redeemed

Good evening friends,

Today's reading is striking for the images of Israel having been forsaken by God and now redeemed. Even in the deepest darkness, God's love can shine again. 

God bless,
Sam

Isaiah 62:1-9

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. ²The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. ³You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. ⁴You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. ⁵For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

⁶Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted sentinels; all day and all night they shall never be silent. You who remind the Lord, take no rest, ⁷and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it renowned throughout the earth. ⁸The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink the wine for which you have labored; ⁹but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it in my holy courts.

legal settlement

Good evening friends,
In yesterday's reading Ruth basically proposed to Boaz as well as asking him to protect and support Naomi and her. Boaz tells her he will perform his obligation as next of kin, but that there's someone else even more closely related, so he has to talk to him first. We'll see how that conversation proceeds tonight.

God bless,
Sam

Ruth 4:1-8

No sooner had Boaz gone up to the gate and sat down there than the next-of-kin, of whom Boaz had spoken, came passing by. So Boaz said, “Come over, friend; sit down here.” And he went over and sat down. ²Then Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here”; so they sat down. ³He then said to the next-of-kin, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our kinsman Elimelech. ⁴So I thought I would tell you of it, and say: Buy it in the presence of those sitting here, and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not, tell me, so that I may know; for there is no one prior to you to redeem it, and I come after you.”

So he said, “I will redeem it.” ⁵Then Boaz said, “The day you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you are also acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead man, to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance.” ⁶At this, the next-of-kin said, “I cannot redeem it for myself without damaging my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.” ⁷Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one took off a sandal and gave it to the other; this was the manner of attesting in Israel. ⁸So when the next-of-kin said to Boaz, “Acquire it for yourself,” he took off his sandal.

a longer term plan

Good afternoon friends,
I hope your week has been a good on. We've read how Ruth has been gleaning in Boaz's field to keep her and Naomi alive. Now Naomi looks for a way to give Ruth some longer term security, which in this case means a husband. Her unconventional match-making makes for a good read. When you read threshing floor, think fishing trip: some time when men get together to work and celebrate. The next-of-kin stuff is hard for us to understand, but the short version is that in biblical Israel the next of kin had the obligation to buy the land for family in need so the land stayed in the family. In a case like Ruth's where she is a widow without children, her husband's next of kin also has the obligation to marry her so she can be provided for and to provide an heir for her dead husband. That way his family line and land are preserved and the widow would be cared for.

Blessings on your weekend,
Sam

Ruth 3:1-14

Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. ²Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. ³Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.” ⁵She said to her, “All that you tell me I will do.”

⁶So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. ⁷When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and he was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came stealthily and uncovered his feet, and lay down. ⁸At midnight the man was startled, and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman! ⁹He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin.”

¹⁰He said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. ¹¹And now, my daughter, do not be afraid, I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman. ¹²But now, though it is true that I am a near kinsman, there is another kinsman more closely related than I. ¹³Remain this night, and in the morning, if he will act as next-of-kin for you, good; let him do it. If he is not willing to act as next-of-kin for you, then, as the Lord lives, I will act as next-of-kin for you. Lie down until the morning.” ¹⁴So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before one person could recognize another; for he said, “It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”

Joseph's story

Good evening friends,
A huge thanks to everyone who came out to make this year's Living Nativity a success. All the costumes looked great, the characters were wonderful, the hospitality was warm and the animals were themselves. What a blessing to share the Christmas story with the neighborhood in such a fun way. I hope to see many of you tomorrow evening at our Christmas Eve service at 7pm. It's a beautiful service with lots of music and a great story. Come and bring a friend.

Today's reading is the story of Joseph's struggle when he found out his fiancee, Mary, was pregnant. Joseph's story doesn't get a ton of attention, but it is a story of strong faith, love and courage.

God bless,
Sam


Matthew 1:18-25
¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.

²⁰But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²²All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ²³“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” ²⁴When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ²⁵but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

marriage and divorce

Good morning brothers and sisters,
This morning's reading is sort of cool for the small group reading the Bible together, because we just read the passages Jesus is quoting (Genesis 1 and 2). The religious leaders ask Jesus if one can divorce his wife for any reason (at that time a man could divorce his wife but not the other way around). Apparently there was debate among experts in the Law about whether one could divorce his wife for any reason (one scholar suggested burning dinner was enough of a reason) or if some specific threshold had to be met.

Jesus, as usual, turns the question upside down. He talks not about rules and regulations, but the purpose of marriage. The point of marriage is for two people to join their lives together permanently and share the whole journey. The rules governing divorce came because make a mess of things (especially relationships). We've changed in our thinking as a church, recognizing that there are times when a relationship hurts rather than builds us up. Jesus is uncompromising and even suggests in private to his disciples that for those who have the gift of staying single, that may be a blessing in their spiritual lives (Paul says the same thing). As a church (nationally) we have compromised on this, and that can be a good thing. The important thing is to remember that the point of marriage is lifelong commitment, but like the law of Moses recognizes, when that commitment can't work a legal divorce that protects both parties is better than putting the first spouse aside at will.

Even though Jesus seems harsh here, we also know that he welcomes everyone. Even if our marriages and other parts of our lives haven't gone according to plan, God will always give us a fresh start. God's purposes can be hard to work out in our lives, but Jesus example in going back to the root of things instead of the rules is a helpful guide.
blessings,
Sam

Matthew 19:1-15

When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2Large crowds followed him, and he cured them there. 3Some Pharisees came to him, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?” 4He answered, “Have you not read that the one who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ 5and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

7They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?” 8He said to them, “It was because you were so hard-hearted that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another commits adultery.”

10His disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11But he said to them, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given. 12For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

13Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; 14but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” 15And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.

more sibling rivalry

Good morning or evening friends,
Today's reading continues our rivalry between Jacob's two wives, Leah and Rachel. Rachel is the favorite wife, but she hasn't been able to have any children. That puts her at a disadvantage and leaves her upset. She takes her maid servant, Bilhah, and encourages Jacob to sleep with her so that she can have children in that way. Jacob's grandmother, Sarah, tried a similar strategy but found herself weakened in comparison to her servant. That doesn't seem to be the case in this story. Rachel has children (Dan and Naphtali) through Bilhah and the competition continues.

God bless,
Sam

Genesis 30:1-13

When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister; and she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2Jacob became very angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3Then she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, that she may bear upon my knees and that I too may have children through her.”



4So she gave him her maid Bilhah as a wife; and Jacob went in to her. 5And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son”; therefore she named him Dan. 7Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed”; so she named him Naphtali. 9When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10Then Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11And Leah said, “Good fortune!” so she named him Gad. 12Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13And Leah said, “Happy am I! For the women will call me happy”; so she named him Asher.

Jacob's new family

Good morning friends,
Jacob's arrival at Laban's house was happy, but not everything with that relationship is going to prove easy. After a month Laban suggests paying Jacob and Jacob wants to marry Laban's daughter Rachel in exchange for his work. The irony in this story is that Laban deceives Jacob, since Jacob is used to deceiving other people. The passage as a whole is tragically funny; it's not hard to imagine the scene as a bit from a goofy comedic play. At the same time we sense that there may be trouble in the future for this family. Even in the twists and turns of our lives, God is with us.

Blessings on your week,
Sam

Genesis 29:15-30

15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17Leah’s eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. 18Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. 23But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24(Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) 25When morning came, it was Leah!



And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26Laban said, “This is not done in our country—giving the younger before the firstborn. 27Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. 29(Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) 30So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He served Laban for another seven years.

partners for life

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today God gives the man a home and work to do. God also notices that people are better off in community, so God seeks a partner for the man. There is a real joy in that kind of deep partnership. Maggie and I just celebrated our anniversary and I'm grateful to God for the relationship we have. At the same time sometimes in the church we haven't done such a good job welcoming those who are single. Paul makes it clear that God calls some people to a single life and that too is a gift. Relationships are important in our life, but they can be damaging as well. God gives healing grace for all of us, so the church can be a place of welcome, healing and wholeness for people in every life situation.

God bless,
Sam

Genesis 2:15-24

15The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it.

16And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”



18Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” 19So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner.



21So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.” 24Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

to marry or to remain single

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Here Paul continues his discussion of people who are unmarried for various reasons. First he considers men who are engaged. If they have their desires under control and want to remain unmarried, he sees this as a good choice. It's a good choice because it helps them to focus on ministry and discipleship. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to include discussion with the man's fiancee here, which is a pretty major oversight. He says basically the same thing about widows: they are free to remarry (a believer), but it may be easier to follow if they stay single. Overall, the theme is the same: marriage is not bad, but it can distract us. Of course, our relationships can also strengthen our discipleship, but only if we make that a priority.

God bless,
Sam

1 Corinthians 1:36-40

36If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his fiancee, if his passions are strong, and so it has to be, let him marry as he wishes; it is no sin. Let them marry. 37But if someone stands firm in his resolve, being under no necessity but having his own desire under control, and has determined in his own mind to keep her as his fiancee, he will do well. 38So then, he who marries his fiancee does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.

39A wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if the husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord. 40But in my judgment she is more blessed if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

marriage in the church

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today continues Paul's teaching on marriage and divorce. First he talks to married couples in the church to say that marriage is forever. His point seems to be made here in the light of others who taught against marriage or sex. Paul reminds the church that marriage is to be taken seriously. At the same time, we recognize that there are times when a marriage can not work out. In a situation like that Christians are called to make every effort to make the marriage work, but at a certain point it may be that a marriage is doing both partners real harm and they would be better off as people, parents and Christians to divorce. Paul might not have said that, but I believe it's true.

On the other hand, Paul's teaching is a little different for believers married to unbelievers. In this case the Christian spouse should still try to make things work, knowing that through their influence both the spouse and their children could be closer to Jesus than without the marriage. At the same time, if the unbelieving spouse chooses to end the marriage, the Christian should let them go in peace. They are then free to remarry. Marriage and family is such a challenging and wonderful part of life. In a family faith often grows strong, but sometimes we have a harder time living our faith at home than we do outside. In marriage and life Christ calls us to peace and love.
May it be so for you today,
Sam

1 Corinthians 7:10-16

10To the married I give this command—not I but the Lord—that the wife should not separate from her husband 11(but if she does separate, let her remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife. 12To the rest I say—I and not the Lord—that if any believer has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13And if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. It is to peace that God has called you. 16Wife, for all you know, you might save your husband. Husband, for all you know, you might save your wife.

marriage and sex

Good morning friends,
I'd like to apologize for not sending out the daily reading yesterday. There was an exciting adventure story involving spending the night in the Washington Airport that explains most of that, but that's a story for another time. To get back on track with the reading we'll read yesterday's and today's together since they complement each other well. This part of 1 Corinthians is about sex and marriage. One reminder that's particularly applicable here is that the phrases in quotations are thought to be quotes from a letter Paul received from the church, to which he is responding. The first part hinges on fornication, which really means casual sex. Paul's argument is that in baptism and faith our bodies are members of Christ's body and temples of the Holy Spirit. Any time we have sex we are joining our body with another person's body, meaning we join part of Christ's body with that person. Sex is not impure or unclean because love makes it holy. Casual, abusive, or unloving sex dishonors not just our body, but Christ's too.

Some folks in the church took matters further than Paul and felt like sex in general was not good for Christians. Paul agrees in some ways, because the deep human relationships in which sex is appropriate involve high commitment. Paul feels like that kind of commitment distracts us from ministry, as all of us who are in relationships, especially with children, know first hand. But Paul also knows committed partnership, and sex in that partnership, is a good and joyful thing allowed by God. Further, while some people, like Paul, have been given the spiritual gift of celibacy (in other words, they thrive outside of committed relationships and generally don't need intimate human contact) for most of us staying away from sexual commitment leads to temptation. That temptation is powerful and spiritually dangerous, so it is better to structure our desire in marriage or permanent partnership. The overall point here is putting our faith at the center of all of our relationships and living our faith powerfully in everything we do.

blessings in your discipleship today,
Sam

1 Corinthians 6:12-7:9

12“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power.


15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16Do you not know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, “The two shall be one flesh.” 17But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. 19Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is well for a man not to touch a woman.” 2But because of cases of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5Do not deprive one another except perhaps by agreement for a set time, to devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6This I say by way of concession, not of command. 7I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind. 8To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain unmarried as I am. 9But if they are not practicing self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.

marriage and food

Good morning friends,
In our passage for today Paul reminds Timothy that controversy in church will test the church and its leaders. He points to false teachings, citing those who "forbid marriage and demand abstinence from certain kinds of foods." The food issue probably refers to people who continued to follow the Law of Moses, keeping kosher as part of their Christian faith. Paul consistently rejects this standpoint, though often he counsels the church not to worry if some people in the church continue to keep those regulations.

Paul's teaching on marriage is interesting. In First Corinthians he lifts up some of the difficulties of making Christ the center of one's life if one is married: "The single woman worries about God, how to please God; but the married woman worries about how to please her husband." Even though he sees the virtue in remaining single he also knows it is not everyone's calling, and he sees that marriage can strengthen faith as well. He speaks out strongly here and elsewhere against leaders who forbid marriage. Paul also encourages Timothy and reminds him (and us) that leaders in the church need to make sure they are well nourished by God's word. We all need that nourishment to stay strong in our faith. So savor the word and give thanks for God's gifts.

God bless,
Sam


1 Timothy 4:1-6
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. 3They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; 5for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.
6If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed.

marital problems

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today's reading tells the story of Israel's youth as a nation, of her first love for God and God's care for her. God wonders where things went wrong, why Israel has abandoned being God's bride to follow other gods. This bridal image is a common metaphor for God and Israel and for God and the church. There's great depth in it because marriage is a rich and complicated relationship, as is our relationship with God. There are all kinds of distractions in the world that tempt us from God. Often the things we want are part of God's plan for us, things God wants us to enjoy. The question is, are we seeking things as part of our relationship with God or are we seeking things instead of our relationship with God? When we stray God always calls us home again.

God bless,
Sam

Jeremiah 2:1-8
The word of the Lord came to me, saying: 2Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord: I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. 3Israel was holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his harvest. All who ate of it were held guilty; disaster came upon them, says the Lord. 4Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.

5Thus says the Lord: What wrong did your ancestors find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves? 6They did not say, “Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that no one passes through, where no one lives?” 7I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruits and its good things. But when you entered you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination. 8The priests did not say, “Where is the Lord?” Those who handle the law did not know me; the rulers transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after things that do not profit.