Thought for the day from St Mary s Church, Wendover

Thought for the day

Introduction

In this booklet we will read and reflect on the books of Ruth

and James. Each day there will be a few verses of scripture

followed by a short reflection. We would like to thank

every-one who contributed in making the idea of this booklet come

into fruition.

God’s Word promises us green pastures and still waters,

times of refreshing rivers of living water flowing from within.

So I invite you to get a cuppa, to sit in your favourite chair

and let your mind be renewed.

with best wishes

Sally, Nadine and Sally

Day 1 Ruth 1:1-5

In the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and re-mained there. 3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. (NRSV)

These first five verses of chapter one of the Book of Ruth set out the con-text for the story that weaves through the book in terms of time and place. They are full of information about this family; they travel from Bethlehem in Judah to make a new home in Moab in a time of famine. The family then encounter tragedy with the death of Elimelech and his two sons, leaving behind 3 widows.

As we read on through the chapters of Ruth and hear all that Ruth and Noami did and encountered it can feel like a 'simple tale of domestic life'. The story moves from sorrow to joy, emptiness to fullness, death to life and darkness to light.In its beginning the story has a conventional Jewish setting with the dominance of the male but it soon becomes the story of two strong women. They overcome the death of their husbands and the sense of despair and lack of future becoming symbols of promise for the future for their family and the nation. Ruth and Naomi are a sym-bol of equality for all in the eyes of God.

We seek that hope for the future and equality for all in our world today

Day 2 Ruth 1: 6-10

Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem

6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law pre-pared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.” (New International Version)

There is no place like home

This weekend we watched the Wiz, a remake of the Wizard of Oz. In the story Dorothy utters the famous words ‘there is no place like home.’ Dorothy finds herself lost in Oz and she goes on a journey to go home, but the home she is looking for does not exist anymore. Her parents are gone and the only home she has is with Aunty Em and that is not where

we wants to be. It takes her a long time to figure out that home is not about stuff and things and what was, but about the love and hope that comes from sharing life with other people.

In the bible passage, Naomi is about to return home, she has been living in a foreign land for ten years and now it is time to go back. It is scary, it is unknown and she is even willing to do it on her own. To enter a world that may not be as familiar and secure as what it one was and so like Dorothy she sets of on her journey to find home.

Does this sound familiar, being on a journey into the unknown? A world that was not what it once was, fear and uncertainty knocking at our door, is where a lot of us find ourselves right now. Like Dorothy and Naomi we are not alone, God promised to be with us where ever we go, and even though the world does not look familiar or feel like home, we can find peace, rest and hope in God and others. We are not alone. I will leave you with this quote from the Wiz -

‘Home is a place we all must find, child. It’s not just a place where you eat or sleep. Home is knowing, knowing your mind, knowing your heart, knowing your courage. If we know ourselves, we’re always home, any-where.’

Day 3 Ruth 1:11-14

11

But Naomi said, ‘Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have an-other husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me – even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons – 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD’s hand has turned against me!’

14 _{At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law}

goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

How common is it for us to push people away when we feel there is no hope? How utterly human for us to wallow alone in our own misery and desolation in those times when the future seems so dark and for-bidding. I suspect that each of us knows those times, when it seems that nothing or nobody can console us.

That is where we find Naomi, inconsolable in her grief and sense of hopelessness. It is hard to judge, and translations differ, whether

future or, as NIV suggests, in a mood of despair and self-pity. But how-ever human it is, each of us knows that to push away our loved ones in those dark moments can never, ever help.

Ruth seems to recognise that. In this passage, and indeed throughout this wonderful book, Ruth never sits Naomi down to try and “fix” her problems. She never seeks to talk away her pain. She simply seeks to be with her, to “cling” to her (v.14). An important lesson for each of us as we seek to minister to family and friends who are in those deep dark places – we cannot fix them; instead we must walk beside them, with love, in their hurt.

Ian Sansbury

Day 4 Ruth 1:15-19

15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so se-verely, if even death separates you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. 19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

We have seen many examples of compassion mixed with determination during lockdown. Families, friends and neighbours have found ways to ensure the vulnerable don’t go without and are not left feeling lonely and isolated.

The Wendover Youth Centre pen pal scheme has been a wonderful ex-ample of connections being created across the generations with the younger and older generations reaching out to share what is going on in their lives.

We have all been profoundly moved by the sacrifice of medical staff, car-ers and key workcar-ers risking their own health to protect the most vulner-able and it is so right that we’ve been out applauding all those on the front line. We honour the memory of those who have died.

Ruth seems to be a protype for compassion and commitment in the face of adversity. She appears to sacrifice her own life prospects by refusing to leave her mother in law after her husband’s death and commits her-self to take care of Naomi for life.

Ruth does this without any expectation of reward or favour and yet we sense God smiling at her. The God of Naomi doesn’t turn out to be se-vere at all but leads them to Bethlehem, a place of new birth, where God’s plan to redeem all of creation is revealed.

Tessa Churchard

Day 5 Ruth 1:20-22

20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has

afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.

These verses begin with Naomi making herself vulnerable to the people of Bethlehem who recognise her. She has come home from Moab as a childless widow, after ten difficult and tragic years. Naomi doesn’t put on a brave face and pretend that life is as ‘pleasant’ (the meaning of her name), or as ‘full’ as when she left with her family. Instead, she is honest and tells everyone that she has returned ‘empty’ and even changes her name to Mara, which means ‘bitter’. She feels that God has dealt her a bad hand in life as a punishment for the ways her and her family turned away when they left Bethlehem. It’s easy to imagine how Naomi is feel-ing; weary, downtrodden, ashamed. This isn’t the end of her story, though.

Despite how she is feeling, Naomi has returned to Israel, back to her God who she believes is ‘the Almighty’. The final verse of Chapter 1 of Ruth doesn’t focus on all that Naomi has lost, but on the one thing she still has; her daughter-in-law. We also hear about the barley harvest begin-ning just as they get to Bethlehem, a hint that things are going to turn around for Naomi and Ruth and a sign of hope in the God who has drawn her back home and will provide. Even in the tragedies and trials of

Naomi’s life, God is at work for greater things. Spoiler alert, Naomi and Ruth’s return to Bethlehem eventually leads to the birth of King David. How might God be working quietly in the hard times in your life, to give you hope and a future?

Day 6 Ruth 2: 1-7

Ruth Meets Boaz in the Grain Field

1Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz.2 And Ruth the Moab-ite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favour.”Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!”“The Lord bless you!” they answered.5 Boaz asked the over-seer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”6 The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.”

If the story in these verses were to be told in a racy modern style and printed in the News of the World then Ruth would not come out of it all that well. Here were two penniless widows who made their way to the farm of a relative, Boaz, who happened to be a landowner, rich, influen-tial – and not married. They had to survive and Ruth spotted an opportu-nity. Encouraged by her mother in law, Naomi, she purposely pushed herself in front of the hapless Boaz- “whose maiden is this?” She then set out to ingratiate herself - she worked in his field “without resting even a moment”. Ruth was a schemer and her scheme worked. The headline in the News of the World would be , “Gold-digger and Brazen Hussy Snare Boss”.

Of course, since the story is in the Bible and not in the News of the World, there could be another angle (but not from VV 1-7). Ruth did in-deed get her man, married Boaz and had children. Many years later, one

of their descendants was King David. Hey presto- the God-fearing and loyal trio -Ruth, Boaz and Naomi - were part of God’s plan after all. God may work in a mysterious way, but what a convoluted story. Was it a reward for Naomi, Ruth and Boaz? Or was it just a random event that God turned to his own use? Or maybe there was no plan at all – it just happened that way. These things do happen in families.

I am sure by the end of reading the book of Ruth you may have a com-pletely different opinion about Ruth who was a very loving and loyal lady.

Mike Senior

Day 7 Ruth 2: 8-11

8_{So Boaz said to Ruth, "My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean} in another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me.

9_{Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after} the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And when-ever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled."

10

At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, "Why have I found such favour in your eyes that you notice me-a for-eigner?"

11_{Boaz replied, "I've been told all about what you have done for your} mother-in-law since the death of your husband-how you left your fa-ther and mofa-ther and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.

Boaz is allowing Ruth to glean (gather up surplus grain) in his fields and thereby join with God’s chosen people. He shows generosity to the for-eigner in the land.

It has been suggested that this is an analogy of how we come to faith in Christ. We begin as hopeless and rebellious foreigners with no part in the kingdom of God. Then as we risk everything by putting our faith in Christ, God saves us, forgives us, rebuilds our lives and gives us blessings that will last through eternity. Boaz’s redeeming of Ruth is a picture of Christ redeeming us.

Boaz had been told of the loyalty that Ruth had shown to her mother-in-law and therefore he had gained respect for her. It is worth remember-ing Romans 2:6 (NIV) “God will repay each person accordremember-ing to what they have done”. This might be in this life or the next. This passage re-minds us that what is important is what is in our heart, and that long be-fore there was a welfare state, human love and kindness was innate in those who were close to God.

Christopher Trower

Day 8 Ruth 2:12-16

12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

13 “May I continue to find favour in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”

14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.”

When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. 16 Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.”

Dignity in Poverty

These verses describe the interaction between Ruth and Boaz where he states that he wishes the best for her and asks that God rewards her for what she has done.

But the interesting element of the next verses is that it is Boaz that acts on behalf of God to help Ruth. He is the one to provide her with food. He is also the one to ask his men to help her out by leaving not just the loose grain but also some of the stalks too, so she is able to gather those. This enables Ruth, in poverty and in hunger, to have some human dig-nity. She will feel that she has gathered more grain, even though it was left for her on the instructions of Boaz.

Boaz also asks his men not to treat her badly, another action which will give her the dignity that she had lost by becoming a widow and then not returning to her own people.

The verses challenge us to think carefully about how we give charity to those who need it, but in a way that allows them to retain their dignity.

Day 9 Ruth 2:17-20

17 So Ruth went on gathering corn in the field until evening, and when she had beaten it out, she found she had nearly ten kilogrammes. 18 She took the corn back into town and showed her mother-in-law how much she had gathered. She also gave her the food left over from the meal.

19 Naomi asked her, “Where did you gather all this? Whose field have you been working in? May God bless the man who took an interest in you!” So Ruth told Naomi that she had been working in a field belong-ing to a man named Boaz.

20“May the LORD bless Boaz!” Naomi exclaimed. “The LORD always keeps his promises to the living and the dead.” And she went on, “That man is a close relative of ours, one of those responsible for taking care of us.”

This is picking up the story from when the work restarted after the meal shared with the harvesters following which she had some food left over. She continues gleaning and once she had beaten the corn she had 10 kilogrammes, enough for twenty loaves of bread.

Now comes the crux of the story, namely Ruth’s unconditional kindness to her mother- in- law, to not only share the results of her labour but also the food left over from the meal.

This act of generosity shows that Ruth is a humble and caring woman who is committed to supporting the family that she has chosen to stay with and in particular Naomi, the older woman. To that extent she is an example to us all. She shows no ambition but trusts that her love and support is the correct way to live in her situation. In other words, do the right thing and most good people will reciprocate.

Of course it should also be noted that Ruth’s ability to be generous is as a result of the generosity of another, namely Boaz who stretches the bare minimum of the law of the day regarding widows rights and impor-tantly she shares that generosity rather than retaining for herself. So the final thought is that generosity is a revolving door for good.

William Avery

Day 10 Ruth 2: 21 – 23

“Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’”

Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you my daughter, to go with his girls, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”

So, Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean until the bar-ley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.” (NIV)

Naomi has recognised in Boaz someone who will help and protect them, exposed as they are to the triple dangers of poverty, starvation and ex-ploitation, so in these verses we read twice that Ruth should stay close to Boaz and his workers. There is every reason to take these verses and their context at face value: Boaz is held up to us as a model of godly be-haviour in reaching out to help the vulnerable, as is Ruth in staying close to her widowed mother-in-law. We should follow their example. At the same time, however, this story has a special place in the story of salva-tion. Not only is Boaz an ancestor of Jesus (Mt. Ch1 vs5), but in his role as redeemer here prefigures Him as a saviour figure. There is a call to action in the passage – be like Boaz, but also a reminder to stay in the place of safety and security God offers to us in a relationship with him as our Saviour.

Day 11 Ruth 3:1-5

3 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home[a] for you, where you will be well provided for. 2 Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has fin-ished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

5 _{“I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered.}

I find this one of the most difficult sections of the story of Ruth and have to admit that initially I rather wished I was writing on another group of verses. The idea of arranged marriages is not one that necessarily sits well with our 21st century ideals and Naomi might be seen here to be manipulating not just her daughter-in-law, Ruth, but also Boaz, who has shown nothing but kindness though not yet the security of an offer of marriage would bring. If we look back on Chapter one we can see that this sense of security and safety has always been Naomi’s desire for Ruth and she’s apparently run out of patience waiting for Boaz to make a move. We also see in this earlier passage that she is feeling abandoned by God and it seems the only person to rely on is herself. Her plan is sim-ple if unclear in detail, Ruth is to take advantage of the mellowing effects of food and wine and make her advances to Boaz and wait for him to tell her what to do. Naomi puts a lot of trust in both Boaz, to behave

honourably, and Ruth, to be courageous. Ultimately though, as we will see, God works through Boaz’s honour, Ruth’s trust and courage and even Naomi’s scheming to create a relationship that glorified God and all those involved.

Day 12 Ruth 3:6-9

6 _{So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her}

mother-in-law had instructed her. 7 _{When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and he was in}

a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came stealthily and uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 _At

mid-night the man was startled, and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman! 9 _{He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth,}

your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin.”

On the outskirts of Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire there is a magnificent fourteenth century monastic tithe barn, one of the finest examples of its kind, cathedral-like in its proportions, with an amazing timber cruck roof. It’s the sort of place I’d like to imagine chapter 3 taking place – a setting worthy of the great celebrations that mark the end of the harvest. There has, no doubt, been plenty of eating and drinking and singing and dancing and Boaz has fallen asleep, a happy man, next to his big pile of grain. It’s then, in the middle of the night, that Ruth initiates the next part of our story. The language is delightfully opaque and mysterious but rich in sug-gestion. Young Ruth faithfully follows her mother-in-law’s instruction and boldly takes the lead – through her actions she acknowledges the older Boaz’s kindness and generosity and invites him to fulfil his redemptive po-tential as goel or next-of-kin. This is the turning point in our story, where emptiness and loss become fullness and reward. This is the story of God’s faithful love in action.

Day 13 Ruth 3: 10-15

greater than that which you showed ear-lier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him re-deem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”

So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.”

He also said, “Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then hewent back to town.

Ruth has shown an amazing capacity for love in her loyalty to Naomi and now her service to Boaz. She did not do what might have been ex-pected of her. Her love for God and for others enables her to offer eve-rything she can rather than look out for her own significant needs. She risks all and acts against the cultural and social expectations of the time in order to be true to herself. Boaz recognises this integrity and kindness and promises her protection.

Spend a few minutes reflecting on what really matters in your relation-ship to God and to others – how is God calling you to love and serve your family and wider community? Is God calling you towards some-thing that you in particular can offer and which may be counter-cultural or involve personal cost?

Ask for God’s help in following your true calling today, knowing that God sees, understands and loves you for the unique person that you are.

Alison Mactier

Day 14 Ruth 3: 16-18

16 _{When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go,}

my daughter?”

Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her 17 and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

18

Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what hap-pens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”

‘All good things come to those who wait’ is often quoted although the origin is unsure. Possibly the 19th century poet Violet Fane or possibly Abraham Lincoln. It is a quote that I think appropriate for this part of Ruth’s story. She has suffered the loss of her husband, left her own fam-ily and country to be with and support her mother in law and she is now in the lowly position of gathering up what is left behind by the workers who are bringing in the harvest. However, she has hope. Just before these verses we are told that Ruth had met someone who has shown her kindness and generosity and Naomi, her mother in law, has encouraged her to hope. To hope but also to wait patiently. So now Ruth waits. In these strange and difficult times we can be filled with hope that good things will come. That treatments and vaccines will be discovered, that kindness towards neighbours and the positive community spirit recently seen will continue and above all we have hope in Jesus Christ. We just have to wait.

Day 15 Ruth 4: 1-8

1

Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

2

Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.

3

Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.

4

I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said.

5 _{Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also}

acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”

6 _{At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it}

be-cause I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I can-not do it.”

7 _{(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of}

property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)

8 _{So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he}

re-moved his sandal.

It is not clear whether Naomi still owned the land, or if her husband sold it before they travelled to Moab with a right to buy it back (and it is this right that Naomi is selling). Either way, in order to keep land in the fam-ily, it was usual that land be offered first to the closest family member. Boaz would like to buy the land so that when he marries Ruth it will (loosely) still be in the family of Naomi’s husband via the widow of one

of her sons. Rather tenuous… but we need to remember that this was a time when if a man died, his brother was expected to marry his widow so that he could give heirs to his dead brother (see Deut. 25:5-6). Boaz wants to buy the land but has to offer it first to the close family. This reminds me of a time when my cousins came to tea. I was about five and we had one of my favourites: cup-cakes filled with butter-icing. There was only one left. Though I wanted it, I knew that I first had to offer it to everyone else…but surely everyone would understand I wanted it and so say “no thank you”. Unfortunately, my cousin who is a couple of years younger than me didn’t know this and instead said “yes please”. My response was not very gracious, and I stormed out of the room. (Later, when I had calmed down I found that half the cake had been saved for me…though I really didn’t deserve it after behaving so badly.)

Similarly, Boaz offers the land, hoping that the answer will be “No thank you”, but instead the response is, “Yes, I will redeem it”. Unlike me, Boaz doesn’t storm off, but instead points out that the purchaser will also be taking on Ruth and the responsibility to produce an heir to con-tinue the name of Naomi’s dead husband. At this the prospective pur-chase decides to withdraw so clearing the way for Boaz to marry Ruth.

Day 16 Ruth 4: 9-15

9

Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”

11

Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are wit-nesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home

like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.

12

Through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”13So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The

women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

What a riveting page turner this is: we are almost in the realms of a TV ‘soap’! We enter a culture quite alien to our own, each episode bringing its own drama, some elements of which are quite disturbing to 21st cen-tury eyes. Yet it is truly appealing and here we are nearing the climax: what was a tragedy now moves to a satisfactory settlement with ties strengthened and with the support and blessing of the whole commu-nity. Ruth, a stranger, is appreciated and welcomed into this faith com-munity. Naomi, so strong and focused throughout, has her hopes real-ised, her family line continued and a grandchild to enjoy. What is more, a prophesy is given that her line will play an important part in the build-ing of the nation.

Ultimately, these verses are about a family and community concerned to do the right thing, sorting out troubles, sure of the Lord’s hand upon them in the present moment and unafraid to look into the future. We pray for the same assurance and blessing on our own families and on our St Mary’s family as we walk with God both now and in our future to-gether.

Patricia Thomas

Day 17 Ruth 4: 16-22

Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him. The woman living said ‘Naomi has a son’. And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron the father of Ram. Ram the fa-ther of Ammiadab. Ammiadab the fafa-ther of Nashon. Nashon the fafa-ther of Salmon. Salmon the father of Boaz. Boaz the father of Obed. Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.

In these final verses we find Naomi replete with her grandchild. The child was named Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David and culminat-ing in the birth of Jesus Christ.

I find three themes from this passage covering this genealogy: Rest, Res-toration and Redemption

REST: Earlier we read about the tragedies in Naomi’s life, where the pe-riod of emptiness changed to fullness, security and rest. As we now know the ultimate place of rest is in Jesus Christ our redeemer.

RESTORATION: Although sad things happened to Naomi and Ruth, God restored them to a happier place. Good things can happen after bad ex-periences (ROM. 8 v 28). This may take a short or long time, and some-times the situation never changes. Even in our darkest moments, God is with us in our pain, suffering or grief.

REDEMPTION: God’s love shines through Boaz and Ruth. Ruth was bitter in her troubles but she followed God’s guidance and was led from her difficulties to a place of hope.

Memorable themes from the Book of Ruth: Love, loyalty, trust, obedi-ence.

Final thought: there is no situation so dire that cannot be transformed by the love of God.

Day 18 James 1:1-8

A Preliminary Note

I had problems selecting the version or translation to use as there are some significant variations in wording between them and I wanted to find the one which spoke most clearly to me. Ultimately I am starting with the TNIV (Today’s New International Version) as this is the one that will be most familiar to members of St. Mary’s congregation.

The TNIV Text

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations, greetings. (verse 1)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials

of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith

pro-duces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (verses 2-4)

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (verse 5) But, when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord; they are double-minded and unstable in all they do. (verses 6-8)

Reflections and Comments

James identifies himself as a “servant” of God and Jesus. Some versions (New Living and The Message) say a “slave”, and The Message goes on to say “of the Master”, Jesus! It is not in my nature (or, I guess of many of my contemporaries) to admit to being a slave, or even a servant of any-thing or anybody. Perhaps James simply wishes to emphasize his total commitment, and the very modern Good as New bible has him described as “one of God’s helpers and a friend of Jesus”. Indeed, did not Jesus himself say (John 15, v.15): “I no longer call you servants because

servants do not know their master’s business, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” ? And James himself says (Ch.2, v 23) that Abraham was called “God’s friend”.

Joy in adversity? Otherwise expressed as “fortunate when all sorts of trials come your way”; “when trouble comes let it be an opportunity”; “consider tests and challenges a sheer gift”; “in any kind of trouble look on the bright side”! How can this be? TNIV gives a straight line from testing to perseverance to a more complete and mature personality, and other translations indicate that endurance is increased through facing trials. The New English Bible has an interesting and telling turn of phrase: “such testing of your faith breeds fortitude, and if you give forti-tude full play you will go on to complete a balanced character that will fall short in nothing”. This reminds us that the supreme athlete trains rigorously in every conceivable way to be able to meet any challenge or competition that is faced, while those taking the easiest course rarely succeed in a notable way.

Needing, seeking and finding wisdom! What is meant here is obtaining guidance when you don’t know what to do. James’s recommendation, it seems to me, is that you should confidently consult your best friend, i.e. God or Jesus, in prayer – or what I would call virtually the same thing, a careful consideration of what Christian teaching and life’s experiences has taught you and then act accordingly without hesitation. For “He who hesitates is lost” as the proverb says!

Day 19 James 1:9-18

12 _{Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the}

test and will receive the crown of life that the Lordhas promised to those who love him. 13 No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. 14 But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved.

17

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no varia-tion or shadow due to change. 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Unlock those gifts

‘Every good and perfect gift is from above’. God is the Creator and Giver. We all receive his gifts. But what do we do with them? Squirrels bury them, as did the man in the parable Jesus told who had one talent. Some ignore their gifts or let them get rusty from lack of use or just don’t realise they’ve got them. Some flaunt them.

God’s gifts are to be used in God’s service. They need unlocking. That happens through knowing your gifts and using them the right way. Very often we discover that we have gifts through the recognition and

encouragement of others.

So one thing we can all do in lockdown is tell other people about the gifts we see in them. That is also using our own gift of encouragement. Lock onto God and he will give you the gifts of faith and love, strength and courage to overcome trials, tribulations, illness and and grief. He is the source of kindness, forgiveness, patience, joy and peace. His riches supply our poverty and need.

Lockdown and isolation give us all the more opportunity to ‘count our blessings’ and realise quite how much there is for which to give thanks.

+ Anthony Priddis

Day 20 James 1:19-27

22. But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24. for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

26. If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Reflection

These nine verses at the end of the first chapter of the Letter of James are packed full of advice for Christians. The words were intended for Christians of the first century but could equally apply to today.

James tells us we must be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to an-ger but to welcome with meekness the word of God. But it's not good enough just to listen to the word; James requires Christians to be doers of the word, saying that those who actively seek justice will be blessed. Finally James sets out how a Christian should behave by being pure and undefiled before God, to care for the needy and "to keep oneself un-stained by the world".

As Christians we should be following James's words. But consider are you always a "doer of the word", or are you "slow to anger", or do you

"actively seek justice", or are you "unstained by the world". Look again at this passage and consider what James might consider your strengths and weaknesses as a Christian to be.

Day 21 James 2:1-7

2 1-4 My dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, “Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!” and either ignore the street person or say, “Better sit here in the back row,” haven’t you segregated God’s children and proved that you are judges who can’t be trusted?

5-7

Listen, dear friends. Isn’t it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world’s down-and-out as the kingdom’s first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God. And here you are abusing these same citi-zens! Isn’t it the high and mighty who exploit you, who use the courts to rob you blind? Aren’t they the ones who scorn the new name— “Christian”—used in your baptisms?

This passage continues James’ focus on encouraging God’s people to act like God’s people.

Firstly, we learn that it is wrong to apply social prejudice in our

churches (or any where). The rich man is given preferential treatment because of his display of wealth, whilst the obviously poor man is mar-ginalised. Secondly, we are reminded that God puts the poor first and that the rich and powerful have a track record of exploitation. In judg-ing people on their looks and ignorjudg-ing the poor, we are workjudg-ing against God’s plan for his kingdom.

We all have personal prejudices; being ‘one of the crowd’ makes us feel exclusive and is a way of masking our own insecurity, as well as exposing our selfishness. But making ourselves feel better by

capitalis-We all have personal prejudices; being ‘one of the crowd’ makes us feel exclusive and is a way of masking our own insecurity, as well as exposing our selfishness. But making ourselves feel better by capitalising on someones’s vulnerability shows a lack of compassion for their humanity. In addition, the person who prioritises the rich guest is clearly expecting some personal gain from such an act - to be rewarded may be. James makes clear that our reward is God’s kingdom, not earthly riches. James says that authentic love must be free of prejudice and partiality. Accepting and overcoming, and looking out for prejudice is a way we grow closer to God. To overcome is to get to know others who are dif-ferent to us, and humbly learning from them.

Anna Fryer

Day 22 James 2:8-13

8-11 _{You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures:}

“Love others as you love yourself.” But if you play up to these so-called important people, you go against the Rule and stand convicted by it. You can’t pick and choose in these things, specializing in keeping one or two things in God’s law and ignoring others. The same God who said, “Don’t commit adultery,” also said, “Don’t murder.” If you don’t com-mit adultery but go ahead and murder, do you think your non-adultery will cancel out your murder? No, you’re a murderer, period.

12-13

Talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that sets us free. For if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time.

Game Over

Have you ever played a game of mercy? It’s a game we played as chil-dren and its pretty brutal, Basically you bend each other’s fingers back and the person who can withstand the pain the least shouts mercy, not the nicest game in the world.

As I reflected on this scripture, this is what came to mind, less about keeping or breaking the law, and more about how we can and I imagine at some point most of us have, used the scriptures against each other. A back and forth battle of words, using something that is written to build people up, used to tear people down, a relentless game of scrip-ture mercy until someone shouts stop.

Over the course of History the bible has been weaponised to hurt peo-ple, especially those in marginalised groups.

But as we look at this passage, its not telling us to use it to vilify others, but to with the power of the Holy Spirit to learn and practice to live it ourselves,

It is explicitly telling us to love others, to show them kindness and mercy. So for all of us, the next time we get in to a theological argument and we are tempted to use the bible to tear someone down, stop.

That game is over, no more games of mercy with the bible.

Change the game, into one where scripture is used to edify, show kind-ness and love. That is a game we should all want to play.

Becky Muragtroyd

Day 23 James 2:14-26

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[a]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteous-ness,”[b] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent

them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

When reading these verses I could hear my Grandmother saying “Actions speak louder than words.” My Grandmother I believe was a very wise lady and she has got it right again.

James is saying that a person may claim to have faith because they read God’s Word and study it but if it does not change their life or their ac-tions then it is not true faith. True faith transforms our acac-tions as well as our thoughts.

The scenario that James offers was made up of both poor and rich, itwas a real one back then and it is today. We know that some people will be having a hard time making ends meet. We are not talking about having to reduce using their mobile phone or not eat out as much. We are talk-ing a lack of the basic necessities of life, like havtalk-ing clothes to wear or enough food to eat.

When this scenario plays out, as it does even today, how do we react? James pictures someone saying the right things — wishing that the per-son has what they need — without doing the right things, without

help-ing. They pray, it is not that their words are wrong; it is that the words are a cover for inaction.

Imagine a friend has had a bad week. They were in a car accident and it looks like their insurance company isnot going to cover the car that has been written off. I am sure we would all try to comfort our friend, saying, “I’m so sorry.” That is a good thing to say we should be sorry. But stop, think, is there something (an action) that you could do; perhaps offer to take them places for a while, you know they financially are struggling and perhaps you could afford to help financially.

What James is telling us is that if our faith is all about saying the right thing, that’s not good enough. We can say the right thing, but unless there’s evidence that what we say changes how we act, we’re deceiving ourselves. We can come to church every week and say the right things to each other, but that’s not enough. True faith is more than just saying the right things. True faith transforms us; it transforms our actions as well as our thoughts.

Nadine Rose

Day 24 James 3:1-12

1Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, be-cause you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the

tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

The verse which struck me first was v4, the image of a large ship and a small rudder, not only is the rudder physically small in comparison to the ship, but you only need to make very small adjustments in order to make a big turn – onto the rocks or away to safety. The same is true of the tongue (and maybe we should extend that to tweet and text?!); the smallest of comments, maybe taken out of context, can cause great hurt, whether intentional or not. Yet we are instructed to tame our tongues, not silence them – a thoughtful comment (by mouth or tweet or text), no matter how brief, can have a positive and uplifting effect on the re-ceiver. But beware, vv9-12 tell us that we cannot be two-faced (or speak with forked tongue as they used to say in Western movies!), just as a salt

spring poisons fresh water, if we are seen to lose control of our tongues on some occasions then any positive effect we would like to create is

un-dermined. Remember the lesson that countless politicians and celebri-ties have learnt to their cost – the microphone is always on!

Paul Moring

Day 25 James 3:13-18 (

Two Kinds of Wisdom

13 _{Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by}

their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wis-dom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

17 _{But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then}

peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, im-partial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

“What do you want to be when you’re older?”

This question is frequently thrown at children and elicits answers that range from astronaut to popstar. My eldest daughter was asked, as part of her home-schooling, to think about ‘successful people’. It led to some interesting discussions about what ‘success’ really is; is it having a big house and a fancy car, or is it being happy and fulfilled, loving and being loved? Is it having true wisdom?

This extract from James talks about the wisdom that comes from God and how it is demonstrated by good deeds done in humility, in contrast to a more earthly wisdom. This heavenly wisdom is not a state of mind but a condition of the heart. It is at odds with much of today’s society where unspiritual wisdom is celebrated, where selfish ambition is consid-ered acceptable and envy is inevitable.

Maybe we should all be asking ourselves what we would like to be when we’re older. Perhaps the answer is to strive to be wiser tomorrow than we are today.

Helen Anderson

Proverbs 3 vs 7: ‘Do not be wise in your own eyes’ Proverbs 2 vs 10: ‘For wisdom will enter your heart’

Day 26 James 4:1–12

4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud

but shows favour to the humble.”

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbour?

When we think of the devil, it conjures up images of a red horned beast with a pitchfork, but in Greek the word for ‘devil’ means

‘slanderer’, one who spreads false rumours, who backbites, and attacks another’s reputation. We’re encouraged by the media to cheer as ce-lebrities fall from their pedestals, as our leaders get their policies

wrong, and members of the public bare all in reality shows. It’s seen as socially acceptable and we probably don’t realise how often we do it; we’ve all scoffed or chuckled and shared the gossip with friends on the street. If we’re really honest, even our friends and neighbours have suffered our jibes. The devil of slander is hard to resist.

James, who’s addressing numerous churches in his letter, explains that as soon as we start to judge others, we’re trying to replace God and committing spiritual adultery. He reminds us that there’s only one Law-giver and Judge, and that’s God, not us!

Breaking habits isn’t easy… Before we speak of others, pause, pray, and ask…

Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

Would you share your thought with Christ?

And listen – openly and honestly – for God’s guidance.

Day 27 James 4: 13-17

13

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”

14

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then van-ishes.

15

Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

16

As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.

17

If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

This passage seems particularly relevant in these days of uncertainty: regardless of what plans we would like to have and where we’d like to go, we have to first ask ourselves whether we are allowed to and

whether it is safe. One of the hard things to handle at the moment is the uncertainty: when will it end? Will it be safe? What will the future be like? Will it be better?

Many years ago, I played Lysander in Midsummer Night’s Dream. It is possibly one of Shakespeare’s best loved comedies because of all the things that go wrong for the various characters, despite their well-laid plans. Bottom turns into a donkey; Titania falls in love with said donkey; Helena who was loved by no-one has two people fighting over her; whilst Hermia finds out what it is like to not be the popular one. All seems to be a chaotic mess, full of uncertainty: will it ever be resolved? And yet, it all works out in the end, somehow.

Though the author of James is pointing out the dangers of being boastful about our plans, this passage does remind us of the importance of trust-ing God. I don’t for one moment think that God was responsible for the current crisis, but I do think that by spending time in prayer with him, we can be better able to cope with it and, in time, find that it all works out in the end, somehow.

Day 28 James 5 :1-7

5 Come now, you rich [people], weep aloud and lament over the miser-ies (the woes) that are surely coming upon you.

2

Your abundant wealth has rotted and is ruined, and your [many] gar-ments have become moth-eaten.

3

Your gold and silver are completely rusted through, and their rust will be testimony against you and it will devour your flesh as if it were fire. You have heaped together treasure for the last days.

4

[But] look! [Here are] the wages that you have withheld by fraud from the laborers who have reaped your fields, crying out [for vengeance]; and the cries of the harvesters have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts.

5

[Here] on earth you have abandoned yourselves to soft (prodigal) liv-ing and to [the pleasures of] self-indulgence and self-gratification. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

6

You have condemned and have murdered the righteous (innocent man), [while] he offers no resistance to you.

If Charles Dickens was in need of inspiration, surely this graphical de-scription of the fickle nature of greed and sense of regret in the long term would have made Ebenezer Scrooge’s trials easy to write. I almost felt visited by Dickens’ ghost of Christmas future when I read 2-3 as it’s such a direct call.

I feel blessed by what I have, and wealth is so relative throughout the world, making “rich” a potentially low threshold. I began to wonder where the boundary of the definition “rich” lies.

Perhaps the word boundary is key, as it is the Private land, keep out atti-tude that is warned against, wealth at the cost of others, the boundary and unwillingness to share is the issue. The word private comes from the Latin privare– to deprive, take, rob. Care for the community and protect-ing the dignity of others is lackprotect-ing in the “withheld wages”.

Leonie Troke

Day 29 James 5:7-12

Patience in Suffering

7 Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.9 Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 12 Above all, my beloved, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation

Have you ever been so excited or anxious that you can’t wait for it to ei-ther be here now or simply over and done with?

When I was thirteen, my parents decided to transition my education from a state school to boarding school. I found myself alone and anxious

spending sleepless nights over the years longing to be home. At the coming of age, I finally left boarding school and settled back home, surrounded by all I had wanted for so long, yet somehow doubted would ever happen.

I suspect when Jesus finally appears, many of us will have the same sense as I did then, how could I have ever doubted His word, and just because it felt longer than it should have done, why did I start to believe I would never get home at all?

So far every generation has prayed for Jesus’ return and every genera-tion has had to learn to be patient. If patience is such a gift of the Holy Spirit, it would appear now more than ever, it is going to be very much needed.

If we watch the farmer plough her field, for a period it appears nothing happens, but the seasons of the year bring the right amount of rain and sun to allow our food to grow.

In years gone by we would learn to accept different fruits and vegetables being available at the right season, but our frantic modern society wants to have every seasonal fruit and vegetable available now.

As followers of Jesus, we need to learn to slow down, enjoy the present moment and all the goodness that surrounds us in this time and place. As Nicky Gumbell says, “Don't let regrets about the past or worries about the future rob you of your enjoyment of the present.”

Let us not leave behind the discipline of patience, but as followers of Jesus learn it, perhaps all over again, and practise it daily.

Day 30 James 5:13-20

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you ill? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: who-ever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

You may remember that I wrote a reflection earlier in this booklet and it was about ‘True faith transforms us; it transforms our actions as well as our thoughts.’ I should not have been surprised, but I was, that while reading these verses I realised that my reflection in Ruth connects with these verses! The book of James emphasises faith in action, which in-cludes praying.

These verses are I believe speaking to us about the need to pray and the power of prayer. Quite possibly THE most important thing we can do (action) for each other is to be actively and regularly engaged in prayer for one another. The journey of life and faith has its ups and downs so let us remember to pray for each other, our friends, families, communities, our country and the world.

A challenge for us - I am sure we all have a list of contacts on our phone or a hard copy of a list of names and address; we use these so we can easily access each other’s information. How about though we also use them as a tool to pray for each other.