Author: Brian Burdett

“No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” – Ruth 1:13b

When tragedy follows tragedy and the future looks to be full of hardship without hope, it becomes easy to convince ourselves that God is against us. That He has nothing good for us. No plan, no blessing, and no future. That was Naomi’s conclusion after losing her husband and both sons in Moab. In despair over her many losses, she tried to send her faithful daughters-in-law away by explaining that God was against her.

However, what Naomi could only see as God’s will against her was actually His greater plan unfolding to bless her, bless Israel, and bless the entire world! Her daughter-in-law Ruth stuck with her. Ruth left her homeland behind and converted to faith in the God of Israel. Ruth worked hard and provided for Naomi diligently, gaining the respect and favor of everyone who heard her story. What God was actually doing amidst Naomi’s suffering was weaving Ruth into His plan to redeem the world. Ruth would marry the just and righteous Boaz of Bethlehem. Her great-grandson was King David. Many generations later, Jesus of Nazareth would be be accounted a direct descendant of David from family line.

God was always working and He wasn’t against Naomi. Her situation was certainly painful and it’s easy to understand why she’d lost hope. But God still had a plan for her. It just was much, much bigger than her. It was a plan for the world and Naomi was an important part of it – both her sorrows and her later joy. Remember this, when the difficulties of the world begin to make you wonder whether God is against you. His plans are much, much bigger than any one person and He works across countless generations. Sometimes sorrow and difficulty are a necessary part to make way for greater joy and blessing. Have faith that God is indeed all-good, all-knowing, all-wise, all-powerful, and ever-present. #FollowJesus

“In those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.” – Judges 19:1

So begins what is likely the most terrible story in the entire Bible. Sin upon sin. Crime after crime. Atrocity after atrocity. The author of Judges makes clear why the whole monstrous story happened: “there was no king in Israel”…

Of course, there was always a King in Israel, ever since the people entered the land. God Himself was the king of Israel. Unfortunately, the people regularly rejected and ignored their King. They pursued other gods. They indulged every sinful whim of their depraved minds, hearts, and souls. Throughout the book of Judges, the story plays out. Cycle after cycle, each one worse than the last…. the people fell into vile sin, God gave them over to punishment at the hands of their enemies, the people cried out to God, and God raised up a judge who restored the nation.

Nonetheless, with each cycle, the recovery was to a lower level than the previous time. Each low of sin and suffering was far worse than any before. Until this concluding travesty. Israel desperately needed a king. If they wouldn’t obey God, perhaps a human king would get and keep them on track. Nope! The testimony of the rest of the historical books of the Old Testament is that human kings certainly couldn’t make a lasting difference.

God’s people needed a king like David, but Who could establish an entirely new covenant. A covenant of grace reflected in radically changed hearts rather than a covenant of laws written on stones and ignored by people with stones for hearts. In its own dark way, this story points forward to the one true King with the power to transform depraved hearts. The King Who went to the cross to save His people. The King who overcame death so we could overcome death as well. The King Who died and lived to set us free from slavery to our depraved hearts. Even this awful story points forward to Jesus.

However, it also reminds us that if Jesus isn’t truly the king of our hearts, then we may call ourselves God’s people yet still fall into vile sin and depravity. That remains all too common amongst those calling themselves Christian. If Jesus is your Lord, then live like it! If Jesus is your King, obey Him! Do what He commanded you to do and never again live like you don’t have a king. #FollowJesus

HOLY WEEK – THURSDAY

“For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” – John 13:15-16

Before the Passover meal began, Jesus set an example and gave a command for every believer who would ever follow Him. He knelt down and washed the dusty feet of His own followers. This was work so humble and demeaning that a Jewish slave couldn’t be forced to do it. King Jesus did it willingly. Not because He had to. Because He was the Son of God with all authority. Knowing that, He used His authority to wash the feet of those who followed Him imperfectly and the feet of the one who soon betrayed Him. Every foot got washed as a demonstration of Christ’s authority.

That’s the example Jesus set for us and the command He gave every follower. Do likewise. Humble ourselves. Serve one another. Exercise authority in the service of love. Because followers of Jesus have His delegated authority to work in this world in His name, we’re empowered and commanded to serve one another with humility. In Christ’s Kingdom, authority is given to serve others, not boss them around. A true follower of Jesus doesn’t lord his or her power over another. Power is to be used for serving and blessing others. Authority should demonstrate love for those being led, not power over them.

Later that night, Jesus didn’t break into a palace to steal an earthly throne. He was arrested and condemned to die in agony the next day, before rising from death and ascending to the throne in Heaven. King Jesus knows power and authority. And He demonstrated and commanded that whatever power or authority you have be used to bless others, not make their lives harder. #FollowJesus

HOLY WEEK – WEDNESDAY

“Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.”

– Luke 22:1-6

The Scripture doesn’t specifically say much about Wednesday. But that doesn’t mean things weren’t happening! The rage and jealousy of the religious leaders toward Jesus was boiling over. They’d repeatedly failed to trap Him in His words or bring Him down in the eyes of the people. His continued condemnation of their hypocrisy and sin were outrageous. The messianic energy of the crowds following Him frightened them.

Would Jesus turn the people against them? Would He start a revolution? Would He trigger a Roman crackdown that would cost them their influence and income? On what’s sometimes called “Spy Wednesday”, anger, fear, jealousy, greed, and the devil came together to hatch a practical plan to solve the Jesus problem permanently (or so they thought)!

Lest you feel too superior to them, ask God to run a thorough inspection of your heart. Would you be tempted to do the same thing in their situation? The truth is that there are many highly religious Christians today who would be sufficiently offended and embarrassed by the person and presence of Jesus that they’d be tempted to get rid of Him too! Christians more attached to wealth, influence, popularity, politics, favorite sins, and their warped version of Christianity than to their Lord.

Unfortunately, such attitudes can be subtle and infectious. Today seems like the perfect day to check and make sure nothing like that has happened to you! #FollowJesus