05/30/2020
This weekend marks both Shavout and Pentecost. It is the time that the 10 Commandments were given, and the time the Holy Spirit was poured out in the upper room. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” It is only through the Holy Spirit that we are able to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). When we read about the early church, it was a group of people moving under the power of God with signs and wonders– and the church was characterized by upstanding character/integrity, and how they shared all they had and took care of each other.
During Shavout, the book of Ruth is traditionally read. It stands in contrast to the story of the 10 Commandments which was loud and scary… and received by many through fear. Ruth entered Israel and devoted herself to God because of love. The Holy Spirit, released at Pentecost, is the power of love – to overcome racism, to devote ourselves to the care of family, to look out for and care for the downtrodden, to walk in honor, and finally to see the miraculous and restoration. It’s all in the book of Ruth, and it’s all available to us as well.
Pentecost does not have to come with a loud bang or thunder… it doesn’t even have to be tongues and flames. It can be a choice. In the book of Ruth, Naomi had left her homeland looking for something better. Ruth was a foreigner… both were able to return to Israel and be abundantly blessed. If you have never gone to church, if you have been away longer than you can remember, if you have been old Boaz working faithfully in the land… there is something for all of us.
