the Lord lately, it’s not because He doesn’t want to speak to you. Draw near Him with a humble heart, bring all you have, offer it up, and let His Spirit speak to your heart through His powerful Word!

2)  “I have no room for another” was Herod’s mantra. His perspective on Bethlehem and the coming Messiah gives me chills as I recede into the light of wanting to find myself at the manger with the shepherds. But, am I being honest? Can I find myself here as well, in the cold-hearted, clenched-fisted heart of King Herod? I am learning to love my Savior more every day, but I would be flat-out lying to you if I said there aren’t places where I throw my own gauntlet at the wall and scream in defiance, “I have no room for another!”. I want my way, apart from Christ, at various moments and in various seasons. Do you? Pray through some of those areas, as I do the same. May the true King soften our hearts and teach us to love Him most!

3)  It’s easy to forget Simeon’s role in the Christmas story. Jesus is only 8 earth days old, yet the Timeless One had pre-determined to encounter one man in the temple that day. One man who had waited his entire life for God to prove faithful to His Word. Here, in the waiting, do you see your face in this mirror held up by Simeon? One glimpse, only a few moments, after waiting a lifetime, but it was more than enough because Simeon saw the faithfulness of God towards himself, and all peoples. Chances are pretty good that you’re waiting on something this Christmas. A relationship to heal, finances to turn around, a diagnosis to shift, a heavy sadness to lift, an ache to be filled. And oh, here we wait with Simeon. Turn your eyes of faith to the Timeless One who sees and knows and satisfies in His way and His time. Turn over your waiting to the One who waits for you to lean into Him!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Micah 7:7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

But as for me, I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me.

Prayer Journal
The shepherds waited. The Jews waited. Simeon waited. Mary and Joseph waited. Even the angels waited for this moment in time when You would announce Your arrival and bring hope that would last. Lord, let me not scoff the waiting. Remind my feeble faith to trust. Surely, You who drew the poorest and the most outcast in close as You announced the arrival of Your Son, will not overlook my wait. Teach me to come near, to trust, to wait because I know You hear.

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Worship Through Music

Glimmers Day 13 Hope In The Manger: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Hope In A Manger!

The Questions

1) What is this registration and why is it important?

2) Who is this baby lying in a manger?

3) What do we learn from shepherds being the first to learn of this baby’s birth?

Luke 2:1-20

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

4 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

14 Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to people he favors!

15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.

Original Intent

1) What is this registration and why is it important?
The registration Luke writes about is a census for tax purposes. The Roman Emperor called for this census, requiring everyone to travel back to their hometown.  Joseph came from the line of David and therefore he and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem (the City of David). Mary was nine months pregnant and about to deliver her son, which is important because through this specific travelling, God places Mary and Joseph exactly where they needed to be in order for prophecies regarding Jesus’ birth to be fulfilled. Micah 5:2 declares the Messiah will come out of Bethlehem. 2 Samuel 7:12-13 says the Messiah will come from the line of David. Through this census, God shows the Israelites, who would have known these prophecies, this baby is the baby who has been promised.

2) Who is this baby lying in a manger?
In the narrative of Christ’s birth Luke never mentions the name of the baby born. In verse 11 Luke does tell readers the baby is “The Messiah, the Lord”, but He is not specifically named. Luke provides other basic details of the birth and tells of the announcement to the shepherds and their visit to the manger, but never His name. We must look further in the narrative to discover ‘this baby’ is Jesus. In Luke 2:21 Jesus is named on His eighth day according to Jewish custom. This baby is the long-awaited Messiah God had been promising to His people for generations. After 400 years of silence from God, He is finally heard from again in the form of a baby crying in a manger.

3) What do we learn from shepherds being the first to learn of this baby’s birth?
After 400 years of silence a baby cries and God is heard again. However, God first announced this miracle to shepherds in a field. God chooses a group of people who are probably the most unlikely group imaginable to announce His Son’s birth.
Luke doesn’t provide much information about these shepherds, but we know the angels visit them and they are afraid. Their fear quickly changes to action as they visit and worship this baby in a manger. Immediately, they left their sheep traveling to find this baby, their Messiah, and worship Him.

Everyday Application

1) What is this registration and why is it important?
This registration (census) is the means by which God divinely moved Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem in order to fulfill the prophecies that told of the Messiah’s coming. God will take any steps necessary in order to accomplish His will. From the beginning, God knew humanity would need a Savior, a Messiah (a promised coming deliverer). God foretold of Christ’s coming so when He arrived, the Israelites would recognize Him as the One who had been Promised. I am certain this trip was anything but comfortable for Mary, yet God took her on it to accomplish His plan. For believers today, God spares no expense to fulfill His ultimate plan and purpose in our lives. We can rest assured knowing that God will use all situations and circumstances we journey through to accomplish His ultimate plan of restoring humanity to Himself just as He did with Mary.

2) Who is this baby lying in a manger?
This baby lying in the manger is the long-awaited Messiah God promised to His people for generations. Today, believers are God’s people, therefore this is the Messiah or Savior we need. Jesus is the answer to sin, He is the answer God promised at the fall to redeem His creation to Himself. This baby is God Himself who chose to put on human flesh for us. We cannot leave Him in the manger though. This baby grew up, lived a perfect life, performed many miracles, and then chose to take on the punishment for every sin of every person taking them to the Cross and bearing the consequence for those sins… death. He then conquered Death and the grave providing redemption from our sin and eternal hope for all who place their trust in Him alone. If we leave Jesus as a baby in the manger, we fail to see the entire picture of who this baby truly is… our everyday Savior!

3) What do we learn from shepherds being the first to learn of this baby’s birth?
The most unlikely group of people first heard of the birth of the Messiah. One would probably expect God to announce His Son to the royal or religious leaders, but instead He chooses to announce His Son’s birth to shepherds in a field. This isn’t a massive amount of people but a few lowly shepherds. Jesus didn’t come only for the rich and royal or the religious leaders, but for all. No matter who we are, where we come from, or what we have done, the gift of Jesus’ birth is for us. The shepherds immediately leave their sheep to seek out Jesus and worship Him. This is the response God is looking for. He came for all, but simply wants those who are willing to set aside everything and worship Him. He will accept you into His family no matter who your circumstance or your past baggage, as long as you are willing to open your life to Him to full worship through surrender!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Hope In A Manger!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Our Current Study Theme!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Glimmers Day 11 Hope In A Manger

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:1-18
Philippians 2:5-11
Colossians 1:15-20
Luke 2:1-20

Glimmers, Day 11

Touchdowns or tutus?
Guns or glitter?
Little man or little miss?
Cute ideas ABOUND on Pinterest for creative gender announcements!

I’m not exactly sure when these parties became a thing,
but I know they definitely weren’t trending in Mary’s day.
Even if they were, I doubt anyone would have celebrated.
She was an UNWED teenage girl.
Engaged to Joseph, but they hadn’t had “relations” yet.

Or so they said.

Seriously, you expect us to believe an ANGEL told you the Holy Spirit would come upon you and impregnate you with GOD’S SON?! Favored one?  Blessed among women?
You keep telling yourself that, Mary.
Meanwhile, we’re going to shun you and spread rumors about your promiscuity.
We’re going to make assumptions about your purity, or lack thereof.

‘Happily Ever After’ clearly wasn’t happening.
As if shame and being an outcast weren’t enough, just as she was “ready to pop,”
the census ruling required Joseph to go to Bethlehem.

Can you imagine WALKING miles upon miles on dusty roads,
then sleeping under the stars with a rock as a pillow?
When you’re nine months pregnant?!
Topping it off, on arriving in Bethlehem IN LABOR, and finding no rooms anywhere!

As a mother of 4, childbirth instructor, and doula, Mary is my birth hero.
I tell my childbirth students, “If Mary can give birth, AS A VIRGIN, in a cave, then we can have our babies with all the comfort a hospital, birth center, or our home offers!”

Birth is beautiful.  Joyous.  Sacred.

As a doula, I experience births of all kinds,
but I can’t envision one more incredible than Jesus’
on that starry night over 2,000 years ago.

I often wonder what Mary’s labor was like. The Bible simply states, “while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.”

She didn’t have the comfort of a hospital, birth center, or even a living room.
No room period.
Only a shelter where animals mooed, brayed, and cock-a-doodled.
No epidural, no IV fluids, no pillows.
Just hay and straw.
And for Jesus’ bed?
A manger, the feeding trough for those stinky, slobbery farm animals.
No adorable receiving blanket or cute blue and pink striped hat for Jesus.
Just strips of cloth to swaddle the very SON OF GOD.

EVERY time I’ve held a newborn, emotion overwhelms me.
Still, I can NOT imagine all that went through Mary’s heart as she held Jesus and looked into His eyes, the eyes of GOD.
The God who’d created the universe and spoken stars into existence,
now uttered his first cries as a human baby,
completely dependent on her for milk, diaper changes, warmth, and everything in between.

She counted his tiny toes, and kissed his little hands.
The same hands that had hung planets,
parted the Red Sea,
held the sun still,
and brought city walls crashing down.

No wonder Luke recorded, “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

No baby shower.
No birth certificate.
No newborn pictures.
No cute birth announcements.

Just lowly shepherds.
Uninvited by Mary and Joseph, but welcomed by God as they marveled at the baby King “wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in the manger”.

In the humblest of ways, God became flesh and dwelt among us, making His HOME with us. God Himself born as a tiny human, covered in vernix, amniotic fluid, and probably even some meconium (poop).
Talk about giving up everything and putting Himself in the midst of our mess!!!

He stepped down from His throne,
laid aside His crown,
and removed His royal robes,
replacing them with swaddling cloth.

Where majestic angels had bowed,
shepherds unfit to even enter the temple,
now knelt in the very presence of God.

Jesus left His throne knowing that one day He would be betrayed, beaten, mocked, and nailed to a cross.
He was born to die that we might live!

I wonder…
As He took His first wobbly baby steps,
was He thinking about the day He would walk up Calvary’s hill?

When He scraped His knee as a boy,
did He anticipate the pain of the wounds He would endure on the Cross?

As He worked alongside Joseph in the carpenter shop,
did the sound of the hammer ring in His ears as He looked ahead to the afternoon when nails would pierce His hands and feet?

From the moment the star shone upon His newborn face to the moment the sky went black and the ground shook as He breathed His last,
Jesus KNEW why He had come.

He’d made His home among us for 33 years
that we might make Him our home for eternity.

He left heaven that we might enter it.
He emptied Himself that we might be filled with His Spirit.
He was born a baby that we might become children of God.

That manger in the center of our nativity scene doesn’t just hold a sleeping newborn.
It holds HOPE.

HOPE in the middle of our death sentence which comes as a result of our sin.
Yes, you and I are walking around with Death has our Ruler
unless we reach out and make this Messiah ours.

Come to the manger and find HOPE swaddled here.
Come, surrender your sin and be filled with indescribable joy.
Come, be awestruck by His glorious majesty.
Come, be blown away by His undeniable LOVE as He offers eternal HOPE!

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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Glimmers!

The GT Weekend! Eve, Week 1

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The GT Weekend! Eve, Week 1

Michelle Promise

December 9, 2017

Birth,Excuses,Faith,Freedom,Grace,Hope,Jesus,Life,Love,Peace,Praise,Purpose,Redemption,Relationship,Restored,Sin,Truth,Worship

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Psalm 16:8-11

8 I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices; my body also rests securely. 10 For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay. 11 You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.​
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Lord, this holiday season, I stop at Your feet. I want to take a breath of You and be restored, for Your mighty breath can turn my life back right-side up! Spirit, remove the feelings of comparison that grip my heart, especially at the holidays. I want to do everything perfectly and beautifully, often at the sake of my family.
Forgive me, God, and take that spirit of comparison away.

As I continue making long lists of all that needs done, nudge me to make room for time with You first. And if I forget Lord, as I all too often do, don’t just nudge me, send a boulder my way that would wake me up! I need more of You, Father, especially when I get busy and just focus on knocking stuff out. Keep my eyes heavenward as I wait in expectation to celebrate Your coming as a baby to this earth.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE
Think back to the last time you felt freedom from something. A lie, a fight, an addiction. The sweet release of the pent-up concern, angst, and dread all releasing in that moment of resolution. As you go forward and interact with sin in your life, allow all those emotions to come to the surface. And then revel in the sweet redemption offered by the Father as His arms are open wide to receive you!
JOURNAL TWO
This holiday season, as the hustle and bustle is upon us, take intentional time to just be still. Reflect on the experiences of the day, the groanings of your heart, and the needs of those closest to you.

Ask the Lord to lead you where He would have you rather than being tied to your to-do list and must haves.
JOURNAL THREE
Where has sin given birth to death in your life? It sounds extreme but can take the form of bitterness, jealousy, and comparison.

Pray today that Holy Spirit would clean out those spaces harboring sin and breathe life back into your heart!
Tags :
birth,Christmas,forgiveness,hope,Jesus,peace,relationship,restoration
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Inheritance Day 5
Heavenly Love

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 John 3:11-24
I John 4:7-21
1 Samuel 1
Galatians 5:1-15  

A few days ago I was doing my quiet time and was reading in 1st Samuel. I started the book from the beginning and was immediately drawn into Hannah’s story.

As someone who wasn’t sure if or when they would’ve been able to have children, my heart instantly felt for her. I wanted to grab Hannah and tell her that no matter what, I loved her, and I would be there for her.

In the story, Hannah, who has had enough of Peninnah’s (her husband’s other wife) tormenting for being infertile, goes to The Tabernacle, where Eli the Priest was sitting outside. Through tears and gritting of her teeth, Hannah began to pray.

“Oh LORD of Heaven’s Armies,
if you will look upon my sorrow and
answer my prayer and give me a son,
then I will give him back to you.
He will be yours for his entire lifetime,
and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the LORD,
his hair will never be cut.”

Eli, who has been watching this prayer unfold, was quick to assume that Hannah was under the influence of alcohol and told her to throw away her wine. Hannah assured him that she wasn’t drunk, but very discouraged and had come to pray and pour her heart out to the Lord out of great anguish and sorrow. Eli sent Hannah away in peace and asked the God of Israel to grant the request she has asked of Him.

If you dive into the rest of Hannah’s story, you will see that Hannah is given a son, and years later, returns to Eli the Priest and leaves her son, Samuel, with him, just as she told God she would.

I can’t imagine being Hannah in that situation. She loved God, she loved her son, and while she did not want to have to choose between the two, she honored her commitment that she prayed years ago.

This love that Hannah had inside of her, allowing her to give up her son, wasn’t in the flesh, but it was only because of the deep love she had for God and gratefulness for His gift.

When we have this type of relationship with God, we no longer have to love in the limits of our own capacity, but there is this Heavenly realm that we are able to tap into, creating levels of love we can only imagine.

Through her selfless act of worship, Hannah is later blessed with five more children and Samuel grew up to be an incredible prophet, one who later on anoints David to be King. Talk about a proud mom moment!  

As we’ve been studying in this Journey Theme, when we accept Christ into our lives, we get His inheritance, and one of those gifts is the freedom to love.

I’m not talking about storge love, love that I have for my daughter,
or eros love, love that I have for my spouse,
or even phila love, the brotherly kind of love,
but, I’m talking about agape love.

Agape love focuses on giving of ourselves, without expecting a return.
It’s the love that God has for us, as His children,
and the love that we have for Him, our Father, and for others.

If I’m being honest, I struggle a lot with this agape kind of love. While I know that I am unfathomably loved by God, sometimes I hold onto that love instead of sharing it with others.

I’ve been hurt by many people in my life because I expected something in return for the love I’ve given them. But that isn’t Biblical!

In His book, The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis “used agape to describe what he believed was the highest level of love known to humanity- a selfless love, a love that was passionately committed to the well-being of the other person.”

Agape love expects nothing in return. It’s not natural and it may not make sense, but it’s for the betterment of that person because they, too, are a son or daughter of the Most High.

While we work at loving those around us with the love we’ve inherited from Christ, it’s going to look different for you than it does me. Love doesn’t look the same on every person or in every situation. Sometimes the most loving thing we can do is draw healthy boundary lines, as I’m practicing in my life right now. Sometimes, it looks like finding a place to serve at church, volunteering at your local mission, praying out loud for someone on the spot, watching your friend’s children, being silent instead of retaliating in anger, or sharing the gospel.

Whatever it is, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you, and then go after it, loved one! As you love and serve others, it will change you, and in turn, become contagious, overflowing into all areas of your life.

I’m excited about this, are you?

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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!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Day Seven
Desperate to Belong: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper posts are intended to help us go farther into God’s word than a simple surface reading
and are designed to help us discover new tools in the process.
Curious as to why we Dig Deeper? Here’s Why! 

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s Journey Post? Check out Desperate To Belong!

Ruth 4:13-22 English Standard Version (ESV)

So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron,19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

My Questions

1) What was the significance of Boaz taking Ruth as his wife?

2) Why do the women say, “A son has been born to Naomi”?

3) What is the importance of the family lineage list at the end of Ruth?

The Tools

A trip to www.studylight.org is in order here.
We will get super cozy with this site as we study Scripture together!
Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom!
It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse?
Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage?
Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

The Findings for Original Intent

1) The custom of the day after a woman became a widow was that a male relative, namely a brother (but if the brother was deceased another relative) would “redeem” her and give her value by marrying her. The hope was that a son would be born giving the woman a legacy and a family to belong to and be taken care of by. This allowed for the original husband’s name to continue because the son would take his name. For Ruth, her future and legacy as a Moabite woman would come through the hope of marrying an Israelite man from her husband’s family. (Deuteronomy 25:5-6)

2) Naomi had returned home a widow herself, motherless from the death of her sons. She had nothing. She was desperate and Ruth, a Moabite woman, was her only comfort. She was bitter and angry. When Obed was born, this was redemption for Naomi as much as it was for Ruth. Naomi’s family name, her son’s name, would now live on. She would be taken care of and, for her family, it showed that God had not forgotten. God was aware of her need and He met that need through the birth of Obed.

3) As we read through the different names, most of which we cannot pronounce, you might wonder why you need to read these? Why are these important? They are important because this list sets the stage for how God is working through His people. Through the story of Ruth and Naomi, God would bring about the eternal redemption of His people. The entire Old Testament is littered with snippets of Israelite history were we see a very intimate God personally involved in the lives of His people and bringing redemption to their situations.

Some Applications for Our Everyday Lives

1) Boaz was Ruth’s kinsman redeemer. As we scale back and see the broader scope of this story, we see that it is a great analogy of Christ’s role in our lives. We are Ruth in need of a place to belong, in need of a family, in desperate need of a redeemer. Our kinsman redeemer came in the form of a God-man, Jesus Christ!. He redeems us from our past, our sin, and sets us towards eternity. “They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.” (Psalm 78:35)

2) I love the story of Naomi and Ruth because it reminds me of how God sees His people. Naomi desired to be called Mara because she was bitter and angry at life’s circumstances; she seems so lost but God refused to leave her there. (Ruth 1:20) He saw her! He remembered her! He redeemed her misery and heartache through the birth of this precious baby boy, Obed. God moved Naomi out of her blindness and into His faithfulness, the light of His redemptive power.

3) David was Obed’s grandson. God works in mysterious ways by using a foreign Moabite woman and redeeming her because of her faithfulness. Ruth was grafted into the lineage of not only the greatest king of Israel, David, but also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. The people that God chooses to use aren’t famous or even the most likely candidate for the job. Rather, God gives all an opportunity to belong to His Kingdom, even the outcast, the downtrodden, and least likely!

Want To Try It For Yourself?!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
3) Write down your questions as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers.
Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes
(click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and
embrace the fullness of God in your everyday!

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Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Desperate! Don’t miss out on the discussion – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? See all past studies in Desperate!