May 24, 2017 Where have all the Good Men Gone

I have missed so much of the reading plan and without taking the time to be in the word and seek God’s plan each day, I have found myself falling into old habits and letting things get me down. I want to hear what God has for me this morning. Father open my eye and ears to what you have for me and help me to hear your voice. 

Reading: Matthew 1, Judges 21 and Ruth 1-2

Scripture: Ruth 2:15-16, When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her."

Observation: My sister in law just returned from a trip to Africa and one of the things she talked about was the community that the people had there, in these villages that she stayed at everyone would support everyone else. Just at Boaz made sure that Ruth had what she needed for her and Naomi, these people will fill a need of those in their community when it is seen or made know. 

Application: Christ tells us to love our neighbors (Mark 12:31) so often we look at this and like the people around him we ask who is our neighbor and because just like everyone out there we have family members we don’t even like we think how can we love them. I think this comes from the wrong definition of love. Love in the minds of most people in western society we think of love as this feeling for some one you want to be with or even as the act of sex “we made Love.” God’s definition of Love (I think he would know being that he is love) first off DC Talk had it correct when they sang Love is a verb. Love is choosing to place the needs of others before your own and wanting the best for someone even if you don’t like them or maybe especially if you don’t like them.

Prayer: Father you are so wonderful giving us your love even when we don’t deserve it. I stand in awe of your great love that even before you formed us in our mothers wombs you had a plan for us. I thank you for your love and your provision in my life. I ask that you help us to have your heart of love and help us to love our neighbors as you would love our neighbors. Help us to be your hands and feet to the world around us.