Category: Above All Else

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Take some time today to journal and reflect on the following questions:

In what ways have you seen God at work within you this week? Within your family? Within others you may interact with? 

In what ways have you resisted God’s word within you this week? 

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Psalm 51:4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.

Three words that are often difficult to say aloud are, “I was wrong.” Try it. Think of something you’ve said or done over the past couple of days which may have be hurtful toward somebody else. Take 10 seconds today to approach them and say, “Hey, just yesterday I said ______. I’m sorry about that. I was wrong to say it.” Chances are, you may spend 30 minutes of energy emotionally preparing yourself for 10 seconds of confession. 

Seemingly, David didn’t struggle to confess his sins to God and others. In fact, David went on to write a song about his sin (Psalm 51). He didn’t write a song for his own time of personal worship. Instead, he shared with the entire nation! It became one the people of God sang together when they gathered to worship God. Think about it: Do you know of a modern worship song in which the songwriter openly speaks of their sin against God and others? Again, we may finds it difficult to confess our wrongs. But for David, he was open to God, his family, and the entire nation. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     2 SAMUEL 12:13-25, PSALM 51 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: On a scale of 1-10, how easy do you find it to confess your wrongs to others (1 being very easy, and 10 being very difficult)? What steps can you take to grow in your ability to more regularly confess to God and others? 

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Think of something you’ve said or done over the past couple of days which may have be hurtful toward somebody else. Take 10 seconds today to approach them to confess and apologize. 

Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, there are times when it’s easy to think to myself (or pray to You) that I’ve done something wrong, but it’s difficult for me to do so with others. Help me grow in my ability to openly confess to others, and to experience the freedom that comes from doing so. Amen. 

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2 Samuel 12:5 David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives, any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!”

Each and every day you will make decisions. Many of those, you assume, won’t impact the lives of anybody else. You may be thirsty so you drink a glass of milk. You may be hungry so you grab a granola bar from the cabinet. These are small, simple decisions which often won’t greatly impact others.

But then there are other decisions you make which have a huge impact in the lives of others. If you’re a manager or business leader, you may move names around on a flow-chart trying to figure out how to make the business function better. Yet you may forget that these names represent real people, with real lives. And your decision to move them around or adjust their schedule will have a major impact on their lives. 

The account of David an Bathsheba illustrates an important principle to remember: “The decisions we make don’t only impact our own lives, but the lives of countless others.” We ought not be afraid to make decisions, but we must consider how our decisions may impact the lives of others around us.

READING & PRAYERS:

     2 SAMUEL 12:1-12 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: Think about some of the decisions you’ve made over the previous 48 hours. In what ways have you made decisions based on frustration, fear, or on your own terms? 

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Today, spend a few seconds praying and partnering with God about each decision you make – whether great or small. 

Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today I desire to live with an ongoing recognition that You are with me. No matter what I may do, say, or think, there isn’t anything that can separate me from Your love. May I bask in the wonder of Your love throughout the day. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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2 Samuel 11:4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her.

In the history of David and Bathsheba, we don’t see any record that Bathsheba was a willing participant. While there isn’t a specific ancient Hebrew word translated as rape in English, this account indicates that David saw Bathsheba more as an object to gratify his desires than he saw her as an individual created in the image of God. At best, David used his power and authority as king to take advantage of a woman whose husband was away fighting a war – the same war David himself should have been fighting! 

Chances are high that you’ll never be in a position to abuse somebody in the way David did with Bathsheba. But every day, each and every one of us may be tempted to manipulate others to get what we want. We may complain, withdraw, manipulate, take advantage, or increase our level of sarcasm when we don’t get what we want. While these may not be the same level of abuse as what David demonstrated, they can still be classified as emotionally abusive (at worst) or emotionally unhealthy (at best) actions toward others. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     2 SAMUEL 11:1-27, MATTHEW 7:12 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: How regularly do you find yourself complaining, withdrawing, manipulating, or using sarcasm or judgmental comments toward others? 

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Today, take 10 seconds to remind yourself that everyone you interact with has been created by God, in the image of God, for the glory of God. Afterward, evaluate the effectiveness of this exercise.

Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess there are times when I simply want what I want. And in those moments I don’t always consider the needs of others. Today, help me remember that all people I interact with have been created by You, in Your image, and for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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2 Samuel 11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war…David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

Pastor and Author Timothy Keller once shared a story of a man who was spending life in prison for killing a child in a hit and run accident. While in prison, a reporter asked the man why he had fled the scene. He responded by saying that when he was four years old, he accidentally broke his father’s watch. Yet he was afraid of the consequences so he hid the offense from his father. This was the beginning of a lifetime of hiding his wrongdoings, even minor ones. After hitting a child on his way home, he made the decision that had become common for him. “I left the scene to try to hide the fact that I did it.” 

This story serves as a reminder that when we fail to do something we know we should, it can lead to additional unwise and unhealthy decisions that can ultimately spiral. 

The account of David and Bathsheba is a great biblical example of seeing this principle in action. David made a very poor decision by not going to war. In a short period of time, what seemed like one poor decision led to many more, including taking advantage of a woman, and murder.

READING & PRAYERS:

     2 SAMUEL 11:1-27 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: Can you think of a time in your own life where one poor decision led to many more? What was the ultimate outcome? What lesson(s) did you learn from that experience?

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Today, take a little extra time to be with God. Remember, what you do for God comes from your being with God. 

Take a Step: This week, continue to utilize the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily to begin practicing being with God and resting in His presence. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices. See pauseapp.com for details.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, if I dig deep into my past I would lose count of how many times I made one poor decision which led to many more. Today, help me to remember that the more time I spend with You, the more prepared I’ll be to reflect Your nature and character onto the world around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Take some time today to journal and reflect on the following questions:

In what ways have you seen God at work within you this week? Within your family? Within others you may interact with? 

In what ways have you resisted God’s word within you this week? 

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Ruth 4:13 So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife.

Once again, we need to recognize the culture and customs of the ancient world. When Ruth’s initial husband died, the cultural law was that his brother would take Ruth as his wife in order to provide family heirs for her. But in Ruth’s case, her former husband’s brother had also died. 

As such, the cultural law then turned to the closest relative. In Ruth’s case, she and Naomi believed that Boaz was the closest relative to the family, so Ruth being able to marry Boaz was seen as a simple solution. However, it turned out that there was another relative who would be next in line.

So Boaz sets out with a plan, and ultimately offers to accept full responsibility for the land previously owned by Naomi’s husband and her two sons. By doing so, he also had the responsibility of accepting Ruth as his wife. The life of Ruth was full of twists and turns, but God continued working through her and her family, and she became the great grandmother of King David. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     RUTH 4:1-22 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: Ruth left her family of origin, her home, and he nation, ultimately becoming a worshiper of God. What is something you may struggle to leave behind in order to grow as a worshiper of God? 

Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, it’s often easy for me to think of something I can give up in order to grow closer in my relationship to You, but it’s more difficult to think of the things I don’t want to give up to do so. Today, reveal something in my life I need to give up so that I can more fully experience the live of love, joy, and peace You offer. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Ruth 3:7 Ruth came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

Throughout the first two chapters of Ruth, we’ve seen the brokenness and trauma of her life as well as the kindness Boaz has provided. But now Ruth’s story takes another turn. 

Ruth’s former mother-in-law, Naomi, asks Ruth to wait until Boaz is asleep and then to go and uncover his feet and lie down. While there is much speculation as to the cultural significance of this act, we know that Ruth trusted Naomi enough to go with this plan. 

When Boaz awakes and asks who it is at his feet, she responds and says, “I am your servant Ruth. Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer.”

The Cultural Background Study Bible notes that Ruth’s request to spread the corner of his covering over her would have been an idiom for marriage. This was a bold move. Ruth wasn’t simply warming Boaz’s feet, she was welcoming the opportunity to be his wife! Boaz responds favorably, and sets out with a plan to make it happen. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     RUTH 3:1-18 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: What have you found most interesting about the story of Ruth so far throughout the week? 

Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess there are times when I put You in a box and don’t live life in such a way to expect the unexpected. But Your Word regularly reveals that You will work in unexpected ways in the lives of Your people. Today, I pray that You will work through me in an unexpected way to offer support, love, and encouragement to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Ruth 1:12 May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.

Many of us in the modern world don’t concern ourselves much about our next meal. We have plenty of food in the cabinets, refrigerator, or freezer and aren’t concerned about going hungry. But Ruth and Naomi were in a pretty dire situation. With no husbands and very little (if any) funds, they weren’t sure exactly where their next meal would come from. 

Fortunately, God had provided laws to the people of Israel that would ensure widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor would have opportunities to eat. People in these categories would follow the workers in the fields and would collect any grain that was dropped or left behind. 

Ruth took the initiative to go out into the fields, hoping to find somebody kind enough to allow her to do so. Her initiative paid off in the fields of a man named Boaz. He could see Ruth’s dedication to Naomi and wanted to ensure she was blessed for everything she had done. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     RUTH 2:1-23 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: Take the opportunity to consider how God may be inviting you to serve widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor? 

Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess that it’s often easier for me to make a donation to other organizations who may be serving the widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor, than it is for me to be Your hands and feet to serve them. Continue to mold and shape me into somebody who doesn’t simply offer lip service to the real needs of this world, but somebody who loves all others as Jesus did. In His name. Amen. 

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Ruth 1:16 Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

When reading through an ancient text such as the Bible, it’s easy to get lost in some of the stories. But we sometimes forget that these were real people, experiencing real life, real hardships, and real trauma. The life of Ruth is one that may be easy to read, but it’s much better to absorb it, meditate on it, and try to feel what she and Naomi must have been feeling. 

The beginning of their journey doesn’t seem too abnormal. Naomi marries and has two sons whom also marry. But then tragedy strikes. Naomi’s husband dies, leaving her a widow. Then her two sons also die, leaving her and her daughters-in-law all widows. They’re not only grieving the loss of their loved ones, they’re also destitute.

Ruth’s solution was to remain with her mother-in-law Naomi no matter what. Ruth, a non-Jewish woman who grew up worshipping other gods leaves everything she knew in order to remain close to Naomi. Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi was profound.

READING & PRAYERS:

     RUTH 1:1-22 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: Think of a time when you were feeling lost, alone, and isolated. Was there an unexpected person who showed you extreme loyalty and encouragement in that season of your life? 

QUESTION: Who is somebody you know who could use tremendous loyalty and encouragement today? How will you go about offering it to them throughout the week? 

Take a Step: This week, continue to utilize the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily to begin practicing being with God and resting in His presence. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices. See pauseapp.com for details.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray that this week You will reveal to me at least one person each day who is in need of tremendous love and encouragement, and that You would work through me to provide it to them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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