THERE IS A SEASON

I've been writing this blog for more than two years. I began it shortly after arriving in Ho Chi Minh City  and continued it after moving to Hanoi. I used to write six blogs a week - definitely five. However recently I've been faltering as you've noticed, I am sure.  It seems clear to me that I need to take a break - not sure if it will be temporary or final.
I want to thank you for reading this blog. I hope it has encouraged, challenged, stimulated and helped you at least some of the time. I hope that my love for the living Word and the written Word has come through clearly.
I've enjoyed writing this and am grateful for all who have read these musings. I know there are other blogs and daily devotionals out there that are at least as helpful as mine, and numerous ones that are better. Hope you will tune in to one or more of those.
 May you continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For now.

Nelson 

TO A MOTHER-IN-LAW?

It used to be very common for couples to include in their wedding vows, the wonderful words of loyal commitment found in Ruth 1:16. Do you remember these romantic words?
"Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God."
Of course Ruth did not say these words to her second husband Boaz. Rather this commitment is made to her mother-in-law, Naomi. In one sense it always did seem a little funny that couples would repeat these words to each other rather than to their new mothers-in-law. On the other hand it would have seemed stranger still if they had done so.
Yet these words voiced by Ruth are certainly an impressive example of commitment. In 1:4 it indicates that Naomi's husband and their two sons had all died within about ten years of arriving in Moab. So we can assume that at the most, Ruth had been part of that family for less than ten years. Yet she expresses this great loyalty to her mother-in-law who had come from a foreign country and now was returning.
She was willing to leave her family or origin, her familiar home and culture because of her loving relationship with Naomi. What a great example for married couples. What a great example for those who may feel called to serve God in another country. Love for God and love for a spouse should be exclusive loves. They involve "commitment to", which involves leaving others behind.
On another note, the book of Ruth provides a wonderful story of romance between a young foreign woman and an older wealthy man. But of course you have to really appreciate the culture of that day to fully appreciate the story. I won't tackle that in a blog.

TRAGIC CLOSING LINE

I am sure I've never been asked this question nor do I think I've ever asked this question. Which book of the Bible has the most tragic closing sentence? What do you think?
In spite of their words about God's wrath and judgment; predictions of all kinds of punishment on those who've rebelled. Most if not all of the prophets also bring words of hope and a better future. And as I've just skimmed through the last sentence of each prophetic book, they all seem to end on a note of hope and promise or a note of confidence in God.
Without reviewing the end of all 66 books, I am going to cast my vote for the last sentence in the book of Judges. The stories in the last few chapters are pretty sad. They display just how far the people of Israel could stray morally when they strayed from God. And then the author concludes by repeating a very descriptive, devastating statement from earlier in the book. Let me give it to you as found in two  translations and one paraphrase.
"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit." NIV

"In those daysthere was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." NKJV

"At that time there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing." The Message

That truly is the natural desire of each heart - just to do what we think is right; what we feel like doing. How close does this come to describing the moral trend of our modern democratic countries? Yet how damning and devastating is that trend. What tragedy it brings to individuals, families, and cultures.
May God keep us wise enough to seek first His kingdom, His rule.