Expect the Unexpected
Because of Israel’s repeated unfaithfulness to God throughout the Old Testament, we might expect to find a revenge story revealing God’s anger and punishment. Instead, in the book of Ruth, we find a story of God’s unfailing love. As we’ll discover, understanding why God continues to remain loyal and noticing how He displays His love in unexpected ways has implications for how we relate to God, to ourselves, and to others.
Read Ruth 1:16-17 again. Imagine God expressing a similar dedication to you (Jeremiah 32:38; Hebrews 13:5-6; John 3:16). What are the first thoughts or emotions you have when you think about God’s desire for you? What, if anything, makes it difficult to receive this kind of love?
Read Matthew 20:1-15. In this story, the owner of the vineyard pays all his employees the same regardless of how much work they’ve done. What does this story tell you about God’s love toward you?
In Psalm 77, the author begins by describing his despair but then there is a dramatic redirection toward hope. What is the action that causes the change in the author’s outlook? How would you rewrite Psalm 77 using your own experiences?
God loves us because of who He is, not because of what we’ve done or are capable of (Romans 5:6-8). How might that shift your approach to others? As you think about the people you see daily, how would your interactions with them change if you imagine loving them because of who you are instead of who they are?
Take a moment to prayerfully think about your day, week, or year so far. Ask God to help you see times when you experienced His faithful love but have missed it in the moment. Who were the people, or what were the situations, you now sense He was using to speak to you, comfort you, or encourage you?
A Beautiful Thing
As Jesus prepared for the cross, an unnamed woman responded to Jesus with faith in a unique way. She understood truth about Jesus that eluded other disciples and gave Jesus an extravagant gift. Let’s remember how her example teaches us to follow the Lord with faith...
Stay Awake
Throughout His time on earth, Jesus' disciples asked Him many of the same questions that we find ourselves wrestling with today. Instead of giving a direct and clear response to their questions, Jesus focused more on the heart and attitude of His followers. We have...
Death and Taxes
Death and taxes are two of life’s certainties, and Jesus responded to questions about those topics to redirect our attention to timeless truth. Remembering the source and owner of all the parts of our life, as well as life itself, radically changes our perspectives....
Divine Authority
While Jesus entered conflict with religious leaders over his authority, he also revealed significant truth about his mission, God’s good gifts, and our responsibilities. What can Jesus’ teaching, storytelling, and confrontation with religious authorities teach us...
Foreshadowing
Jesus approaches Jerusalem with a loud celebration, but when he enters the Temple courts no one seems to notice. His strong actions both privately and publicly demand attention and response. Jesus’ triumphal parade into Jerusalem, a withered fig tree, and Jesus’...