Gafcon's Lift Up Your Hearts Devotional

On our last day in this great love story, we will focus on the heart of Paul's Letter to the Philippians. By meditating on the Hymn of Philippians 2:6-11 we will understand that we have not only been rescued, but that by being like Christ we participate in this rescue. We will do well, then, to remember that we are treading on holy ground, a privilege that is given to us not to satisfy our intellectual curiosity, but to transform our lives.

By reading Ruth we have not only received a beautiful story, we have also learned how we can be rescued from our desperate condition. In this gospel reading we will see how our rescue takes place. Our rescuer will die for us. It will be good to read John to understand how we can apply to our own lives what we have read in Ruth.

When reading the Old Testament quite soon we realize that the foundations are being laid here for an event to come. In our readings we have already learned that our common sense does not lead us to God, as the events of the Book of Judges and Elimelech's fateful decision showed. But from Ruth and Naomi we also learned that a "rescuer" can free us from our fate.

The great love story does not end with reading the Book of Ruth, on the contrary, it makes us look at Scripture with different eyes, because we want to see how this redemption comes to us. In the remaining readings in this devotional series we will focus on some passages that will help us see how we, in the third millennium, also enjoy this restoration and rescue.

The fairy tales that we listened to as children, many times ended by saying "and they lived happily ever after." None of those stories take into account the 'forever', it is simply a hyperbole that emphasizes the happy ending of the story. In our case, in this story, we really can say "they lived happily ever after." Because their zeal to act correctly opens a window to eternity for all of us. Here we will learn how normal people can illuminate the history of all humanity. A better way to summarize this beautiful story is to say ‘thanks to them, we are living happily ever after'. Let's enjoy this reading.

In our previous reading, when Ruth comes home, Naomi literally asks her who are you? What Naomi wants to know is whether Ruth is still Mahlon's wife or is she already Boaz's wife. Ruth informs him that she is still Mahlon's wife, but that is soon going to change. Boaz is determined to fix the matter as soon as possible. On giving her barley before returning home, he told her, "Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed." Today Naomi's future is going to change. Do you remember Naomi's bitter words when she came back from Moab? ‘I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty'. God, in his mercy, is acting and Naomi will have a family again. Boaz will take care of this.

A feature of any good story is that it engages us. We want to move forward, to know what will happen. When reading a good story we are not passive, the only way to extract all its message is to be active in reading it. This is what happens to us when we read the Book of Ruth, this great love story. We all want to know what will happen in the threshing floor where the barley was harvested! It is no longer just the story of Ruth, it has become our story.

Our previous reading opened up a whole area that we didn't know about. There are those who can rescue these women and get them out of the precarious situation they are in. In this great love story, we can finally see 'the light at the end of the tunnel'. Our passage takes us to "one day", which is not specified, but which is close because it is the time when the barley grain is winnowed. Ruth's telling Naomi that she was gleaning grain in Boaz's field made her see the situation from another perspective. In his mercy, God had provided a mechanism to prevent a widow from being helpless: there was a "redeemer" who could rescue her. Here we will see how Naomi begins to act proactively to restore her family.

In our previous reading we witnessed the industriousness of Ruth, who leaves her family and country to take care of Naomi, her mother-in-law. In this reading we will witness the conversation of these two women once Ruth returns home after spending the whole day gleaning at the fields. And we will learn more about Boaz. All of this will help us understand why Ruth is a love story that points to THE great love story.

This passage will allow us to have a clear understanding of all the protagonists of this great love story. Here we will meet Boaz, who is presented in very good terms by the author of this book.

Naomi has returned empty-handed to her land, but here we will see that the community had established ways to help people like Naomi and Ruth. Once again, we can see the hand of God taking care of those in need.

Even without knowing the rest of the story, we can already guess that better times lie ahead. The generous commitment of Ruth has changed our perception of the events reported here. For generations, her generous and unconditional sacrificial giving has motivated the readers of this book to praise and bless God. It has also allowed them to understand how great and immeasurable is the love of Christ for those in need. In this portion of the book, we will see what happens when these two widows arrive in Bethlehem.

In the midst of so much pain, Naomi (Mara) receives a ray of hope. Dwelling in a foreign land, she learns that the famine that had affected Israel has passed, and she decides to return home. But this return to her home country is dramatic: she returns alone since both her husband and her two sons have died in a pagan land and she no longer has anything that makes her look confidently to the future (she has no offspring). Her two daughters-in-law decide to go with her, but Naomi asks them to go back to their families and try to rebuild their lives there. One of them, crying, says goodbye to Naomi and returns to her family. What about Ruth, the other daughter-in-law of this heartbroken woman? Here we will see her reaction to the words of her mother-in-law. It is a great story of love and dedication.

In this great love story that is the book of Ruth we see that although Israel turned her back on God, that does not mean that God abandoned His people. There is a future for them, not because they deserve it, but because God is determined to give them a future. God's people are not going to vanish into the haze of history and oblivion: beginning in this section of the book of Ruth we will see God acting to restore this family that went to live in a pagan land.

The title of this series of devotionals is "A great love story." It is for this reason that we will begin this devotional with a quote from another great love story, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." In just a few words, Jane Austen gives us the great plot of the entire novel. Ruth has a similar beginning. In verse 1, with less than 40 words, the author of Ruth has described the context of the entire book to us: During the time of the judges (where each one did what he thought best), there was a famine in the land of Israel. And a man from Israel decides to take his family out of the Promised Land to live among the pagans.

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. Ruth 1: 1 NIV. One of the things that should call our attention is that God's plan to establish a kingdom through Christ is not carried out in the neatness of a laboratory, but in the untidiness of the daily life of humanity.

The account of Judges shows the deeper causes of the spiritual degradation of God's people. This section of Judges gives us details of this rebellion and its consequences. Let us pay attention to what we are told here, as it will allow us to read Ruth with a greater understanding of the context.

Judges is a book that continues the story of the possession of the land started in Joshua and what happened in the country once Israel settled there. This prepares us to read and understand the great love story that is Ruth. Relying on the power and glory of God, Israel managed to defeat their enemies and was able to face the many challenges they faced living in God's land. But Judges tells us that not everything was successful. We are told that the people succumbed to the temptations represented by the religion and lifestyle of the pagan peoples that surrounded them. The book begins with the continuation of the story of the conquest of the land giving us some disturbing information: the tribes of Israel failed to take possession of the entire land. Here we will learn what happens when God's people do not fully live out their calling.

In our preparation to understand and enjoy the greatest love story, we continue with the farewell words of Joshua. If you wish, you can read this chapter from the beginning. In its first part, Joshua reminds them of the great blessings they have received from God with a discourse from the Lord, which ends this way: ‘So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.' (v. 13). In God's land, God's people must not forget their origins and the Lord who has cared for them since he committed himself to Abraham to bless him with descendants and a place to live. Joshua now challenges them to live honoring the Lord.

It has been several decades since God spoke to Joshua on the eastern bank of the Jordan River. The people have already taken possession of the land and the generation that entered the land is already old and it is time to "pass the baton" to the new generation, the first to be born in God's land. Here we will see what are the things that this new generation must consider when living their freedom in God's land.

Welcome to a great love story For a whole month we will be reading a short and beautiful book, the Book of Ruth. This book is quite easy to read, it contains all the elements to make it interesting: a dramatic background and credible, noble characters. It contains situations that, despite the distance that separates us from the story, everything that is told here is easily understood today. Another element that helps us when reading Ruth is that its protagonists are ordinary people who face difficult situations, and their struggles and frustrations are not hidden from us.

As we complete our series of reflections in the Gospel of John this last reflection comes with a big reading as I suggest you read right through John 1-4 to get the whole sweep of what John has been saying.

In the final incident John records in John 4 we see a tragedy in the making. Jesus is back in Cana and he meets a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum, a long distance away.

In our passage today we find Jesus still talking with the women at the well when his disciples return. They realise it is an awkward moment as Jesus speaks to the woman.

Our world is full of divisions. People are different from one another. Race, gender, wealth, class…the possibilities are endless for us to think of ‘us' and ‘them'; to consider people as ‘other' than us.

In the 1991 film Terminator 2: Judgement Day Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a cyborg who comes for the future to rescue a mother and her child from attack from another deadly cyborg. The problem is that Arnie looks exactly like a cyborg who had previously tried to kill the mother in the first Terminator movie.

Apparently, Plato said that we can forgive a child for being afraid of the dark, but the real tragedy is when people are afraid of the light.

Nicodemus was right. It is impossible for anyone to be born again by their own effort, whether this understood physically or as a word picture of a spiritual reality. ‘How can these things be?', he asks before fading into the night.

Would the child you were be proud of the person you have become? No doubt the answer to this is mixed, but many of us can feel weighed down by the past, the decisions we have made, the errors and sins we have committed. At times we may catch ourselves thinking that it would be great if we could have a fresh start, a new beginning, a clean sheet of paper. But is this possible?

In John 2:13 we find Jesus in the temple at Jerusalem at the time of the Jewish Passover. He looks around and sees cattle, sheep, and doves. He hears the noise of these animals and the clink of coins instead prayers and conversation about God.

Good signs are helpful. Confusing, unclear signs are no good at all. In the city where I live there are constant complaints about confusing parking signs…different days and hours, arrows pointing in different directions, all designed to confuse and make people fall into disobedience to the law and end up paying a fine.

In John 2:1-11 we read an account where Jesus rescues a wedding by turning an enormous amount of water into an extraordinary quality wine. This is the first of a number of miraculous actions Jesus performs, that John labels as signs. first sign. Perhaps this is the beginning of the greater things promised in Jn 1:51? It is a narrative chockfull of significant detail. Let's look at a few of these.

In chapter 1 verse 43 we read that the next day Jesus leaves for Galilee. Up to this point in chapter 1 Jesus has been relatively passive in the narrative as he received the disciples passed on to him by John.

Sometimes the words, ‘what about me?' come too easily to our lips. Especially when working with others. There can be the desire to lead when for the moment our role is to follow, envy at the success of others, the desire for credit, a little more glory. Both humility and contentment can be hard at times.

Transitions can be difficult. Whether it is between jobs, ministries, governments, or generations, transitions can be tricky. It can be hard for the old to ‘let go' and let the new take over. It can be hard to adjust to new circumstances as a transition takes place.

What are you waiting for? What are you expecting to happen? What are you longing for to happen?

We come now to the final section of John's opening prologue. In verse 15 we hear part of John the Baptist's testimony to Jesus. He simply testifies to the surpassing greatness of Jesus and hints that there was a time when Jesus was with the Father in the beginning.

“The word became flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory.” There is no transfiguration scene in John's Gospel. This is because the glory of Jesus is glimpsed throughout Jesus' whole ministry. Glory is a tricky concept to define and it may be one of those things that we can recognise when we see it. We can think of words like renown, fame; it has connotations of brightness and weight.

“I'd like to see that in the flesh!” The phrase ‘in the flesh' is used to describe seeing something live, as it actually is, rather than being told about it or seeing it on screen. Seeing people ‘in the flesh' means we can see all the body language, the movements and expressions, which are so important to communication. Perhaps our experiences under COVID 19 have helped us to see more than ever the benefits of being ‘in the flesh' with one another?

What's your story? Let me tell you one of mine. When I was a very young child, I lived in a mining town that had a lot of shops that sold exotic looking rock specimens. One day I saw one that I really liked in the shop window. I asked my parents if they would buy it for me. They said no. But they did say that if I did some jobs for them I could earn the money to buy it. And so I did. I am not sure who got the best end of the bargain (it was a very cheap rock) but I learnt some things about the need to work hard for things you want and hard work deserves a reward.

I once read a book produced for a charity called ‘My God'. It was a series of short responses by various celebrities talking about who they thought God was. The book was a mix of the occasional sublime and the mostly ridiculous. There were statements from representatives of the world major faiths…monotheistic and polytheistic, and there was much sentimental and idle speculation.

In the beginning was the word. This is a majestic and memorable beginning to the Gospel. It introduces a title for Jesus that is unique to John's Gospel. The Word is a title that speaks volumes for John's understanding of Jesus. At once, if we know the Old Testament, we are taken back to the creative word of God in Genesis 1. We are reminded that God works through his word. He creates, he communicates, he judges and he blesses through his word.

Chromatius became the Bishop of Aquileia on the Adriatic Sea in 387. As a scholar theologian, he wrote a number of exegetical treatises, but he is most noted for maintaining a voluminous correspondence with other Christian scholars of his time, encouraging them to produce theological works of their own. Ambrose of Milan was motivated by him to write exegetical works, and Jerome dedicated to Chromatius translations and commentaries, which he had written at his suggestion. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp only to put it under a bushel basket; they put it on a stand where it gives light to all in the house. The Lord called his disciples the salt of the earth because they seasoned with heavenly wisdom the hearts of men rendered insipid by the devil.

Ambrose was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia before he was made Bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in 374. Trained as a rhetorician, Ambrose was a persuasive preacher who refuted most eloquently the theological propositions of the Arians and won the admiration of a young agnostic seeker from north Africa named Augustine, whom he baptized as a convert to Christianity in 387. Dear brethren, God's love is calling us to the joys of eternal happiness for the salvation of our souls.

Augustine was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians. Let us sing "Alleluia" here below while we are anxious, so that we may sing it one day there above when we are freed for care. Why are we troubled here?

Augustine was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. We are told to sing to the Lord a new song. A new man knows a new song. A song is a thing of joy and if we think carefully about it, a thing of love.

Augustine was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians. Praise the Lord with the lyre, make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song. Rid yourself of what is old and worn out, for you know a new song. A new man, a new covenant; a new song.

Ambrose was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia before he was made Bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in 374. Trained as a rhetorician, Ambrose was a persuasive preacher who refuted most eloquently the theological propositions of the Arians and won the admiration of a young agnostic seeker from north Africa named Augustine, whom he baptized as a convert to Christianity in 387. The time arrived for me to give my name for baptism, so we left the country and moved back to Milan. Alypius had decided to join me in being reborn in you, O Lord, and was already clothed with the humility that befitted your mysteries. We associated the boy Adeodatus with us as well, my son according to the flesh, born of my sin. He was then about fifteen, but we included him in the group as our contemporary in the life of your grace, to be instructed along with us in your doctrine.

Ambrose was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia before he was made Bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in 374. Trained as a rhetorician, Ambrose was a persuasive preacher who refuted most eloquently the theological propositions of the Arians and won the admiration of a young agnostic seeker from north Africa named Augustine, whom he baptized as a convert to Christianity in 387. What is more pleasing than the psalms? David himself expressed it so beautifully when he said: Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing psalms to our God! How pleasant to praise him! And this is indeed true: for in the psalms there is an opportunity for the people to bless and praise God.

Irenaeus, born around 130 to a Christian family, was a disciple of Bishop Polycarp in Smyrna, who had himself been a disciple of the Apostle John.  After a persecution decimated the church in Gaul, Irenaeus became the second bishop of Lyon and was noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in what is now the south of France.  In his treatise Against Heresies, Irenaeus exposed the errors of Gnostic heresy and was instrumental in defining apostolic orthodoxy as one of the first systematic Christian theologians. God's splendor is the source of life; those who see him share his life.  Because he was beyond the reach of man's mind, incomprehensible and invisible, he made himself visible, intelligible and knowable so that those who see and accept him may possess life.

Irenaeus, born around 130 to a Christian family, was a disciple of Bishop Polycarp in Smyrna, who had himself been a disciple of the Apostle John.  After a persecution decimated the church in Gaul, Irenaeus became the second bishop of Lyon and was noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in what is now the south of France.  In his treatise Against Heresies, Irenaeus exposed the errors of Gnostic heresy and was instrumental in defining apostolic orthodoxy as one of the first systematic Christian theologians. There is one God, who by the Word and Wisdom created and arranged all things.  But God's Word is our Lord Jesus Christ, who in these last times was made a man among men, that he might join the end to the beginning: that is, join man to God.