Sun. Nov. 8, 2009 (Connie Siedler)

Connie Siedler spoke to us on November 8th on Ruth 3: 1-5 and 4:13-17 from the lectionary texts for the week, which addressed the benefits loyalty to God. She encouraged us with stories not to race through the wisdom book or we’ll miss the value of the journey. Ruth’s losses are tremendous - of husband and sons, not to mention future, so the first part of the book is a lament. Though she does not see God’s hand working for her good, she maintains her loyalty, both to God and to Naomi. Naomi in turn honours Ruth and promises to God with her own loyalty. The unspoken question throughout the text is “Is God really good? Can he be trusted?” Connie found echoes in modern literature, where hating God for allowing suffering won’t make anything better. She also quoted Eugene Peterson in Psalms “If God’s people participate in extraordinary blessings, they also share in terrible sufferings. This makes the saving grace of Jesus Christ so much more important.” The last parts of the book, reconciliation and integrity, bring honour and purity to God’s name. The celebration at the birth of Obed, ancestor to Jesus, at the end of the book emphasizes how God restores everyone who is faithful. [AP] Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, Nov. 8th, 2009 using your browser's preferred media player.