I asked class today before we got into Ruth to anonymously write on an index card the hardest thing they've been through. The results were shocking. Ranging from personal injuries, to family member's drug addictions, self addictions, feeling alone and worthless, to wanting to commit suicide. These youth, most of which are from 15-18 years old have already experienced some hard things. What do we do when things get so hard? Naomi's reaction to her trials can help us. In chapter one of Ruth we learn that Naomi and her family have to leave their home of Bethlehem because of a famine. They go to Moab where her two sons marry Moabite women; Orpah and Ruth. Then Naomi's husband dies, and then, both of her sons die, leaving a mother-in-law and two daughters-in-law all husbandless. Naomi has heard that the famine has ended in Bethlehem and decides to go back home. So, what's the message for us? Where do we go, what do we do when we're experiencing hard things? The answer is Bethlehem. The word Bethlehem means "The house of bread." In John 6:35 we learn that Christ is the bread of life. So, when you experience hard things, where do you go?
In class we made a good list of student responses. Christ is at the center of nearly all of them: the House of Bread could mean the temple, church, prayer, the scriptures, family, etc. When life is hard, we need to go to Christ.
John 14:18--I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you.
5 comments:
I go to my husband and bawl my eyes out! :) He tells me to turn to the Lord. I am thankful that the Lord can understnad allof our pain and heatache during our hard times.
Thank you Eric! Thank you for teaching all of us, thank you for your example, thank you for continuing to endure! Thank you from your students. I know by the end of the semester they will know how to come unto Christ because of what you are teaching them now. Never, Never, Never from Thee let us stray!
Hey Eric, I thought I would share a cool scripture with you that I found the other night. MAthew 11:5, says that ...THE BLIND RECIEVE THEIR SIGHT, AND THE LAME WALK, THE LEPARS ARE CLEANSED AND THE DEAF HEAR, THE DEAD ARE RAISED UP AND THE POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED UNTO THEM. How interesting is it that instead of recieving money, the blind are given wealth in the form of the gospel? It put things into perspective for our family. Anyway I thought I would share this with you. I loved it so much it's on the wall now!
-Samantha
thank you for your posts. They are so inspiring, and just the right thing to turn my mind to God. Thank you.
That's a wonderful thought Samantha! Thanks for sharing that scripture.
-Eric
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