verseoftheday

I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, because I hear of your love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus. Philemon 1:4-5 CSB This small church is famous for the very thing that Jesus called them to: "I give you a new command:  Love one another.  Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35 CSB I wonder what they were doing that Paul had heard about? Love and faith. We can complicate things can't we? If we set out to be known for love and faith it just doesn't work that way.  Simply love people well & live a life of faith.  And Paul was praying for them - we won't forget the people who we regularly pray for. He knew Philemon, Apphia & Archippus. Knew their names and held them in his prayers. I'm not great at that, but just like this church was small, I can start small and pray for others by name.  #...

Grace to you  and peace  from God our Father  and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philemon 1:3 CSB Grace to you  and peace  from God our Father  and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you  and peace  from God our Father  and the Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever is in front of you today, may this greeting, this blessing, this is invocation, be comforting, motivating, and hold you. May we find a way to speak this in words or actions into our world, into the life of someone else today. Grace to you  and peace  from God our Father  and the Lord Jesus Christ. #philemon #blessing #gracetoyou

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home. Philemon 1:1-2 CSB How many churches have you been part of? What makes church church? Here the church meets in a house. That's it.  Not sure how big the house is or how many people may have made up the church, what do you think it would have been like? What would have happened when people arrived? Would you know if someone was missing?  Or struggling? Or celebrating? Paul introduces us to a few characters here; He's writing on Timothy's behalf too. He's writing to Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the church.  And there's labels for everyone: Prisoner of Jesus  Brother Dear friend & co-worker Sister Fellow soldier While they're labels they seem to be more like positioning, that Paul is reducing any power imbalance, putting himself clearly under Jesus, that his lif...

How happy  is the one  who does not  walk in the advice  of the wicked  or stand  in the pathway  with sinners  or sit  in the company  of mockers! Instead,  his delight  is in the Lord's instruction,  and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree  planted beside flowing streams  that bears its fruit  in its season,  and its leaf  does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.  The wicked  are not like this;  instead,  they are like chaff  that the wind blows away.  Therefore  the wicked  will not stand up  in the judgment,  nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord  watches over  the way of the righteous, but the way  of the wicked  leads to ruin. Psalms 1 CSB Part 2 of this Psalm, this song, gives a bigger view of prosperity. It's telling us something about eternity.  It's telling us that there's mo...

Instead,  his delight  is in the Lord's instruction,  and he meditates on it day and night.  He is like a tree  planted  beside flowing streams  that bears its fruit  in its season,  and its leaf  does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers. Psalms 1:2-3 CSB Can you imagine people singing this song as a reminder of where to put their focus.  As a reminder that God's goodness and grace in a person's life is long and slow and bears fruit in season, and at other times doesn't, that we are to put down deep roots, but not just anywhere.  Put down our roots next to the stream that brings Life.  We get to choose every day where we're planted, what our roots are tapping into... And it's important 'cos it affects the fruit we bear. #psalms #songs #psalm1 #sinkyourrootsclosetotheriverofLife

Don't testify against your neighbor without cause. Don't deceive with your lips.  Don't say, "I'll do to him what he did to me;  I'll repay the man for what he has done." Proverbs 24:28-29 CSB This proverb is not saying that there shouldn't be accountability. Or justice. Or restitution. It's about my heart and my thirst for revenge.  Two people I know have had their homes invaded and possessions stolen in the last couple of weeks. If they discover who the offenders are and go and take their possessions does this solve anything? Maybe. And will revenge lead to another round, and another, and another? Justice, accountability, heart change, seeing the hurt our actions cause, making things right, these are all BIG issues for us, for our communities, for our world.  This proverb isn't saying there's an easy answer to complex problems, it does recognise that we get hurt, offended against, and is also asking us to look into our hearts and what...

Friday! Proverbs! Don't testify against your neighbor without cause. Don't deceive with your lips. Proverbs 24:28 CSB It's OK it seems to testify against your neighbor, just not without cause.  So what does this proverb encourage us to do? Slow down. To slow down before we speak, to slow down and check. Check my facts. And check my reason for speaking about someone else.  What's that second part? "Don't deceive with your lips". Now we're into real Proverbs territory becuase before I deceive with my lips, my words, there's already been a deceiving in my heart.  Slow down Check my facts Check my reason Check my heart motivation  I'm encouraged to slow things down when it comes to speaking.  Matariki seems to be a good day to do some listening... #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #itsaheartthing

How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. Psalms 1:1-2 CSB Interesting how they've translated this first line..."happy is the one". The word here is "esher" & means happiness, blessedness, so it's often translated as blessed. In a culture looking to live in God's blessing then using that word makes sense. In our culture being "happy" is an such important attribute.  And I get caught in the idea of where it's found, looking in a place that promises happiness, but cannot deliver.  Can I really find delight in what God has to say? The psalmist thinks so.  Maybe the trick is in recognising the things we're called away from, the people who are there, to the action we are called to, meditation, and who is there.  Our world conspires against us to medita...

Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).  Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).  Obed was the father of Jesse.  Jesse was the father of King David.  David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). ... Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.  Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah. Matthew 1:5-6, 16 NLT At the beginning of the new testament, Matthew's gospel is the whakapapa of Jesus and one of the interesting things is the way some people are mentioned.  Our friend Ruth is mentioned here.  Famous women in Jesus's line, Rachel for example, are not mentioned.  Of the 42 generations of men from Abraham to Jesus there are 5 women mentioned; Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bethsheba and Mary are. These women are all honoured here, they all have a story.  If we ever think that our story is not good enough, that we're not good enough, not enough, then we can stand with the...

Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David. Ruth 4:21-22 CSB Not only is Naomi's story and Ruth's story connected in here, it's connected to a bigger story.  Ruth the Moabite, destitute, widowed, Ruth from over there, is accepted, wrapped into the community, Ruth who's love and commitment to Naomi is honoured, a picture of the importance of relationships, of people, is tucked into this bigger story of God at work in the world. Just like you. Just like me. Our stories are somehow beautifully tucked into, woven into, braided into, God's Big Story. Even when we can't see it. As you look back on Ruth's story, what comes to mind? Maybe it's the women who were employed in Boaz's business who made a safe space for Ruth to work, in their ordinary everyday work made room for a stranger to gain connection and find hope. To find Life  That's grace. #bookofRuth

The women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him." Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became a mother to him. The neighbor women said, "A son has been born to Naomi," and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. Ruth 4:14-17 CSB The first thing the people in Naomi and Ruth's community did was acknowledge God's goodness, and that He would be honoured. Then they honoured Ruth, in a culture that valued sons, it was Ruth's committment and unwavering love in action that showed what true family was. They all saw it.  Love that overwhelmed any difference in ethnicity, age, circumstance. At the end of the story it's Ruth who holds the picture of Jesus for us, she ...

All the people who were at the city gate, including the elders, said, "We are witnesses..." Ruth 4:11 CSB Everyone had gathered at the city gate to get the low down on Boaz and Ruth.  A redemptive story that kept the family name of Ruth's husband Mahlon who had died, and his father, Naomi's husband Elimilech. V10 A redemptive story that gave Ruth a new life with Boaz. Ruth who was a foreigner, one who didn't belong, is wrapped in to the community. V13 A redemptive story for Naomi as Ruth has a child and she gets a new opportunity as a grandmother.v15-17 A redemptive story for the community as they celebrate this new relationship and welcome Ruth in with God's blessing.v11-12 A redemptive story for Boaz who's life is changed.v13 And it's a redemptive story for us as Boaz and Ruth's son is the grandfather of David, in direct line to Jesus. V21-22 Out of being refugees, poverty, loss, grief and unbelonging, goodness did come.  When Naomi and Ruth wer...

At an earlier period in Israel, a man removed his sandal and gave it to the other party in order to make any matter legally binding concerning the right of redemption or the exchange of property. This was the method of legally binding a transaction in Israel.  So the redeemer removed his sandal and said to Boaz, "Buy back the property yourself." Ruth 4:7-8 CSB In Ch4 Boaz is again doing the right thing, following their tikanga, their practices, meeting at the city gate with the elders, doing the thing with the sandal.  Deut 25 gives the law. Ruth 4 shows an outworking of that law that honours the most vulnerable and gives them protection, hope and a future.  I wonder if the person giving up their sandal walked with one for a while, or kept that one by his door as a reminder of the commitment, the covenant that was made? Having tangible reminders, symbols, is part of who we are as people. They help us to remember what is important. Wedding rings are a classic, & tattoo...

Friday! Proverbs! Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field;  after that, you may build your house. Proverbs 24:27 BSB Seems the picture here is a society where the person's livelihood is connected to their land. What happens if this person puts their time and energy and resources into building a house, and the harvest season rolls around? The wisdom here indicates an order for doing things, an order that we just want to shortcut. I want that qualification, want to be able to play the piano like that person, want to be able to run 10k, whatever it is, but the prep work? The study time? The practice? Our "modern" society seems to be about faster, shortcuts, have it all, have it now.  Yet the most important things don't usually work like... relationships that last take intentional time together, knowing God is a lifelong journey... As we sit with this proverb today, may we find goodness, encouragement, joy, in the "completing our outdoor work and preparing ...

When Ruth went back to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, "What happened, my daughter?" Ruth told Naomi everything Boaz had done for her... Ruth 3:16 NLT What had Boaz done? He had honoured Ruth, seen her as a person, treated her with respect, was concerned for her reputation, kept her safe, honoured his culture and God's law, and was generous towards her.  Because that's what love does.  I think that we're supposed to get a picture of God's love for us in Boaz. And get a picture of how we should see people and how we should treat them, especially where we have power. Boaz had all the power here, yet he chose to honour the person with less.  Because that's what love does.  #bookofRuth #thatiswhatlovedoes

One day Naomi said to Ruth, "My daughter, it's time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for..." Ruth 3:1 NLT The whole of chapter 3 is an account of what Naomi told Ruth to do to get Boaz's attention. What strikes me here is that Naomi has changed.  We don't know how long it's taken, at least the barley season plus the wheat season, but there's been healing. Naomi has shifted from being bitter, to being other oriented.  Healing takes the time that it takes.  It's not that time heals, but Naomi came back to her place, back to her whanau, and has been cared for by Ruth, and that nurturing and care over time has allowed her to heal.  We all need a place where we have a sense of belonging, people we belong with, and people to care for us. We don't all have a piece of land or people somewhere to "go back" to, maybe "my people" are not blood relatives, but we all need community. People who will stand w...

So Ruth worked alongside the women in Boaz's fields and gathered grain with them until the end of the barley harvest. Then she continued working with them through the wheat harvest in early summer. And all the while she lived with her mother-in-law. Ruth 2:23 NLT This is life sometimes. Quietly working away through the barley harvest, then the wheat harvest.  Quietly rebuilding her life.  It's easy to forget that Ruth was married and her husband died and now she is living in another country with her mother-in-law and is at the bottom of the economic ladder. And day after day she turns up and does what she needs to do to support her whanau, Naomi. There's an honouring here in the way that this is written. Ruth is quietly doing the work to keep this little fam going, literally for seasons. The barley harvest season, then the wheat harvest season. The writer of this book sees her, and if this is you today, in the midst of the barley season and all you can see ahead is the whea...

Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed by the Lord, who has not withdrawn His kindness from the living or the dead." Naomi continued, "The man is a close relative. He is one of our kinsman-redeemers." Ruth 2:20 BSB Naomi still felt like death. Living in grief. And in the midst of her grief and loss she gets this reminder that God is still good.  Sometimes we look for this big miracle and massive shift in circumstances, but for Naomi it was not even her that was directly impacted, but Ruth.  Yet in that Naomi could see God's hand, God's heart for the living (Ruth) and the dead (Naomi). When we feel like death, this story of God and Naomi reminds us that He is good, and that The Redeemer is right here.  #bookofRuth #whenwefeellikedeathwarmedup

Her mother-in-law said to her, "Where did you gather barley today, and where did you work? May the Lord bless the man who noticed you." Ruth told her mother-in-law whom she had worked with and said, "The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz." Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May the Lord bless him because he has not abandoned his kindness to the living or the dead." Naomi continued, "The man is a close relative. He is one of our family redeemers." Ruth 2:19-20 CSB You can sense the hope being rekindled in Naomi, and just imagine the conversation that these two women would start having about what and who a redeemer is, what Leviticus 25 means, and how good God is to build this safety net into society.  For many of us our culture is all about the individual, that we can do it all, never need help, yet the reality is that our circumstances can and do change, that the strong can become weak, the rich become poor, and we need one anothe...

So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. She beat out what she had gathered, and it was about twenty-six quarts of barley. She picked up the grain and went into the town, where her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She brought out what she had left over from her meal and gave it to her. Ruth 2:17-18 CSB Ruth gave her mother-in-law that wonderful committment back in Chapter 1, and this is the outworking of that. Ruth had a meal shared with her, and she kept some and shared it with Naomi. Not only does this tell us how poor they  were but even in that poverty Ruth was sharing what she had.  Also in this story is Boaz. He seemed to have plenty. But he was also holding it lightly, being generous too, reflecting God's grace that is written into the law, and from a heart that seemed willing, not following the law becuase it was what he had to do, he wanted to live generously.  There's times in life when we might be Boaz with plenty, or Ruth with little, or Naomi...

Friday! Proverbs! An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. Proverbs 24:26 NIV An honest answer is like a warm hug. Proverbs 24:26 MSG An honest answer is like my Mum's lamb roast...or that first coffee of the day...or your favourite ice cream, the warmth of an open fire... A kiss on the lips in our culture is reserved for romantic relationships, but must've meant something different when this was written.  Putting aside the what it's like comparisons this proverb is reminding us that an honest answer is a good thing for both the person asking the question, and the person answering.  The Hebrew word translated as honest here is "nakaoch" which means straight, upright, straightness...you get the picture... Let's be straight with one another. It's good for both of us.  (OK there's going to be times when wisdom says it's better not to say everything, or maybe better to say nothing). Being straightforward means that we both understand, there's n...

When Ruth got up to glean, Boaz ordered his young men, "Even if she gathers among the sheaves, do not insult her. Rather, pull out for her some stalks from the bundles and leave them for her to gather. Do not rebuke her." Ruth 2:15-16 BSB Maybe Boaz knew what it was like to be the new person. The one who didn't know quite what to do, what the protocols were.  Maybe he'd seen lots of "Ruth's" who on their first day don't really know what's what.  So he tells his team to not just make it easy for her, but not to make her look foolish if she got it wrong (how is she supposed to know?). The people with power and knowledge moved and shifted to accommodate the person with none.  This generosity of spirit, this manaakitanga, expression of care that allowed Ruth to maintain her mana.  What a beautiful picture. A picture that encourages us when we meet people, they come into our house, our church, our space, that we accommodate, shift, allow them to maint...

Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Don't go and gather grain in another field, and don't leave this one, but stay here close to my female servants. See which field they are harvesting, and follow them.  Haven't I ordered the young men not to touch you?  When you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.  She fell facedown, bowed to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor with you, so that you notice me, although I am a foreigner?" Boaz answered her, "Everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband's death has been fully reported to me: how you left your father and mother and your native land, and how you came to a people you didn't previously know.  May the Lord reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." Ruth 2:8-12 CSB Boaz saw the person.  His world view was that he and his ...

Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, "The Lord be with you!" "The Lord bless you!" they answered.  Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, "Who does that young woman belong to?" The overseer replied, "She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi. She said, 'Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.' She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter." Ruth 2:4-7 NIV What do you notice here? The Big Boss Boaz arrives and greets the workers who respond in kind. The Overseer not only knows who Ruth is but has allowed her to effectively work for herself in their business. The Overseer knew Leviticus 19:9-10 and it was clearly part of this groups culture to live by it. To let the poor and the alien of which Ruth was both to work and get what they needed.  In God's economy maximising profit is not the aim of busine...

So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival.  "Is it really Naomi?" the women asked.  "Don't call me Naomi," she responded.  "Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?" So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest. Ruth 1:19-22 NLT Naomi is so unhappy that we'd probably say she was depressed today.  She left seeking a better life and lost so much, and now is barely recognisable. She's lost her husband, her sons, her mana, blames God, looks like in hindsight she made a poor choice to leave, blames the world.  "Change my name for from pleasant to ...

If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,  and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains  but do not have love,  I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2 CSB I thought this love was supposed to be warm and nice...but it can be quite confronting and challenging. Last week the "I am" was a clanging cymbal. This week the "I am" is "nothing".  My own internal voice says "I am nothing" when I compare, when I haven't achieved, when I've failed, when I wonder about my worth.  Paul says it's not those things at all. It's if I do not have love.  And he places this not-having-love in the context of faith, knowledge, gifting. Seeing all those things in someone doesn't mean that they love.  Having all those things doesn't make a person any more, or any less valuable in the Kingdom. The one attribute Paul is interested in that underpins everything, that changes everything, is love. I wonder what cont...

But Ruth replied:  Don't plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you.  For wherever you go,  I will go,  and wherever you live,  I will live; your people will be my people,  and your God will be my God.  Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.  May the Lord punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.  When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped talking to her. Ruth 1:16-18 CSB Today, read this passage a few times. Take a few minutes to meditate on it...let Ruth's words to Naomi sink in... What stands out for you as you meditated? Maybe you've never "journalled" before, just start writing what's going  on in you as you sit with Ruth's speech.  "Lord, what do you want me to learn from Ruth, from Naomi, from this covenant?" #dangerousprayers #bookofRuth #lovepeople

Friday! Proverbs! These sayings also belong to the wise:  It is not good to show partiality in judgment. Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent" - peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;  but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a generous blessing will come to them. Proverbs 24:23-25 CSB I don't know any judges, but I am a parent, and I'm sure there's been times that I have declared the guilty innocent. None of us like it when we are up close to injustice.  Where are you and I called on to make judgements like this?  It's easy to misplace grace, to justify in our own minds why it's easier or better not to pursue justice, not to put consequences in place, not to require accountability, not to seek restitution, not to require a confession, not to take up the cause of a victim. Why else would I say to the guilty "you are innocent"? Perhaps I don't want to believe they are guilty. Perhaps it makes me look ...

Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law." But Ruth replied: "Don't plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you. For wherever you will go, I will go..." Ruth 1:14-16 CSB Here the story changes and the two younger women make two different decisions.  The writer does not give any judgement on Orpah for her decision, who seems to have been convinced by the strength and wisdom of Naomi's arguments. She made the best decision she could, knowing what she knew at the time.  Ruth took a different approach, and prioritised relationship over the relative security and comfort of staying with her people.  Ruth was prepared to go into the unknown with Naomi. Not for what she might get out of it but can only be seen as love. Love that spoke through her words of committment, and her actions.  In our culture ...

They said to her, "We insist on returning with you to your people." But Naomi replied, "Return home, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me?" Ruth 1:10-11 CSB Orpah and Ruth wanted to stick with Naomi and head back to her people. But Naomi gives them plenty of reasons not to. She feels that God is against her and nothing good will come of her 'daughters' coming with her.  We know that there is healing and goodness ahead in this story, but right now, in the midst of her grief, Naomi has no sight of that.  Naomi is hurting.  In her pain she is pushing away those closest to her.  In the next few verses Naomi gives them a reason to not only go to their people, but also their gods.  Naomi is hurting. And the writer invites us to sit with her in her situation. Her choices are limited and her resources seem small. In her hurt there seems a genuine desire that her daughters get another opportunity to flourish, and in her hurt she is going back to her land. Back...