Dear Caldwell,
Well, the mid-term elections have come and gone. The talking heads are slicing and dicing and interpreting the results every which way and will be for a while yet. Some elections still haven’t been called. For many of us, the disquieting state of our national life is still just that – unsettled.
Two things do seem clear: First, whatever sweeping change some might have hoped for did not occur, though the election results do bear signs of hope.
Second, it was a great day for women in electoral leadership, which many believe bodes well for the future.
As we travel from Sunday to Sunday this week, we look forward to a story in scripture that echoes those two truths. This Sunday, we hear the tale of Ruth in the Old Testament. It reminds us that God is often working but in ways that don’t fit our timeline or our hope for immediate change. Instead, God sometimes works through regular people the world has passed by, even the downtrodden on the bottom rung of society, to bring about generational, revolutionary change years later.
Ruth is also an inspiring story of what smart, resourceful, risk-taking and determined women can accomplish when they are acting out of their faith. In scripture, and maybe soon in our own days ahead, we will be reminded to never bet against the combination of God and capable women when they have a shared mission.
Finally, a gentle reminder. Thank you to all who have pledged for 2019. We are still not to our budget yet, so those who haven’t are asked to make their own financial promise to God in return to God’s grace for us. Please click here to pledge.
In Christ,
John