The Book of Ruth is a beautiful short story that gives us a miniature version of the whole Bible story. But it begins with the mistakes of a man who should have known better. Despite his failures, God mercifully provides for us even when we have drifted a long way from him.

We see injustice all around us, almost every day. Sometimes we are the victims of small or large injustices ourselves; sometimes justice never seems to come. And yet, as Christians we can have confidence despite the world's injustices, for the reasons we find in Psalm 7.

What do we do when life gets agonisingly difficult? Rant? Binge? Pull the duvet up? Or appeal to a God who promises us steadfast, unending, gracious love? Sometimes sorrow will be the substance of our prayers - but praying those prayers can strengthen our assurance.

What gives us the right to pray to God and expect to be heard? Only the gracious, steadfast love of God for sinners, given to us through Jesus Christ. His love is our entryway into the place of prayer. Once there, what should our prayers be like?

Ever felt like saying - or shouting! - "Give me some space!"? We naturally gravitate towards people, entertainment or distraction when the pressures of life pile up. Psalm 4 shows us that, instead, we can turn to a gracious God and Saviour for the space we need.

The Lord's Supper is a simple yet wonderful gift from the Lord Jesus for the good of his church. Here we consider one of the two elements: the cup, and what it means for those who take it.

Life is full of pressure - at home, in work, in the church, perhaps even in our own minds and hearts. King David was no different from us - and the pressures he faced were a shadow of what his greater son, the Lord Jesus, would also face. Here we have a psalm to help us deal with life's pressures.

The Psalms include clear prophecies and promises concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. At times, they even describe in detail some of Jesus' life experiences. Psalm 2 is a particularly clear example of all of this. It tells us about God's chosen King, hated by the nations, but ultimately coming to judge the nations, offering grace if we submit to Him beforehand. Who else could this be but Jesus Christ?!

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Psalms 1 & 2 serve as the gateway to the Psalter - the songbook of the Bible. But before we can praise God, we need to know whether we are walking in the way God has marked out for us in His Word - the way that will lead to blessing, happiness, joy. Psalm 1 shows us whether we are on that path or not.

The Bible is made up of 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over a period of about 1500 years - but it is all about one great story. That story is encapsulated here in Genesis 3:15 - the first ever announcement of a Saviour coming for sinners!