We’ll start today looking at the book of Ruth. This is a wonderful book, one of my very favorites, because it teaches us the power of redemptive kindness. We need some of that redemptive kindness in the world today, don’t we? We all hope the New Year will be better, but we look a few days in and realize everything is the same as it has always been. We will have hard times this year, as we do each year. Don’t hope for a perfect year. But live this year knowing that God is with us, no matter what!

Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history.

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Good morning, and happy second day of the new year! I’m glad to be back with you. I’ve taken the last couple of days to rest—something I plan to prioritize in 2025. We often set New Year’s resolutions to improve ourselves, but my goal this year is to embrace rest and renewal.

Today, we’ll begin studying two incredible Old Testament books: Ruth and Esther. These shorter books are rich with lessons, and I’m especially fond of Ruth for its focus on God’s redemptive kindness. In a world often filled with harshness, Ruth reminds us of the power of kindness to redeem and restore.

This story begins with intense suffering. Naomi’s family faces famine, leaves Bethlehem, and settles in Moab—a place forbidden to the Israelites. Then Naomi loses her husband and both sons, leaving her utterly alone. The story parallels Job’s cascade of losses and reminds us that suffering is part of life.

As we enter 2025, it’s important to avoid expecting perfection. This year, like any other, will bring challenges and hardships. But the good news is that God is with us through it all. The miracle isn’t a perfect life; it’s God’s presence and faithfulness in the midst of imperfection.

Ruth’s story is about redemption, and though it begins in pain, it ends in restoration. We’ll see how God works through Naomi’s suffering to bring about something beautiful.

Let’s walk through this year with the assurance that God never leaves us. Difficult days will come, but his presence will sustain us. I look forward to diving deeper into Ruth with you in the coming days.

Thanks for joining me today. See you tomorrow, and have a great day!