Proper 27
Devotional
Streams of Living Water
Lectionary Devotional for Cycle B
Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17
My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you.
-- Ruth 3:1b
There is a certain earthy quality to this story that reminds us that God works through both the human inclinations and concrete realities of our world. Naomi was a schemer even if she schemed for a good purpose. She had recognized that her kinsman, Boaz, was attracted to her daughter-in-law, Ruth. She also recognized that in her society a woman without a man was very vulnerable. She devised a plan to provide for the daughter-in-law that had been so faithful in returning to Judah with her. It was the end of the barley and wheat harvests and the scene shifted to the threshing floor where Naomi knew that Boaz would be working into the night to winnow the barley.
In bold terms, she told Ruth to make herself attractive and to prepare to meet Boaz at night on the threshing floor. This is not a tale for the easily embarrassed. It is clearly a plan of seduction. Naomi even instructed Ruth to wait until Boaz had eaten a full meal and filled himself with wine. Ruth was to watch in secret and "When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do" (v. 4). The fact that in Hebrew the word for feet is often used as a euphemism for the male organ would not be lost on the reader of the Hebrew text.
Ruth was fully prepared to carry out the plan. "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" (v. 7). When he discovered her in the dark, he asked, " 'Who are you?' And she answered, 'I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin' " (v. 9). This latter statement was a reminder to Boaz that what was intended was not simply a night of pleasure. Rather, it had long-range implications. The end result of this rather risqué tale was that Boaz did take her as his wife, and she produced a child who would become the grandfather of David. God was at work in the very human dimensions of life to bring about the divine purpose.
Psalm 127
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
-- Psalm 127:1
This psalm is read as a response to the story of Ruth and Naomi's recognition that behind all of the events of her life was the hand of God. When Naomi heard that Ruth had met Boaz, her kinsman, her response was, "Blessed be he by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!" (Ruth 2:19b). It is not a denial of the importance of hard work and striving but recognition that such efforts, no matter how earnest, are only part of what determines the outcome. We can become so caught up in our attempt to gain control of our lives and to secure our future that we fail to recognize the hand of God in what is happening. When we fail to recognize God's hand in our lives, we become consumed with the effort to control that which is uncontrollable. The result is the development of anxiety. "It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved" (v. 2).
In many ways this is similar to Jesus' teachings about the cause of anxiety in our lives in Matthew 6:25-34. It is only when we learn to trust in the benevolent hand of God that we are able to rest at night without undue worry about tomorrow. "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today" (Matthew 6:34). The same, the psalmist reminds us, can be said about our worries about our family. We do what we can to care for them, but then we must recognize that they are a blessing from God and count on God to help us care for them.
Hebrews 9:24-28
But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself ... so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
-- Hebrews 9:26b, 28
There is a stream of Christian thought that delights in picturing the end time as a time in which the saved will be separated from the lost and raptured into heaven while the sinners continue to suffer the torment of the damned. While the author of Hebrews expected an end time, he had a slightly different perspective that bears reflection by the church. The sanctuary of the tabernacle was meant to be a reflection of heaven in which one could draw closer to God. Christ, by his resurrection, has entered the true sanctuary, "now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf" (v. 24). Now we have an advocate who is not speaking from a distance to God on our behalf but is actually in the very presence of God.
Like all priests, Christ is charged with the responsibility of preparing us to enter into the presence of God by cleansing us of our sins. Unlike those who seem to delight in picturing a time when those who have sinned will finally have to pay, Hebrews said Christ "has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself." According to Hebrews, there will be a second time in which Christ will appear, but it will not be to deal with our sins, which have already been taken care of. " ... So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." This shifts the focus of the church from considering the end time as a time of judgment on those who do not believe properly to a time of final reconciliation with God who through Christ "was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us" (2 Corinthians 5:19).
Mark 12:38-44
For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.
-- Mark 12:44
Mark placed two stories together to contrast models of discipleship. The first was about scribes who hold a place of honor in the society. These were the ones that interpreted the faith and nurtured the faithful. The problem was, as had been amply demonstrated by the various previous attempts of the disciples to secure places of honor, that along with honor came temptation. Praise is a very seductive drug. Once you have experienced the pleasure of it, you want more. Jesus pointed to scribes who "like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets" (vv. 38-39).
One does not have to observe today's religious community for long in order to observe this temptation being played out among us. Sometimes it even results in our taking advantage of the most vulnerable of our community in order to advance ourselves. Jesus warned against those who "devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers" (v. 40). Mark juxtaposed this example with the story of a widow who became a model for discipleship. A widow was a very vulnerable individual in Jesus' society. This particular one had obviously fallen on hard times.
In the midst of the many who are making their offering at the temple, Jesus took note of her. He did not condemn those who made more generous offerings but only noted the relative impact of the offerings. Those who had much, even if they gave a generous offering, still had much left over for their own personal needs. The widow, on the other hand, while her offering was not very much in absolute terms, had nothing left over to attend to her own needs. She was demonstrating a total dependence on God while the rest were only giving what they could afford. It is significant that repeated studies of church giving reveal that as people's income increases, they tend to give a smaller proportion of their income to the church. It is as if the more God blesses them, the less they feel that they can trust God for their future.
My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you.
-- Ruth 3:1b
There is a certain earthy quality to this story that reminds us that God works through both the human inclinations and concrete realities of our world. Naomi was a schemer even if she schemed for a good purpose. She had recognized that her kinsman, Boaz, was attracted to her daughter-in-law, Ruth. She also recognized that in her society a woman without a man was very vulnerable. She devised a plan to provide for the daughter-in-law that had been so faithful in returning to Judah with her. It was the end of the barley and wheat harvests and the scene shifted to the threshing floor where Naomi knew that Boaz would be working into the night to winnow the barley.
In bold terms, she told Ruth to make herself attractive and to prepare to meet Boaz at night on the threshing floor. This is not a tale for the easily embarrassed. It is clearly a plan of seduction. Naomi even instructed Ruth to wait until Boaz had eaten a full meal and filled himself with wine. Ruth was to watch in secret and "When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do" (v. 4). The fact that in Hebrew the word for feet is often used as a euphemism for the male organ would not be lost on the reader of the Hebrew text.
Ruth was fully prepared to carry out the plan. "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" (v. 7). When he discovered her in the dark, he asked, " 'Who are you?' And she answered, 'I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin' " (v. 9). This latter statement was a reminder to Boaz that what was intended was not simply a night of pleasure. Rather, it had long-range implications. The end result of this rather risqué tale was that Boaz did take her as his wife, and she produced a child who would become the grandfather of David. God was at work in the very human dimensions of life to bring about the divine purpose.
Psalm 127
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
-- Psalm 127:1
This psalm is read as a response to the story of Ruth and Naomi's recognition that behind all of the events of her life was the hand of God. When Naomi heard that Ruth had met Boaz, her kinsman, her response was, "Blessed be he by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!" (Ruth 2:19b). It is not a denial of the importance of hard work and striving but recognition that such efforts, no matter how earnest, are only part of what determines the outcome. We can become so caught up in our attempt to gain control of our lives and to secure our future that we fail to recognize the hand of God in what is happening. When we fail to recognize God's hand in our lives, we become consumed with the effort to control that which is uncontrollable. The result is the development of anxiety. "It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved" (v. 2).
In many ways this is similar to Jesus' teachings about the cause of anxiety in our lives in Matthew 6:25-34. It is only when we learn to trust in the benevolent hand of God that we are able to rest at night without undue worry about tomorrow. "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today" (Matthew 6:34). The same, the psalmist reminds us, can be said about our worries about our family. We do what we can to care for them, but then we must recognize that they are a blessing from God and count on God to help us care for them.
Hebrews 9:24-28
But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself ... so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
-- Hebrews 9:26b, 28
There is a stream of Christian thought that delights in picturing the end time as a time in which the saved will be separated from the lost and raptured into heaven while the sinners continue to suffer the torment of the damned. While the author of Hebrews expected an end time, he had a slightly different perspective that bears reflection by the church. The sanctuary of the tabernacle was meant to be a reflection of heaven in which one could draw closer to God. Christ, by his resurrection, has entered the true sanctuary, "now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf" (v. 24). Now we have an advocate who is not speaking from a distance to God on our behalf but is actually in the very presence of God.
Like all priests, Christ is charged with the responsibility of preparing us to enter into the presence of God by cleansing us of our sins. Unlike those who seem to delight in picturing a time when those who have sinned will finally have to pay, Hebrews said Christ "has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself." According to Hebrews, there will be a second time in which Christ will appear, but it will not be to deal with our sins, which have already been taken care of. " ... So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." This shifts the focus of the church from considering the end time as a time of judgment on those who do not believe properly to a time of final reconciliation with God who through Christ "was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us" (2 Corinthians 5:19).
Mark 12:38-44
For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.
-- Mark 12:44
Mark placed two stories together to contrast models of discipleship. The first was about scribes who hold a place of honor in the society. These were the ones that interpreted the faith and nurtured the faithful. The problem was, as had been amply demonstrated by the various previous attempts of the disciples to secure places of honor, that along with honor came temptation. Praise is a very seductive drug. Once you have experienced the pleasure of it, you want more. Jesus pointed to scribes who "like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets" (vv. 38-39).
One does not have to observe today's religious community for long in order to observe this temptation being played out among us. Sometimes it even results in our taking advantage of the most vulnerable of our community in order to advance ourselves. Jesus warned against those who "devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers" (v. 40). Mark juxtaposed this example with the story of a widow who became a model for discipleship. A widow was a very vulnerable individual in Jesus' society. This particular one had obviously fallen on hard times.
In the midst of the many who are making their offering at the temple, Jesus took note of her. He did not condemn those who made more generous offerings but only noted the relative impact of the offerings. Those who had much, even if they gave a generous offering, still had much left over for their own personal needs. The widow, on the other hand, while her offering was not very much in absolute terms, had nothing left over to attend to her own needs. She was demonstrating a total dependence on God while the rest were only giving what they could afford. It is significant that repeated studies of church giving reveal that as people's income increases, they tend to give a smaller proportion of their income to the church. It is as if the more God blesses them, the less they feel that they can trust God for their future.
