According to Deuteronomy 23:3, “No Ammonite or Moabite shall come into the assembly of the LORD even to the tenth generation. None of their descendants shall come into the assembly of the LORD forever.”
Connections 11.07.2021: Ruth and Boaz
October 31, 2021 by
Most of us enjoy love stories. Some of my favorite television shows have the best love stories I’ve ever experienced: Pam and Jim on The Office, Ben and Leslie on Parks and Recreation, and David and Patrick on Schitt’s Creek.
Connections 10.31.2021: Make a Move
October 24, 2021 by
My friend Maren used to live by what we kids called a “hanging tree” or “screaming tree.” There are a few of these around my hometown of Beaufort, SC, all large oaks with a sturdy branch growing horizontally over the road.
A Risky Commitment
October 16, 2019 by
What are the conversations like in Naomi’s household as resources and hopes dwindle? What do they say as they consider leaving Moab? What’s discussed when the jungle looms before them?
Formations 11.25.2018: You are Witnesses
November 18, 2018 by
So far, Ruth and Naomi and Boaz and their commitments to family have anchored this story. This week we remember that their stories, like all of ours, take place within a community. This last chapter expands the scope of that community.
Formations 11.18.2018: Unconventional Courage
November 11, 2018 by
I would never tell my daughter to do what Naomi told Ruth to do. Naomi tells Ruth to bathe, put on perfume, put on her best dress, and sneak to the threshing floor under cover of night so she can lie down beside Boaz where he sleeps. If that seems to you like a sketchy way to get a husband, then congratulations: you’re paying attention!
Formations 11.11.2018: Kindness
November 4, 2018 by
This week we’ll ask how we can practice kindness. We will do so when unkindness seems inescapable, even to those who can escape it most of the time. We’ve seen in the past week eleven worshipers murdered in a synagogue. We’ve heard political leaders call migrants fleeing violence invaders and enemies ridden with disease.
Formations 11.04.2018: Determined Faithfulness
October 28, 2018 by
When Naomi returns to Judah after a years-long sojourn in Moab, her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth chooses to go with her. Though Naomi urges her to remain in Moab and find a new husband, Ruth insists that she will remain by Naomi’s side.
Crossroads: Caring for Others
January 2, 2014 by
Several years ago, a powerful storm named Katrina hit Mississippi and Louisiana. Many homes were destroyed, and people lost their possessions, jobs, and even their homes. A few months after the storm, I had the opportunity to go with a group from our church to minister to the people in this area.