From the Pulpit...

Pastoral intern Jansen Lorch continues his study in the book of Ruth, where we see Naomi urging her daughter in-laws Orpah and Ruth to return home to their countries. Orpah turned back to her home country and Ruth did something different. Ruth clung to Naomi and expressed her complete loyalty to the family she married into. We see Naomi using a religious reference saying to Ruth to return to her gods. However, Ruth was converted from following false gods and chose to serve the true God, the God of Israel. Ruth swears a vow that she is the Lord's. Ruth will follow Naomi wherever she goes, swearing an oath. We later see Naomi's bitterness of the grief she had to endure and was asked to be called Mara, which means bitter. Naomi trusted in God, but possessed a hopeless outlook on the future accusing that God had judged her and brought her emptiness.

Our Scripture reading was found in John 20:19-31.