O Divine Presence,
Our love for You is limited. Your love for us is boundless. On our Lenten journeys help us to understand that there is more grace in You than there is sin in us. Your action with the children of Israel, who were led from bondage in Egypt, sets a pattern for Your relationship with us. You delivered them (released from captivity) and then You gave them instruction (the Ten Commandments). So often, Loving God, we get the sequence turned around. In our relationship with others, we want them to follow the instructions, tow the mark, and then we will forgive and accept them. Forgive us for our foolish ways we pray. May our lives reflect the grace we have already received from You. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN.
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Barb Lund and Gene Britnall are both having outpatient surgery at St. Mary’s Hospital this morning. I saw them prior to the Lenten Morning Prayers.
I am told Maggie Bartlett and Willo Clark are improving. I plan to see them this afternoon.
Please pray for Barb, Gene, Maggie and Willo.
The Men’s Walk to Emmaus began yesterday evening. We are honored to host this event. Things should be fairly normal Sunday except the Sooners Class will meet in the Chapel and the study led by Jack Weston, “24 Hours that Changed the World”, will meet in the Fellowship Hall. This is to accommodate the Sunday morning Emmaus breakfast and Jack’s class can us the Fellowship Hall as it will be arranged for the breakfast, allowing us quick access at 9:00 a.m. If this is confusing, ask me and I will explain it better in person.
The southwest parking lot is being resurfaced today. I can hear the machinery at work as I write this email.
Remember the Blood Drive and the Horn of Plenty Food Drive on Sunday!
Today is the Grand Opening of the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center at 11:00 a.m. I am honored to offer the opening prayer.
The scripture for today is Ruth 2:1-13:
Now Naomi had a kinsman on her husband’s side, a prominent rich man, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain, behind someone in whose sight I may find favor.” She said to her, “Go, my daughter.” So she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. As it happened, she came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
Just then Boaz came from Bethlehem. He said to the reapers, “The LORD be with you.” They answered, “The LORD bless you.” Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “To whom does this young woman belong?” The servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, ‘Please, let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the reapers.’ So she came, and she has been on her feet from early this morning until now, without resting even for a moment.” Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.” Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?” But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. May the LORD reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!” Then she said, “May I continue to find favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, even though I am not one of your servants.”
Grace and peace,
John McLemore
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