Tag: redemption

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Gleaning and redeeming

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Mihály Köles on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Ruth.

Twice a week, pickup trucks slowly crawl through my neighborhood at dawn. They pull over and pick up things my neighbors have put out in the trash. They stop to take lamps and chairs, vacuum cleaners and computer monitors, plastic totes and old appliances. I assume that they repair and sell the small appliances, refinish the furniture, and sell the scrap metal.

That’s the closest contemporary comparison I have for Ruth as she gleans Boaz’s fields. God’s law stipulates that you leave a few grapes, a couple of olives, and a little wheat in the field as you are harvesting. Those in need can then come and collect what is left over. It is a way of providing for others. It is their way of surviving with dignity.

If anything, most of us have lots of “extra.” Extra stuff that fills up closets, shelves, garages, and storage units. We have extra stuff because we think we need it, it looks fun, and other people have it. So we buy it, too.

Or maybe we have extra stuff to supply what others need. God can redeem my greed, covetousness, and materialism. I can use it to help someone else.

To be hones, I don’t miss any of the stuff I’ve given away. I don’t miss the books, clothes, toys, dishes, tools, or furniture I’ve donated or left on the curb. That says a whole lot right there. I didn’t need it to begin with.

Boaz didn’t lose anything by leaving grain behind in his fields for others to glean. But he gained a wife (Ruth), a place in Jesus’s ancestry, and a mention in the bible. Just for being obedient, generous, and gracious.

Leave something out on the curb. Donate the things you aren’t using. Leave a little of your money unbudgeted. Empty all that stuff you don’t need out of your shopping cart. Let God redeem your “extra.”

Posted in Ministry

Shotgun!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

alejandro-salinas-189861A few years ago I wrote this in one of my journals, a prayer prompt of sorts: “So, where are we going today, Jesus?”

I had been musing about following Jesus as his disciples did. Following meant you would go where he went, see what he saw, get yours hands dirty in the reality of life, and be blown away by what he could do.

In a way, it’s like shadowing Jesus on your first day as a waiter. He’s the waiter, the one who serves, so you tag along and learn what the job entails. You quickly learn that some people are very nice, while others are just nasty. Some are very demanding and hard to please. A few will leave little or no tips. Others will care and be very generous. But no matter what, you do your best to serve, to listen, to smile, and to forgive. You encounter the very best and the very worst of the people in this world.

Or it’s like riding shotgun with Jesus. But not only will you get to watch and listen, but you’ll get your hands dirty, bloody and scarred, You’ll experience first hand just how creation had fallen and how far God goes to redeem it. You’ll be delighted when you find faith and dismayed when you don’t. It might take you by surprise, but for the Messiah, it’s just another day at the office.

If you want to see Jesus at his best, you need to be where the world is at its worst. You need to tag along or ride shotgun into those places where grace is needed and grace is often found. Want to pray a powerful prayer? Just begin by asking, “So, where are we going today, Jesus?”