Emails To God

18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Dear God, verses 23 and 24 are the critical ones in this passage: “…but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” I think that, as humans, we work so hard to understand our world and what life is doing that it becomes counterintuitive to find our peace in letting go and embracing you. We think that the world must be concrete, with nothing beyond what our eyes see, our ears hear, our skin touches, our nose smells, and our mouth tastes. We can try to control the world we experience with our senses. But if we allow ourselves to believe in the seemingly unreal, such as Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, then it will cause us to lose at least a little of that control.

I don’t know. Maybe I am getting a little too deep n this. Maybe it’s really all about verse 30 and 31: “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast n the Lord.’ ” Maybe it’s just about me turning loose and really appreciating how you are providing for me and boasting in your provision so that others might be drawn to you.

Father, help me to represent you well. Help me to point others towards you. Love others through me. Shine through me so that they might see your power and glory. Let them see your wisdom in me. And help me to feel your wisdom. Give me wisdom as I talk with a prospective doctor about our vacant position at work. Give me wisdom as I love my wife. Give me wisdom as I raise my children. Even if the wisdom looks foolish to others, help it to be exactly what you would have me do.

10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? 14I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Dear God, looking at verse ten, I have to say that there is something about my sin nature that gravitates towards wanting their to be divisions at church. When I really look at myself, I would much rather sit and complain rather than do the hard work that needs to be done. It almost gives me an excuse to be lazy and disengaged.

Frankly, I couldn’t even tell you what the divisions are about at our church anymore. The big problem I have is the schedule, but it is the original schedule from when we first chose to go there, so what am I complaining about? Yes, there are other theological things that I don’t like, but again they are all things that were there when I got there. Why do I have a bitter heart now?

I guess it’s because when I think I am right and someone else is wrong it can give me a feeling of superiority (and who doesn’t like to feel superior to those around them?). Sometimes I think I am doing just enough to show that I am trying, but not really enough to make much of a difference.

Father, one concern I really do have is for my kids. I need you to provide for my kids in regards to church things. I just don’t think they are getting much there, and it is sad to me. It is also troubling. So help my kids to find you at church and through other areas of their lives. Raise up people in their lives who will be your voice and speak with authority into their lives. And live through me. Guide me in humility and love for others.

4I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— 6because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Dear God, I suppose it is kind of cheating to know how this letter is going to turn out, but given that knowledge and the fact that Paul is frustrated with the Corinthians, it is interesting to see that he is always thanking you for them (verse four). But it isn’t like the other epistles such as Philippians where Paul is telling them he is thankful for them because of their reputation. He is thankful for them “because of [your] grace given [them] in Christ Jesus.” (verse 4) So he found something to be thankful for, even in the midst of frustration.

Well, I am frustrated right now. I am frustrated with some of the decisions people are making at church. From schedules, to commitment to Sunday school, to donations, etc., I find myself being very judgmental. There isn’t any thankfulness in me. But I suppose I should be thankful. I should be thankful that some people really find you and your presence at the church. I am thankful that you are very forgiving towards me for my foibles and outright sins. I am thankful that you are kind to us even when we don’t deserve it.

Father, help me to continuously have a spirit of gratitude. I want to represent you well, and there is no way to do that when I am complaining. I can only represent you well when I am thankful and part of your solution. Help me to have eyes to see the world with your perspective. Help me to have ears to hear your perspective as well.

1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:

3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear God, I would normally disregard these verses as just the opening, but it occurs to me that Paul is opening this letter up with what I would consider to be speaking Truth into their lives. In a lot of this letter he is going to be expressing his frustration with them, so I am sure that he picked his opening words carefully. I’ll bet he was thinking, “What do I want to tell them?” And the answer is, “I want to tell them that they are sanctified in Jesus and called to be holy. And I want to tell them that they are all part of the entire body of Christ. Finally, I want to give them a blessing of grace and peace from God.

Those words are for me too. I am sanctified by Jesus and called to be holy. I am part of the body of Christ and linked to other believers. And I am most certainly blessed by you. My tendency is to look at 1 & 2 Corinthians as books of rebuke, but they are also books of truth and blessing. I am blessed by you, I am forgiven for my poor decisions, I am called to holiness, and I am part of a much larger body.

Father, help me to live in this blessing. Help me to turn from sin and embrace you wholly and completely. Love me through your power and peace. Give me a sense of your provision in my life. Help me to husband my wife. Help me to parent my children. Help me to do my job. Help me to love my neighbors. Help me to serve you for your glory’s sake.

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

16 Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son.” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18 This, then, is the family line of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron,

19 Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,

20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon, [c]

21 Salmon the father of Boaz,
Boaz the father of Obed,

22 Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of David.

Dear God, I like how it ends the story here. One, this passage makes the story Naomi’s story. It’s not necessarily about Ruth and Boaz. It is about Naomi and how you worked in her life. Yes, verse 13 talks about Ruth and Boaz, but verses 14-17 bring it all back to Naomi.

So “Mara’s” life turns out okay after all. You were there and you had a plan. Sure, she had to suffer a little, but you brought great joy to her in the end, and you brought glory to your name through her trials. Even in verse 17, the women say of Obed, “Naomi has a son.”

I have never thought about Naomi being the protagonist of the book of Ruth, but she is. She is the one thread that goes through the whole book. Much like the first three Star Wars pictures leave you with the feeling that Luke is the protagonist, but then the prequels reveal that it is really Anakin’s story, not Luke’s. Well, this isn’t Ruth’s story or Boaz’s story. It is Naomi’s. That’s kind of neat.

Father, right now there is economic uncertainty in our country. I have talked with three of my retired volunteers who think they might have to go back to work. There is a great opportunity here to feel sorry for ourselves. But you are working. You are here. You are allowing us to go through things that might not bring us comfort, but will likely bring us closer to you and joy. So help us to run into your arms, seek your presence, and enjoy your peace.