In the book of Ruth, the central theme of hesed, or faithful, loyal love, keeps everything together and keeps the story moving ever closer to redemption. Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz all reflect and demonstrate God's faithful, loyal love to one another. The love for one another and for God, the trust and boldness and faith that these … Continue reading Ruth 4: Legacy
Ruth 3: The Threshing Floor
In each scene of Ruth, the location helps us learn about the progression of Ruth and Naomi's redemption. Here, we find Ruth and Boaz in the threshing floor, where barley was processed. So in Ruth we've gone from Bethlehem during famine to Moab back to Bethlehem during harvest, and now we are in the place … Continue reading Ruth 3: The Threshing Floor
Thursday Thoughts: Ruth
Sometimes these posts draw on themes from upcoming sermons, but sometimes they're just personal. This is one of those posts. Just over a week ago, Cassie and I adopted a three-legged dog. According to the adoption agency, she's a 3-year-old chocolate lab mix. According to a vet in Alabama (where she's from), she's 6-years-old. According … Continue reading Thursday Thoughts: Ruth
Tuesday Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer
This week's prayer is probably our most familiar prayer, but I'm going to ask you to pray it differently than normal. The Lord's Prayer, which we pray every Sunday in unison, is the example Jesus gave his disciples when they asked, "Lord, teach us to pray..." (Luke 11:1). Here's what we'll do today: I want … Continue reading Tuesday Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer
Ruth 2: The Harvest
"May the Lord reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!" - Ruth 2:12 These are the words of Boaz. In the book of Ruth, Boaz is the third character we meet who reflects God's hesed, or … Continue reading Ruth 2: The Harvest
Tuesday Prayer
In Ruth 2, which we'll explore this Sunday, contains a special sort of prayer. I call it special for two reasons: one, it's not a typical prayer we'd pray (it's more of a blessing), and two, it is a prayer that the one praying embodies. We are called to pray. We are also called to seek … Continue reading Tuesday Prayer
Ruth 1: Where you go, I will go
Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. - Ruth 1:16 On Sunday, we began a new sermon series on the Book of Ruth. It is a four-chapter book, and we'll go through one chapter per Sunday. It's an incredible … Continue reading Ruth 1: Where you go, I will go
God is Love – 1 John 4:7-21
We close up our short series in 1 John with some of his most famous words. This passage is all about love. God is love. Love is from God. We must love others if we claim to love God. Perfect love casts out fear. There is so much. I invite you to spend this week … Continue reading God is Love – 1 John 4:7-21
Thursday Thoughts: Love from MLK
This week, we'll explore the word love. 1 John 4:7-21, which will be Sunday's text, states that God is love and God loves us. Therefore, we are called to love one another. In the Gospels, Jesus pushes us to not just love one another, but to love even our enemies. Personally, I have not encountered … Continue reading Thursday Thoughts: Love from MLK
Tuesday Prayer
This week I've been contemplating and praying through the spiritual rhythms of my life. How and when I read Scripture, pray, meditate, rest, etc. This is important for me as a pastor, but it's also important for every Christian. On that note, one resource I read expressed the importance of praising God as our first … Continue reading Tuesday Prayer
Pastor Drew's Desk 