Take heart! God cares for us

Matthew 10.

This is the day that the Lord has made we shall rejoice and be glad in it.

Indeed, we are currently living in a very challenging season, but it is also true that God is aware of that, and He cares.

Matthew 10 gives in great detail how Jesus commissioned His disciples - how he sent them into the world (a pattern which is repeated in the gospels Mt 28; Lk 9, 10; Jn 16).

Amid His commissioning messages, he keeps reassuring us of His care, His peace and His Presence:

So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:28-31)
..in me you have peace... Take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:16-20)

God cares for us, God loves us and God is with us... even here, even now, even in this season.

Reflect & Pray

How does knowing that in Christ you have peace encourage you?

So, Father God, we ask that you bless every heart with your peace. We pray that your world will know your care in the areas of healing from sickness, and provision of daily needs. And may your Presence abide with us always, and help us to love and care, more so, this season as you do, in Jesus name, amen. The Lord bless you and keep you!

God bless you exceedingly,
Sam.

Accompanied by unfailing love

Ruth 1:1-22 NIV. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas break. Happy New Year! The Book of Ruth has been called the most beautiful short story ever written because of its simple narrative. A narrative that shows how God’s provision for our needs or challenges is often woven into the simple acts of human kindness. Chapter 1 shows the kindness of a daughter-in-law, Ruth, to her mother-in-law, Naomi (v8, 16, 22), and we’ll see God at work through that. But first, the passage sets the context by introducing us to Naomi’s loss… Naomi lost her family… When Naomi (which means pleasant) is first introduced, we are told of her loss. A woman in a foreign land who lost her family (v1-5). She feels bitter, empty and afflicted by the Lord (v21). Why so? …Because Naomi knows Israel’s God to be the Almighty—Sovereign. He can bring famine to a disobedient Israel (v1) a...

Redeemed into a new life

Ruth 4:1-22 NIV. In today’s passage, Boaz follows up on his promise to Ruth (in 3:12-13) to redeem her. From Boaz’s redemption of Ruth, we get a peek into the pattern of God’s redemption through Jesus. So what does this redemption look like? It is selfless—a costly act, no other redeemer could pay, v1-12 When Boaz met with the closer guardian-redeemer, whom we called Bob, he asked Bob if he would redeem his kinsman’s properties. Bob said yes, then declined when he realised that this included his kinsman’s widow, which would affect his estate. This shows the inevitable selfish motive of any redemption act which is outside of God’s provision. However, Boaz, motivated by love, acquired Ruth, notwithstanding the cost. This costly and selfless act points us to God’s act of redemption through Jesus, our Redeemer, who, out of love, gave His life to save us (John...

True life begins with accepting the word

Mark 4:1-20, 26-29. (The Parables of the Sower and Growing Seed). How do you respond to God’s word? Jesus shows that the continuous experience of true life only comes from accepting the word of God. Anything short, at its best, only yields momentary joy. In teaching about the Kingdom of God (v11, 26), Jesus speaks of a farmer who goes to sow seeds and scatters them on all kinds of soils, with the good soil truly yielding life (v1-8, 26). The seed is the word of God (v14), and the soils are how we respond to the word. But there is only one right response. Accept it The parable shows that just as the kind of soil affects the yield, the kind of response affects the experience of the Kingdom of God. It’s like signing up for an online service, say Amazon; there are terms and conditions open to all. You can either ignore it, tiptoe around it, consider it or accept it. But there...

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