On Faith that Keeps Clinging On!

A few weeks ago I started a study on Ruth. I was looking at the first chapter and realised that there is so much to take from such a small book. I would encourage everyone to read it.

What struck me was how everything was significant. Even down to the names of the people.

But what struck me most was where people turn to in times of need.

4 key characters present themselves in this chapter, and they have different ways of dealing with loss and uncertainty.

Elimelech, Master of the Household

Elimelech and his family lived in Bethlehem, when a famine occurred. Instead of trusting God to get them through, he decided to move into a land where there was food.

So what, you may ask.

Elimelech means “my God is King”. Effectively, by moving away from God into another country, he is forgetting his name sake and trusting in himself to get by. And what ends up happening? Not only does he die, but his two sons die as well.

When in need, Elimelech turns his back on God and looks somewhere else for survival.

Naomi, Widow

Naomi follows her husband in a time of trouble, and loses everything. A tough time, certainly. To be reduced from husband and mother to penniless widow is a devastating blow. It takes its toll on her. Naomi, meaning “pleasantness”, wants to be known as Mara (“bitterness”). She has no joy left. All she has left is her faith.

When all else is lost, Naomi returns to God for help.

Orpah, Daughter-in-law, Widow

Orpah, who married one of Naomi’s sons, decides that she will leave the uncertain future of life with Naomi and return to her homeland. She rejects God completely so she can have what she considers to be a better life.

When faced with an uncertain future, Orpah returns to what she has known all her life.

Ruth, Daughter-in-law, Widow

Ruth is a remarkable character. She could have gone home with Orpah, but instead decides to stay with Naomi, effectively turning her back on her old life and remaining true to God. On their return to Bethlehem they find hope – there is food once again, there is a man who is willing to look after her. God looks after those who keep their faith in him.

Amidst the struggles, Ruth holds firm to God.

Do you have faith that just keeps clinging on?

God doesn’t want us to be in a place where that is all our faith is for, but it has to be strong enough to weather any storm that we face. He doesn’t want us to give up either. He wants us to see that there is always hope/

There have been times when my faith is all that has got me through. There are other times when I’ve had such an easy ride my faith has not been tested at all.

Wherever you find yourself, have faith in God. If all else fails, just keep clinging on! 

On changing my phone

So recently I have changed my phone. As I went through the process I became aware of my own reliance on technology, although I shouldn’t have been surprised. We are living in a culture where everything has a foundation in some form of technology.

Where would I be without my phone?

Honestly, I don’t know. I would lose contact with friends, family and work colleagues. I would have to learn the art of letter writing to get any communication through. A rather depressing thought, considering I have never been the most eloquent of writers.

In short, I would be lost.

Are we relying on technology or God?

I had become used to my old phone, it wasn’t the best in the world, but it worked how I wanted it to. I had quite happily re-arranged my life around my phone, so that it basically ran my life. Phone, email, Facebook, diary…everything run through a small box in my pocket. Without my phone, I would lose it all. And I wonder how true that is for other people? In this modern era, it is easy enough to find a piece of technology to answer any need.

Have we forgotten who gave man the ability to create? Colossians 1:15-16 says this:

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

By changing my phone, I have been challenged in a way I wasn’t expecting. For what purpose do I use technology? By my use of gadgets, do I bring glory to God? After all, he has given us the abilities to create it, should we not express our thanks in return?

What do I rely on – God or Gadget?

When I changed my phone, I realised it would not accept my contacts, or my diary. The issue was based in the fight between Microsoft and Google. In order to continue using my phone as I used to, I would have to create a new life on Google.

The question is…who owns our life?

By Google refusing to co-operate with Microsoft, effectively they have forced people to give over all their details. Who they know, what they do, and when they do it, is all within the grasp of one company. Is this a good thing? Indeed, is having all that information readily available on a server somewhere in the world safe? Who knows…

Are we in fact, by using these services, effectively allowing a corporation to run our lives? Now I am no conspiracy theorist, but I find all of this slightly disturbing.

However, there is one thing I can take from this: God knows everything I do anyway. Jesus is the ultimate Big Brother – to coin a phrase – “he knows when I am sleeping, he knows when I’m awake, he knows if I’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!” But far from being on the heavenly CCTV trying to catch me out, quite the opposite is true. He is there to protect me. And I will quite happily tell him everything.

He knows all…all should know Him.