Ruth and Naomi by Tom Hovsepian

Her name meant “pleasant” but when she came back to her hometown after a disastrous absence she insisted that everyone call her “bitter”.

Ten years earlier, when Naomi and her husband left Bethlehem their hopes were high… they had fallen on hard times and thought the grass would be greener in Moab.

Unfortunately, their situation got much worse. Naomi’s husband died, and then in the course of their stay, both sons died too. Naomi was alone except for her son’s wives, Orpah and Ruth.

Not knowing how to support herself and her daughters-in-law, Naomi heard “that the Lord had visited His people” back in Israel. She decided to pack up and go home, and she released her daughters-in-law to go back home to live with their Moabite families. She was surprised and taken aback with Ruth begged to go with her. Ruth’s plea is profoundly unique in the Bible. Why would this young foreign woman make such a passionate commitment to a broken down old lady? We read that Ruth clung to Naomi (Ruth 1:14). The Hebrew word “clung” means “to stick like glue”. She also made the fateful declaration, “Your people will be my people and your God will be my God.” Ruth sold out in her love and devotion to Naomi.

What was it Ruth saw in this guilt ridden, bitter, Hebrew woman that caused her to leave everything familiar and travel to a foreign land? I’m not quite sure... Perhaps it was the hope that there really is a God who truly does “visit” His people? Either way, she followed through on her commitment and accompanied Naomi to Bethlehem.

Through a series of circumstances Ruth became acquainted with a wealthy man named Boaz. He had heard about Ruth’s commitment to Naomi and decided to honor, bless, and protect her. And because he was distantly related to Naomi, he decided to insure the security of her life and bloodline by becoming her “redeemer”. But there was a catch. Another relative had the first right of refusal in the “redeemer” role. It’s here Boaz’ commitment is seen as he confronts the situation head on and lays out for the relative the proposition before them.

He must have said something like this, “You can buy Naomi’s land if you wish but when you buy the land you also get her Moabite daughter-in-law in the deal.” The relative balked at the thought of having children with Ruth, a foreigner, and refused. As a result Boaz bought the field and married Ruth (who later became the great-grandmother of King David).

I’m told this story is read in Jewish circles every Pentecost. It took me awhile to see the present day prophetic significance of this custom, but I now believe it’s the foretelling of God visiting His people on that strange and glorious day when the Church was birthed.

Naomi is like much of the church today, what should be “pleasant” is disillusioned and filled with guilt over past mistakes. Ruth represents those in the church who see within it something glorious. They see the mistakes, failures and fruitlessness yet yearn for God to “visit” His people. They refuse to let go until the church is redeemed to its rightful place as the joy of the whole earth.

Tom Hovsepian is a former pastor of Church on the Mountain, a vibrant community of believers in Crowley Lake. We meet at 9:30a.m. Sunday mornings. Call for more information: 935-4272 or www.ChurchOnTheMountain.org

Reach for the Fruit by Paula Friedrichsen

God has good gifts to give his children. He has more of Himself and His presence to shower upon us, if we will reach for it. I believe He is waiting on us to expand our vision and truly believe that with God all things are possible. On the inside cover of my Bible I have written a phrase the Lord spoke to me years ago; “Conceive higher, believe higher, receive higher”. That phrase has motivated me for years to take the limits off what I think God can do in my life and to reach out for more of him.

Many years ago I was driving through our small town when I passed a neighbors house and noticed that his apple tree was overflowing with gorgeous, bright red apples. And even though I had passed this house numerous times on my way out to the highway, I hadn't noticed the tree before. But now it caught my eye and I became intent upon getting some of those apples. I made a quick call to my friend Cleo, drawing her into my obsession to conquer the apple tree, and we were off in our common goal. The man who lives in the house with the apple tree is single, and by his own admission could only eat so many apples. So with his blessing and a promise from us to provide him with applesauce and apple pies, we set out to pick apples.

The first time we picked we brought our daughters along and between the four of us we accumulated about four larges bags of fruit. The second time we went to pick apples the tree was a bit sparse (the rest of the neighborhood was catching on to our find) but we still managed to fill several bags. After making pies and apple sauce galore we decided that we needed just a few more of those amazing red apples and we went back for our last picking. This time we left our daughters at home knowing there would be nothing they could do to help. You see, between us and the rest of the neighborhood that tree had been picked almost clean. The rest of the apples were at the very top of the tree. And as is usually the case, the apples at the very top of the tree were actually bigger and redder then the ones that had been growing on the lower branches. We stood there, hands on hips, looking at the last of those pretty, pretty apples, just out of reach… That’s when we decided to climb the tree.

So there we are, two obsessed housewives precariously climbing the apple tree, stretching, reaching, for the best fruit. I can't even imagine what this looked like to the people driving by, but the really pathetic thing is—we didn't care. We were intent upon those apples! The apples were the prize and we were determined to get the prize!

God has so much more for us! But because He is a good Father and always has our best interest in mind, He knows we are better off if we have to reach and stretch to receive more from Him. He could just drop the blessings He desires to give us right in our laps, and thankfully sometimes that does happen. But most times He is waiting for us to come up higher, having our hearts and minds expanded so we will stop putting limits on what God can do in our lives!

In my example of the apple tree we had to reach, stretch and climb for the best fruit. Spiritually speaking, we do the very same thing by reaching out for more of God with all our hearts. Extending our reach…straining to have more of him….reaching for more healing, more redemption, more of His Presence. When we begin to expect more from our relationship with God, He readily pours out more of himself upon our lives. He rewards childlike faith and He “shows off” for the one willing to believe that He is audaciously good to His kids.

God loves you so much and desires to meet your needs. To those of us who need peace of mind, He will give deep and abiding peace that can never be shaken. To those of us who desperately need forgiveness, He will give the ultimate forgiveness found in the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. To those of us who need healing, He will give healing of mind and body. To those of us who cry out to be loved, He will fill that void in our hearts, having it settled forever that we are indeed loved by God Himself. We only need to reach out for more…

Paula Friedrichsen is a member of Church on the Mountain, a vibrant community of believers in Crowley Lake. We meet at 9:30 Sunday mornings. Call for more information: 935-4272 or www.ChurchOnTheMountain.org

The Audacity of Favor by Tommy Hovsepian

I’m not sure why, but the Lord is often portrayed as, “Jesus, the meek and mild”? Perhaps it’s the misinterpreting of the story of his birth as being cutesy? Maybe it was His silence at the trial that condemned Him to death, thereby fulfilling the prophecy that “He was like a lamb led to the slaughter”? Yet, that characterization just doesn't jive with an incident we see of Him in His hometown of Nazareth.

When Jesus returned from His baptism and stint in the wilderness, Luke describes Him as coming back “in the power of the Holy Spirit”. One Sabbath he stood and read this piece of Scripture:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” Isa. 61:1-2

After that Jesus calmly closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. Next Jesus said something that could appear to be either arrogance or insanity: “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Next we read, “And all were speaking well of him and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips …”

How lovely. Everything was great. Meek and mild Jesus stays true to form... But then He drops a bomb saying, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown.”

Jesus insulted them! It reminds me of a scene in “Braveheart” when the English army and the hugely outmatched Scottish mob are facing off on the battlefield. William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson, jumps on his horse and is asked, “Where are ya going?” Wallace responds, “I’m goin’ to pick a fight.” The result is that the English are so incensed they make some disastrous tactical moves and are soundly thumped by the Scotts.

What was Jesus thinking by sticking it in their faces like that? I’m not sure except for the fact everything He said that morning was the truth. His gracious words about the manifold purpose of His coming were true and available to all. It’s just that they stumbled over some wrong thinking. Wrong thinking that led them to view Jesus differently than He actually was.

When Christ read that Scripture from Isaiah, He was announcing “the favorable year of the Lord.” The word “year”, in the Greek, doesn’t just mean 365 days—but a season, a time, an epoch. We’re in that epoch right now! Paul said it so well in Galatians, “It’s for freedom Christ set us free.” Strongs Bible concordance describes this epoch of favor as “that most blessed time when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound.” This season isn't for when we get to Heaven, but to be experienced now! It’s simply our wrong thinking that continually short circuits us from receiving it. Jesus said that God will favor Gentiles like the widow of Zarephath and the leper Naaman instead of those who should know better. These two saw something in Elijah and Elisha that allowed them to draw on the resources of Heaven, whereby they received God’s favor while others, like those in Jesus’ hometown with their wrong thinking, couldn’t.

I believe God favors those who can draw on Heaven even though it may seem outrageous to do so. People label someone like that as a Pollyanna. Well, the truth is, Pollyanna was right and so were Naaman and the widow of Zarephath, and David and Joshua and Caleb. How about you and me being included in the list as well?

Tom Hovsepian is a former pastor of Church on the Mountain, a vibrant community of believers in Crowley Lake. We meet at 9:30a.m. Sunday mornings. Call for more information: 935-4272 or www.ChurchOnTheMountain.org