May 7, 2010

5-7-10 Frdiay, 8:00 am Grayrock, 69 degrees, cloudy.

It is unusually warm this morning, and I am unusually tired. I worked until 9:30 last night at church, and earlier I put in a good workout at the Meyer center, thus my body resisted my attempts to arise. The coffee is now flowing, and I am leaning into God’s word for today.

Ruth 4; I Sam 1

Boaz is careful to negotiate with the “kinsman redeemer” who is next in line to buy Naomi’s property, and to marry Ruth. He declines, and Boaz marries Ruth, and to them is born Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David. So, Ruth the Moabite becomes the great-grandmother of king David. I see in this lineage the hand of God, blessing faithfulness, surprising with His grace, redeeming loss and brokenness.

I Sam 1
Hannah prays fervently for a child, promising to give him to the Lord, which she does when he is weaned. The priest Eli had mistaken her prayer for a drunken rambling, and when he learned of her earnestness, he assured her that the Lord heard her prayer. This was at Shiloh, where the tabernacle was established.

I know that there are many people troubled as was Hannah, and the sanctuary at Wesley is a great place to pray. I need to cultivate a greater sense of expectancy, and assure those who pray there that God does indeed hear their prayer. Guide me this morning Lord as I go to work on my sermon and serve among the congregation of Wesley.