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Gratitude in Waiting

/ Ginger Davenport / Leave a comment

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lightening flashed in the dark window and the rain started to pour. Stuart and I counted the seconds until the thunder boomed in the distance. One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three-one thousand, four one-thousand, five-one thousand.

“That one was about a mile away,” Stuart said as we lay in the dark.

I smiled. “I love thunderstorms.”

“Me too,” he replied.

Lightening flashed again as we snuggled up close in anticipation of the storm. The remnants of tropical storm Pamela were upon us, and a cold front was headed our way this October night. As a kid I recall many October nights such as this waiting in anticipation for a blast of cooler air to make its entrance in blessed relief from the long, hot summer.  Fall has always held a sort of magic for me. Here in south-central Texas, summers are long and miserably hot. Waiting for the first cold front of the season can feel like waiting for a snail to cross the sidewalk. September comes and the rest of the country experiences leaves changing colors and “jacket weather”, while here, we continue to swelter in our shorts as our A/C’s attempt to keep up with the 90-degree heat.

But perhaps there is something to be learned in the waiting. I have been studying the covenants of the Bible—promises God made to His people to shower them with His love and grace. Abraham was promised a son from whom would come a great nation of people, and yet waited until his wife was 100 years old to conceive his promised son Isaac. Moses was promised that he would lead the Israelites to the promise land, and yet the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before seeing the promise land. David was promised that he would be crowned king of Israel, and yet again, he waited until God’s timing was perfect. It seems that sometimes it’s the waiting that makes the thing we are waiting for so special.

The thing about God is that He is always faithful. In the waiting we learn to trust. The patriarchs waited in faith, believing that God would fulfill His promises, and He did.  And when the storm comes, we can be assured that the blast of cooler weather is on the other side, that there will be relief from scorching pain that can sometimes be our lives. Whatever hardship you’re experiencing, be assured that God loves you and holds your well-being in His heart. After all, He created falls-with cooler temperatures, and a brilliant display of color, reminding us of His creativity and beauty. He created pumpkins and pumpkin spice, warm cookies, and soup. And He created you. Today I am thankful for the waiting because it means God is working on something amazing! And I’m grateful for His everlasting grace and love. Take time to enjoy the season! It is His gift to you!

 

Who is this Christ?

/ Ginger Davenport / Leave a comment

Who is this Christ?

For the past 8 months, I have been slowly reading through the gospels, asking myself the question, who is this Christ? It is the most important question anyone could ask themselves. After all, whether we believe it or not, Christ was a man who changed the world. His life on earth dictated everything. His life changed how our calendar is arranged and provided wisdom to the masses. Christ indeed was a good man, full of wisdom and truth about how we should live together and love one another. He is the one who reaches for the marginalized, who sees our whole life and wants to give us eternal life (John 4:1-38). He sees us and knows us and still wants to draw us to himself.

He was the one who healed a man on the Sabbath, knowing that He would be ridiculed by his own people.  Christ is the one who is compassionate towards our physical needs. He fed the 5000, not because they deserved it, but because he loved them (John 6:1-15).

Who is this Christ? He is the one who sees right through my heart. When we are more focused on self and physical comforts, he gently calls us to turn back to him and focus on the things of this life that are most important (John 6:16-40). He was rejected by His own people, and yet had the power to forgive them of their own spiritual blindness and self-righteousness.

Jesus alone is the one with the words of eternal life. He is the bread of life (John 6:35) and the one who will raise us up on the last day.  Christ has freed us from sin (Galatians 5:1). He has fulfilled the law and made it possible for us to be justified apart from works of the law (Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse himself (Galatians 3:13).  He has made it possible for all to receive the blessing of Abraham and the promised Spirit by faith. (Galatians 3:14).

So, what is faith?

It is confidence in what we hope for and assurance in what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). It is acknowledging a power so great that even the wind and the waves obey His voice. It’s looking up into the stars and knowing He is there or watching the sun set knowing that His timing is perfect. It’s believing that the synchronization of breath and life and the blood running through our veins could only come from Him. Faith in the Almighty, I AM is so much greater than action equals reward, because when we have faith in Him, it’s about seeing and discerning the love of a Father who built this world so that He could dwell with us. From the Garden of Eden, to the tabernacle in Exodus, to Solomon’s temple, to the incarnation of His Son, and the establishment of His church, God seeks for His people to have a relationship with Him. Oh yes, He wants to reward us for our faith. But he is not a God to be bartered with like the pagan gods. He is a God whose perfect justice could not ignore the sin of mankind, yet made a way for our redemption through His perfect mercy and grace. It’s knowing with full assurance that the covenant God made with Abraham, applies to us, and believing that God keeps His promises. For each one of us, deserving of death, He gave His own Son that we might have life. Faith is believing that the only way to life is through the powerful working of the blood of Christ and believing that there is nothing that could ever be done by any of us to earn His mercy. True faith, like Enoch, and Abraham and Moses, is confidently placing our lives in His hands and giving our obedience to say “yes, God, I want to be a part of Your story.” Faith in God is knowing Him so surely that we cannot help but obey, because in the daily walk with Him we have learned that the more we seek Him, the more our hearts want to glorify Him in everything we do.

“For without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Rejoice in Bethlehem

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The world is a chaotic place. Suffering abounds in almost every direction, and it feels like things are becoming more and more broken. The truth is the world became broken a long time ago. It happened in ancient times, in a garden that God made perfect. Adam and Eve lived in perfect relationship with each other and the Lord. Can you imagine? No sickness, no violence, no evil. Paradise.

Enter Satan. Powerful at deception and lies, he convinced Eve to take a bite of the forbidden fruit. She convinced Adam to do the same. The one thing he required of his people was respect for his laws. Now, his law had been broken. God in his perfect goodness was required to execute justice. Mankind, now fallen, became subject to live in a broken world. But was it forever?

Ruth, in her brokenness, found herself in a similar predicament. She had lost everything and now found herself widowed and without a provider, a Moabite living in a foreign land. Her situation was not much different from ours.

Just like Ruth, we are:

1) Widows struggling to survive in a world where Satan is powerful. He goes about seeking who he can devour. I Peter 5:8: “Be soberminded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.”  We are vulnerable. The truth is sin will eat you alive. Its pleasures are fleeting and temporary and will lead to our destruction both in this life and in the life to come.

2) Unable to save ourselves. Ruth was at the mercy of her situation. Yes, Boaz had taken notice of her, but her future was still insecure. How long could she glean in his field before she would be turned away? We might be able to scrape by without too many acute consequences. People live in sin all the time without truly suffering. Yet the Bible teaches that a life of sin leads to chronic and everlasting consequences. Death and eternal suffering will eventually catch up to us without intervention. What is the answer? Is there any hope?

The story of Ruth teaches that there is reason to rejoice in Bethlehem!  The beautiful thing about the story of God and the story of Ruth is that He has not left us hopeless.

Just like Ruth, we need a redeemer. Ruth needed a redeemer who had the right, the resources, and the resolve to redeem her, and God’s law made this possible.

Leviticus 25:24-27: “If a brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, then his nearest kinsmen will redeem what he has sold.”

Deuteronomy 25:5-10: “If a brother dies and leaves a wife, she shall not be married outside of the family, her husband’s brother will take her and marry her so that the name can be carried on.”

Boaz met all these requirements!

When it seemed like all was lost, Ruth was given the opportunity to surrender in faith to God’s plan. She presented herself as a servant and Boaz showed her kindness. Ruth 3:9: “And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” In the original language, the word “hased” translated kindness encompasses love, mercy, goodness, loyalty and self-lessness. Boaz’s response to Ruth is a picture of God’s love for us.

And just as God provided for Ruth, He has provided for us! Jesus meets all the requirements to redeem us!

Jesus has the right to redeem us.  “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1: 15-16).  Jesus is God and therefore, has all authority. “He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” (Colossians 1:18)

Jesus has the resources to redeem us. Under the old law, a perfect sacrifice was needed to redeem the people from sin, to reconcile them to God. Jesus lived a life completely free of sin. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) Therefore, Jesus was the perfect solution to the dilemma of sin.

Finally, Jesus has the resolve to redeem us. He walked into Jerusalem knowing that his ultimate fate would be death on a cross. Philippians 2:6-8 (ESV) says: “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Praise God, we can rejoice that a baby was born in Bethlehem, who would ultimately become our Savior and bring light to a sinful, dark world. His sacrifice brought redemption and His resurrection gives us hope that we too will rise to eternal life.  Praise God, for His glorious plan! Have you placed your faith in him? Rejoice in Bethlehem, He is waiting to save you!

Abide in Bethlehem

/ Ginger Davenport / Leave a comment

Ruth Chapter 2:

You’ve received the diagnosis, put to rest your loved one, come to grips with reality. The suffering you’re enduring is not going away. Day by day passes and you pray for comfort or a resolution of your anguish. Relief seems far away as you wait for God to move.

So, what do you do in the waiting? I can imagine Ruth and Naomi in their suffering. They have placed their faith in God and returned to Bethlehem, all the while wondering how God will move. How would He heal their brokenness? How would they manage as they waited for God?

First, Naomi and Ruth did not become paralyzed with fear, but moved in faith. According to the Levitical law if a woman was widowed and had not had children, the nearest male relative was to marry her to maintain the family name (Deuteronomy 25:5-10). Naomi knew of a kinsman of the clan of her husband Elimelech who could fulfill this law by marrying Ruth, one who could be a kinsman redeemer. Ruth, understanding this, told Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” (Chapter 2:2). Ruth stepped out in faith, believing that God would provide, and He did. “So, she set out to come to the part of the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz.” (Chapter 2:3). God’s providence led her to the field of a kinsman redeemer.

Second, Ruth did not give up on God, but held on with perseverance. She gleaned in the field of Boaz from early morning until Boaz took notice (Chapter 2:7). The scripture does not say exactly how long she gleaned, but the response of the reapers seems to indicate that she had worked for quite a while with only a short rest (Chapter 2:7).  The truth is that sometimes the wait is long. Romans 5:3 says, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Ruth did not give up on God.

So, what does the story of Ruth teach us about God? As the story unfolds, the providence of God, his provision and his love are evident. His character is revealed in the details.

First, in our physical and spiritual brokenness, the Lord sees us in our suffering, and he does not turn away. It was no accident that God led Ruth to the field of Boaz and that Boaz noticed her (Chapter 2:5). Boaz saw Ruth, even in her shame and suffering, and God sees us.

Second, in our physical and spiritual brokenness, the Lord shelters us under his wing. Boaz tells Ruth, “The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, whose wings you have come to take refuge.” (Chapter 2:12)

Third, in our physical and spiritual brokenness, the Lord serves us at his table. Chapter 2:14 says, “And at mealtime, Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” As illustrated in the 23rd Psalm, we are welcome and invited guests at the Lord’s table. He fills our cups until they are overflowing.

The truth is the Lord looks down on us when we are spiritually fractured with compassion and grace. When we place our hand in His, accept his grace and step out in obedience we can find comfort in knowing that we are not alone in our suffering. His providence will sustain us as he showers us with kindness, mercy, goodness, and self-less loyalty.  The greatest lesson we learn from Ruth is that God, our kinsman redeemer, has sent himself in the form of His Son to save us from our sin.

Are you struggling to see God in the waiting? Abide in Bethlehem. Jesus is in the details. He sees you, shelters you and provides for you.  Are you physically hurting? Abide in Bethlehem. Jesus will weep with you. Are you struggling with shame and sin? Abide in Bethlehem. Jesus sees you and wants to redeem you.

Winter Doldrums and National Homemade Soup Day

/ Ginger Davenport / Leave a comment

Grey clouds loom over a dark, dreary land. The trees, barren and shivering in the cold anxiously await the arrival of spring. Maybe where you live snow has piled up in the driveway and frigid wind presses against the house.  Christmas and New Years are long gone and attempts to keep New Year’s resolutions are fading. Winter is in full swing.

Personally, finding inspiration for writing at the beginning of February is difficult. Everything is well…grey. Thinking back over my life, I don’t have many memories of February other than receiving gifts on Valentine’s Day. School was back in session, and we counted down the days until Spring Break. Hum-drum days, ritualistic, scheduled, routine, melancholy.

As an adult, I have learned to appreciate a good routine. Some call it a rhythm. There is something to be said about the predictable. We can anticipate the day-by-day activities that keep us moving, keep us sane. For me, my job as a NICU speech-language pathologist is anything but routine. Each day is different. It comes with both the expected and the unexpected. I think that’s one reason I love my quiet morning routine of waking early to read my Bible, drink coffee and pray. It grounds me before heading off to the chaos of my day.

But for many, the depths of winter can bring depression and sadness. The sun hides behind the clouds. Time ticks on in melodic rhythm, moving at snail’s pace as they long for the warmth of happier times and the joy that is spring.

So how do we combat the doldrums of winter?

Establish rhythms that bring you joy. Rebekah Lyons shows you how in her book Rhythms of Renewal. Rebekah talks about the rhythms rest, restore, connect, create. Check out her book and website here:

https://rebekahlyons.com/.

Here’s how I plan on implementing these rhythms…

1) Filling my house with flowers and candles. Bringing beauty into my home brings me joy and reminds me of the bountiful blessings God has given us.

2) Continuing to connect with my people. Movie night, game night, date night. I plan on finding ways to continue to connect with my people on a regular basis.

3) SOUP! There’s nothing like walking into a house on a cold, dreary day to a pot of soup that has been cooking in the crock-pot all day. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Pioneer Woman’s Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup—you can leave out the chicken and add more beans for a yummy plant-based version!

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a82077/slow-cooker-chicken-tortilla-soup/

Pioneer Woman’s Hamburger Soup—I like to substitute Italian sausage or deer sausage for a slightly different taste, but the original is good too!

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11374/hamburger-soup/

4) Finally, good books! I love curling up with a good book, especially when it’s cold outside. Some of the books currently on my reading list include:

Live by Sadie Robertson

A Surrendered Life by Rebekah Lyons

At Your Best by Carey Nieuwhof

Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin

A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin

The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox

Whatever you are doing to get through the mundane days of winter, I hope you will find joy and peace! Happy February!