…but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matt 16:25b ESV
Wondering What God Is Up To?
The young woman could feel her life disintegrating, like getting sucked into a black hole. Her husband had recently died, and food was scarce. Her mother-in-law’s husband had also recently passed away, she didn’t have any children, so she didn’t have any extended family she could look to for support. Worst of all, her mother-in-law had decided to move back to her family, who all lived in an enemy country.
What was she to do? Should she follow her mother-in-law, give up her heritage, renounce her religion, abandon all that she had known? Should she adopt another culture, and put her faith in her mother-in-law’s God? Could God be trusted to provide for them? Would she ever see her home country again?
This sounds like the start of a modern movie. In reality, it’s the opening paragraphs of one of the finest short stories in ancient literature, the Old Testament book of Ruth. The backdrop of the story is a period of Hebrew history filled with apostasy, lawlessness and famine. In contrast, the book of Ruth has no murders, no villains, and only understated drama. Just a story of loss and pain set in a village of hardworking peasants trying to live as best they can. But it’s also a story of how God often accomplishes His purposes through ordinary people who overcome adversity through obedience, hard work and strong faith.
If you are facing tough times, or hard decisions to make, you’ll especially enjoy learning how Ruth’s faith was rewarded in ways that she literally could not imagine. Even to the point of her contributing her DNA into the linage of Jesus.
This weekend at Trinity Downtown, we’ll be starting a new sermon series that explores how God sometimes works behind the scenes to redeem our problems and pain. If you are feeling like your life is out of your control (it is) or that God has forgotten you (He hasn’t) come find out how faith in God can transform your life. Join us at our contemporary service on Saturday at 5:00 pm, and/or the traditional worship services on Sunday at 8:15 am and 10:50 am. Your kids won’t want to miss our “Kingdom Quest” pre-school and student gatherings, and you’ll enjoy making new friends and learning more about your faith in our expanded array of adult bible study classes, all held at 9:30 am on Sunday.
On another note, we’ve all seen the devastation brought by Tropical Storm Imelda in Houston and the surrounding area and Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. This weekend at all of our services we will be gathering a special offering to assist those who have been impacted by these weather events. Please come prepared to give what the Lord would place on your heart to give. I would ask that you let me know, if you, a loved one or friend has been impacted by the flooding. We’d like to help if we can and it will help us focus our prayers as well.
Come learn how placing our faith and fears in the hands of Jesus can lessen our stress load and bring deep transformation in our hearts. Celebrate with us the depth of Jesus’ love for us and find out how you can live a life of significance, filled with meaning. Discover how following Jesus can help you and your family navigate around the minefields of life.
Get a fresh jolt of spiritual energy at Trinity Downtown. It will make a tremendous difference in your life.