Jan/Feb 2017 Ruth and Esther: Wise Living Far from Home ALSO: THE GREatEST STORIES EVER TOLD Friends: Can you imagine having your wallet and phone stolen while visiting in a foreign country? Your identification, passport, cash, bank cards—gone!—and with no means to call for assistance. Imagine being left with nothing but the clothes on your back, lost in a place where you couldn’t even read the signs. I, as a middle-aged white guy, might have the privilege of at least being recognized as a clueless tourist. People might show hospitality to me out of pity. But what if I were part of a despised class of citizens? What if people assumed I were a thief or a homeless person? Being powerless in a foreign land can be both frightening and dangerous. In January, Arie Leder explores the stories of two biblical women who navigate that cliff-edge of being powerless in a foreign land. They act wisely and rely on God’s strength in distressing situations. Then in February, Art Schoonveld turns our attention to the parables of Jesus, showing how Christ illuminated the kingdom of God with real-life stories. These are the greatest stories ever told. May you be refreshed, refocused, and renewed in God’s Word! —Steven Koster To d aJan/Feb 2017 y refresh, refocus, renew TODAY (USPS 185-140), Volume 67, Number 1, published bimonthly by ReFrame Media, a division of Back to God Ministries International, at 6555 West College Drive, Palos Heights, IL 60463. Periodicals postage paid at Palos Heights, Illinois, and at additional mailing offices. “Ruth and Esther: Wise Postmaster: Send address changes Living Far from Home” to Today, 6555 West College Dr., Arie Leder Palos Heights, IL 60463. Copyright © 2017, Back to God Ministries International. Printed in U.S.A. Unless otherwise noted, Scrip ture quotations in this publication are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by per mission. All rights reserved “The Greatest Stories worldwide. Ever Told” Cover photo by David_Mark/ Arthur J. Schoonveld Pixabay. Managing Editor: Eleanor Lamsma Executive Editor: Steven Koster january Ruth and Esther: Wise Living Far from Home Arie Leder Two Old Testament books feature the lives of two remarkable women who lived far from their homeland—Ruth and Esther. This month we will reflect on their stories. The story of Ruth, a Gentile from Moab, takes place mostly in Israel. Esther’s story takes place in Persia, and she is a Jew whose ancestors were exiled from Jerusalem. These two women—along with two men who care for them, Boaz and Mordecai, respectively—act wisely in God’s strength when called upon to face extraordinary challenges. Ruth and Boaz support a widow be- reft of food and family security; Esther and Mordecai make a stand for their people threatened by genocide. These small Bible books may not be familiar to you. To provide some background to these devotions, you might want to read each of them in their entirety. They read like short novels and can easily be read in a short time. May these daily meditations help us reflect on living wisely as we serve the Lord in our own situations today. Arie C. Leder is professor of Old Testament, emeritus, Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Psalm 90; Matthew 6:25-34 SUNDAY, JANUARY 1 A GOOD PLACE TO DWELL Lord, you have been our dwelling place . Before the mountains were born . you are God. —Psalm 90:1-2 Did yesterday seem “old” to a day, and the changing of a year you? Is today truly “new”? We do not affect the Lord of heaven know something of our past: and earth. our country of origin, fam- For that very reason Jesus ily members, childhood experi- Christ, the Son of God, coun- ences, illnesses, times of healing, sels his followers not to worry sins, forgiveness. But knowledge about tomorrow but to be con- of the future is beyond us. On cerned about being right with this New Year’s Day we hope God today. As it is for the birds for the best, even newness—but of the air and the lilies of the we worry too: What will hap- field for which God provides pen to us and our world in the every day, let us rest in the coming year? assur ance that every new day is The good news is that beyond God’s gift to us. all the good and bad of our past, Do you think of each new day, there is a steadying certainty: month, and year as God’s gifts Before the mountains were to you? formed (how long ago was that?), and even before the earth came into existence (before there was Everlasting God, “teach us a tomorrow to think about), God to number our days, that has “been our dwelling place.” we may gain a heart of Note that the psalmist uses pres- wisdom.” Take my worries ent tense verbs for God—“have about tomorrow, Lord, been,” “are.” That’s because the and be my refuge all the ticking of a clock, the passing of days of my life. Amen. Deuteronomy 28:1-24 MONDAY, JANUARY 2 A LONG TIME AGO . In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. —Ruth 1:1 “In those days . everyone did Good soil, a wonderful gift from as they saw fit” (Judges 21:25). God, can provide abundant har- During the time of the judges in vests. Careless management of Israel’s history, a famine ravaged good soil, however, and getting the land. But God’s people had in the way of its God-given fer- no right to complain, for they tility—well, that’s foolish. Who were only reaping what their would do such a thing? unfaithfulness had sown. James tells us that it’s not Reaping an abundant harvest enough to hear the Word of didn’t come naturally. God’s God, we must do what it says people knew that good crops (James 1:22-25). Not doing as and abundant harvests were the Word says is like a farmer in his hands. The Lord had doing all he can to destroy good taught that if they obeyed his soil, assuring a terrible harvest, commands, rains would come and then complaining against to water their fields, and abun- God. That’s how it was in the dant harvests would follow. time of the judges, in Ruth’s The opposite was also true; day, when “everyone did as disobedience to God’s com- they saw fit.” mands would be punished. In the period of the judges, that happened often (see Judges 2). Lord, may my heart be God’s people failed to listen to good soil, that your Word his voice. They forgot him and may be fruitful in my life worshiped other gods, and the and benefit my neighbor, rains did not come. for Jesus’ sake. Amen. Esther 1:1-12 TUESDAY, JANUARY 3 . IN A FARAWAY PALACE King Xerxes . gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. —Esther 1:2-3 Life in a Persian palace was dif- quences did not stay in the pal- ficult to imagine for ordinary ace; this would affect all who people, especially when the lived outside, even those who king showed off his wealth and might have thought they lived splendor and entertained nobles beyond the king’s reach. and officials with the best food “A king’s wrath strikes terror and drink his kingdom could like the roar of a lion” (Proverbs offer. Whether you lived in the 20:2). Vashti lost her royal posi- suburbs of Susa or at the border tion, and the results would of the empire, the palace was a threaten even God’s people. faraway place. And what hap- pened in the palace stayed in But it is also true that a king’s the palace—usually. “favor is like dew on the grass” (Proverbs 19:12). As we will Like any grand king, Xerxes see in Esther’s story, a young spoiled his guests. For 180 days Jewish woman will win the he showed off the splendor of king’s favor, and she will use her his kingdom, and then he gave position to save her people. a weeklong banquet—at which his guests could choose their Let us seek the favor of God own wine and drink as much as our King, that we may enjoy they pleased. the bounty of his kingdom. On the last day of the feast, Thank you, Lord, that be- Xerxes demanded that his cause of Jesus, we may queen, Vashti, parade her beau- enjoy your favor forever. ty before this besotted crowd. Her refusal and its conse- Amen. Ruth 1:1-5 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4 O HUNGRY TOWN OF BETHLEHEM A man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. —Ruth 1:1 In Bethlehem, which means and he was faithful in blessing “house of bread,” cupboards (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). But if were bare. So, like Abraham, Israel turned its back on him, God who left the promised land would also be faithful in punish- to escape a famine (Gen. ment (Deuteronomy 28:15-24). 12:10-20), Elimelek moved his That’s why Bethlehem was emp- family to another land. They ty and Naomi was living far from migrated to Moab. But before home, now alone without a hus- long, Elimelek died, and then band or sons to provide for her.