Beauty for Ashes

My family just took a short adventure through the book of Ruth. Because it’s such a small nugget, buried between much larger books, we like to use the humorous saying “Joshua Judges Ruth” to locate it more quickly. When I consider this little book, I think of a God fearing woman who forsook all to follow her mother-in-law and eventually give herself to the true God. Or I think of Boaz who is a clear picture of our very own Kinsman Redeemer. As we journeyed through their lives this time however, I was again drawn to Boaz, but in a somewhat different manner.

Looking closely at the scriptures, we learn that Boaz was the son of Salmon and Rahab (Ruth 4:21, Matt 1:5). Yes, the same Rahab (Canaanite harlot and all) we find in the book of Joshua whom God rescued from the destruction of Jericho. Now, God had previously made it clear to His people they were not to take these Canaanite women as wives simply because of the risk of turning from the true God to Canaanite false gods (Deut 7:3). Nevertheless, regardless of her foreigner status, God had a plan for Rahab.

Yes, our God is a God who shows no partiality (Rom 2:11). However, we are a people full of partiality and I cannot help but imagine the Israelites overflowing with it. Do you think they warmly welcomed Rahab the Canaanite harlot into their camp? Do you imagine her receiving many invites for fancy quail dinners, or having friends stop by for manna and coffee? My imagination pictures a lonely Rahab surrounded by strange Israelites, adjusting to unfamiliar customs, striving to become acquainted with an all new God. What must that have been like for her son Boaz; child of the rejected foreigner? I suspect his upbringing was no walk in the park.

God, through years of isolated rejection, formed Boaz into a man of compassion and understanding. This compassion was greatly bestowed upon another foreigner: a Moabitess named Ruth. Boaz knew what it was like to walk in her shoes.  He, son of a foreigner, shunned, ridiculed, and most likely wrongly judged, considered Ruth not just an outsider, not just a Moabitess, but a creation of his God. Able to relate to her circumstances, he reached out to her, treated her with kindness and respect, and took her as wife. How proud Rahab would have been! More importantly, how please Boaz’s God was.  So pleased in fact, He included them both in the genealogy of the Messiah (Matt 1:1-16)! A son to the Canaanite harlot and a foreign Moabitess, penned forever in scripture as relatives of our Lord. Does it get any better than that? His mercy and grace have no boundaries.

I pray we are able to comfort others with the comfort we have received from Him and from our brothers and sisters (2 Cor 1:3-7). What difficulties have you faced? What hardships are you facing now? Are you allowing God to use you to comfort and console those who mourn, to give beauty for ashes, and praise for heaviness (Isa 61:3)?  As Boaz had kindness and understanding toward Ruth, I pray for compassion toward those around me. God, please take our circumstances and use them to bless others, furthering Your kingdom and Your gospel.

Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort

with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

-2 Corinthians 1:4

To Everything There is a Season

It is said that our brains need about eight hours of sleep each night to receive maximum rejuvenation. It is also believed that a short 10-20 minute nap will revitalize the tired mind. However too much sleep at night, or napping longer than the allotted twenty minutes is likely to leave us unmotivated and lethargic. Of course, a little coffee will fix that problem (haha!), but only for a short time. Science also tells us that during times of rest and sleep all of our body’s muscles are allowed to grow, repair, and strengthen.

So, when I’m at the gym pumping iron, exerting myself on the elliptical, swimming laps in the pool, or running on the treadmill am I not strengthening my muscles? While persevering through two years of college courses and straining to help my daughter with Algebra, am I not benefitting my brain? This whole time all I really needed was sleep? Um, no! Don’t we all wish it were that simple! Unfortunately it’s not. Sadly, we must have a combination of both exercise and rest, and truth be told, the majority of us lack in one or both of these areas; we either don’t get enough sleep, don’t get enough exercise, or both.

La Cruz Sinaloa Mexico

Quite a few years ago, after multiple short term trips to Mexico, God called my family back for a five month “missionary” adventure. I was so excited, anticipating the opportunity to serve, minister, teach, encourage, do anything and everything for God’s kingdom! After all, that’s what we did during the short weeks we spent there previously. The reality of living in Mexico was far from my hopes and expectations. Yes, we were busy studying, teaching, reaching out to others, and sharing the Good News. However, the majority of my time was spent homeschooling my daughter, doing laundry (such a difficult task when you remove American conveniences), cleaning up after my sick son (Mexican parasites), and simply being a mom. I remember questioning “Why do You have me here, Lord? I surely could do all of THIS back home.” Little did I realize it was during this time that God was taking all the things He had taught me years prior and building them up. When I felt as if I were completely ineffective and useless, God was strengthening me in my faith, my beliefs, my relationship with Him; He was walking me higher up that Mountain!

Although we cannot feel, see, or sense our brains and muscles growing and developing at night, we know they are. We can also take comfort in the fact that He is at work in each of us whether we feel it or not, just as He was with me in Mexico. Nevertheless, we must not neglect the importance of both resting in Him and running hard for Him. Just as too much sleep and insignificant exercise leave us lethargic, running hard and neglecting those Red Light Moments will profoundly hinder our growth. What season of life are you in right now? Are you working those muscles, pushing as hard as you can push, letting Him stretch you beyond your capabilities? Or are you resting and allowing God to strengthen and rebuild?

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven… a time to break down, and a time to build up.

-Ecclesiastes 3:1,3