Ruth 4

Ruth 3

Part 2

Ruth 1

No matter what happens in the world, we can know and trust that God wins. This is not in doubt. Knowing the end result creates a way for me to live with hope and guidance. As Jesus followers, we don’t have to believe or give way to messages of despair. We spread hope and joy, not because we are certain that we can overcome, but because we know Jesus has already overcome.

The world that we live in is far from ideal. It isn’t at all what any of us want it to be. Yet, we cannot fall to the temptation to run away from the world and its problems. When Israel was living in exile (far from where they wanted to be), God told them to plant where they were. We too need to plant where we are. In the midst of trouble, we can work to bring good and beauty to the people around us.

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is the way of the church. With the Holy Spirit at work in our lives in the church, we do more than just add our gifts and talents together. When we commit ourselves to the work of God in our lives, God makes us more than we could ever create on our own and He does more than we could ever imagine. The results and changed lives can only be attributed to God.

Unity is one of the most powerful forces on earth. Unity has the ability to heal loneliness, division, and isolation. As the church, we embrace the mission over preference as we put God’s Kingdom first in all things. I realize that I am not alone—neither in my struggles or the mission.

Jesus tells us that His followers are both salt and light. Jesus has a purpose for your life—to make the world better and point to Him in everything that you do. Am I being salt in the way Jesus intends? Am I shining the light on Jesus in every part of my life?

God is eternal. He has no beginning and no end. God is forever into the past and forever into the future. We are made in the image of God. This means that we are made for eternity. Life is more than what we experience around us. Looking up to see that God made us for eternity can change the priorities, relationships, and actions that we take today.