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Poetry

Girl, You've Got So Much to Offer

I look into your eyes
And I see so much potential inside
But you just throw it away
Like everything is OK
The way it is but it’s not
And you know it down deep
But you’re afraid that if you say something
You just might weep
But you can’t do that
Because they always said
That if you cry
You’re just too weak

But when I look into your eyes
I see strong beauty inside
And you could be so much
So much more than you are now
If you’d just buckle down and understand
That God, He just wants to be your friend
The love that He has
Is so much more that that boy you’ve been datin’
Hopin’, waitin’
That he might be Mr. Right
But you’ve been through so much crud with the boys
You don’t know what true love is
So when God calls out your name
You say “Get out of my business”

You go searchin’ for everything you’re missin’
And it’s slowly killin’ you inside
You’ve got so much to hide
But one day you’ll have to stop runnin’
And finally turn to some true lovin’

You fall to the floor
And the blood spills from your wrists
You’ve been cuttin’ since you were ten
Because the boys say that you are only good for a kiss
They call you fat when you only weigh 90 pounds
And when you throw your lunch up every day
You know you’ve never felt so down

You are worthless in everyone’s eyes
But especially your own
You want to kill herself
You’re not even grown
You can’t save yourself
So who’s gonna do it for you?
You wonder as you lay crying on the bathroom floor

The pain it hurts too much
Gotta find someone to love
Your boyfriend says “sleep with me
It’ll prove your love”
He says he loves you and you’re all he wants
But when you become pregnant
He’ll leave and won’t think about it once

Your baby needs his mother
And now you feel wanted, needed, loved
But the scars you have will never heal
Not even your son can save you from how you feel

But still, when I look into your eyes
I see so much potential inside
And some day you will see it too
God, he’ll help you make it through
He gave His Son Jesus to save
So you don’t have to live in a grave
You are beautiful and you shouldn’t hurt God’s creation
Who knows, maybe someday you’ll lead a nation

Now I just want to say
Guard your heart
And start on a new way of life
By holding onto God
And He will never fail you
Watch Him work,
He’ll make you brand new
He has so much to offer you

And girl, you’ve got so much to offer

Best Work Reflection: Girl, You've Got So Much to Offer

Why is this one of your favorite, best or most important works?

I have written many poems over the years and there are very few that I will go back and read. This one is very unique from the rest of my poetry because it has more of a rap rhythm to it. I have never written anything like it before or since then.

What are the strengths of this work?

I wrote this poem with a friend of mine in mind. Not everything in this poem is true of her but rather it is a representation of so many girls like her; the ones who are lost, hurting, and in need of love. So, because of that, I think one of the strengths of this work is that it is relevant. I think anyone can identify with at least one emotion expressed in this poem.

What are its weaknesses? How could you improve it?

One thing that has bugged me is the line that says "He has so much to offer you." I don't want that to read like God owes us something or that we should turn to Him just to receive. I've had people tell me that they didn't read it that way but I could improve it by rewording it. On the other hand, it works with the next line. Looking at it in context I don't think I would change it.

Describe the growth that occurred in your life as a result of this work.

What have you learned?

This poem was my expression of the struggles I knew teenage girls went through. The growth, I suppose, was the desire to help and keep these things from happening in the lives of girls I was close to.

What future goals did you set because of this work – what do you want to do better?

What can you do to reach these goals?

I never set goals for my poetry. Whenever inspiration struck, I just wrote and whatever came out, came out.

If you were a teacher and grading your work, what grade would you give it and why?

I would give this work an A because I believe that it is unique and portrays the message very well.

Runner

She runs with silent tears streaming down her face
Her breathing is deep
Her body is in perfect rhythm
She runs, just to feel like she is running away
From all that she’s ever felt for him

She stares straight ahead
Everything around her might as well not be there
Because all she knows
Is that she needs to go
And let the pent up tears flow

The cramps numb the searing pain of a broken heart
And the adrenaline helps her to endure
She wants to run forever
So she doesn’t have to face the truth,
That she took a risk and now it’s over

She’ll run till she has no strength left
And then she’ll fall on the ground
Crying like she never has before
Cause there is nothing like a broken heart
To leave her without any open doors

Exhaustion will set in
And her head will ache
It won’t even seem real
But the pain is there
Because broken hearts take a long time to heal

Reflection

Close your eyes
watch the shadows dance
Breathe every breath
like it could be your last
Listen to the air fill your lungs
And out again
a sweet reminder of life

God breathed in the air that you have
He gave you life,
He gave His breath
until the very end

Picture a hill of suffering and hate
With the sky turning from blue to a sickening black
A man carries a cross of wood
His own cross
Meant for his own crucifixion
On His head
Is a crown of thorns
With blood running down his face
His flesh is ripped open
By metal tipped whips
Blood is now His robe
Thorns are now His crown of glory
And a cross is now His holy throne

He is nailed upon a cross
A nail hammered into each wrist
And a nail through his feet
Three nails to hold him there
To weep, to scream, to die a sinful death
Three nails and a cross
To bring forgiveness, love, and glory

This man is Jesus Christ
Perfection became imperfection,
for all to see
for all to mock
for most to reject
and a few to receive
and with these words:
”Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”

Jesus breathed His last

He breathed
He breathed in life once
Then He breathed in life again
From the cross
And from the moment you received Him
He breathed in life again
He breathed
And because He breathed
You have breath,
A sweet reminder of life

Dead Man Walking

You live in a whirlwind
As you walk down this path
You can’t see more than two feet in front of you
There is dust and debris
That’s all you can see
You’re a dead man walking

You lay at home all day
Just wasting away
There are bottles of beer everywhere
And you keep needles in your drawer
Anytime you start to feel,
You stab yourself once more
You’re a dead man walking

The neighbors hear you screaming at night
As you wake up in a cold sweat
You pop more drugs
Thinking they’ll relieve your nightmares
You lay there shaking, trembling
You’re a dead man walking

If death had a face he’d look like you
You’re a dead man walking
There is nothing good in the world
So what are you still living for?
Dead man walking

Stop
Look
See what you’ve become
You’re a dead man walking
What brought you here
To this place of death and fear
Where is your hope?
Where is your faith?
You’re a dead man walking
The stench of your rotting flesh is unbearable
No one is going to save you now

But wait, who is this Man reaching for you?
Why is He touching you, such filth
He bends down to breathe into your lungs,
To resuscitate
Your eyes grow wide and your breathing is normal
You return to life
The Man holds your hand and whispers,
“You’re alright now, son. Your life is not yet done.”
You search your mind for understanding
But you can’t ignore the peace that you feel
You ask, “Who are you?”
The Man smiles and says, “I am your Savior, your Life Giver, Jesus Christ.”

Years down the road,
You have purpose, meaning, life
You get up every day
And walk down your path
But there’s no dust and debris
There’s Jesus Christ
He’s all you see
And You’re a dead man walking

He is Enough

What is it that I have in this world
But a few dollars to my name
A few small pleasures that I can truly call my own
Without there being someone else to blame

I have not what may be considered necessary
Nor a means to build my life
But in Jesus I lack nothing
For He is all I need in this world full of strife

My abilities and heart may fail me
Things of that nature are too rough
But my God is my strength and He is mine forever
I need nothing else, He is enough

There are people who have everything they could ever want
But they will never be as joyful and free
For my God is near
And He has been good to me

The Lord is my refuge
I will tell of all He has done
I desire nothing else but Him
For everything else will soon be gone

The Lord is always faithful
He is glorious and true
I wait for Him to come and get me
When the time is due
As a girl waits for her lover,
I wait for my Lord
For He is the only One
Whom I will forever adore

Papers

YAHWEH AND THE CANAANITE GODS:

THE ISRAELITE’S APOSTASY

Upon entering the land of Canaan, the children of Israel were to capture the land and cleanse it of the pagan idolatry that took place there. They were to claim the land in the name of Yahweh and abide by His covenant while dwelling there. However, that is not what happened. Although some places were conquered, there were other places that were not and this caused Yahweh to become angry with His people. Having not overcome the entire land of Canaan, the Israelite’s were influenced by the Canaanite culture. They succumbed to the pagan idols of false gods and worshipped them instead of the true God, Yahweh. The examination of the Canaanite deities should create an interesting proposition for the reason of the apostasy of Israel. What did Israel worship instead of Yahweh? Why did they forsake Yahweh? What do the Canaanite deities look like in comparison to Yahweh? These are questions that will be answered after a sufficient examination of Canaanite religion.

Canaanite Deities

There are many Canaanite gods but only a choice few will be examined here. The names Baal, Ashtaroth, Asherah, El, and Dagon are mentioned in the book of Judges in reference to a pagan god or goddess. These will be looked at as well as other deities that were in existence during this time, such as Ishtar, Anat, and Mot.

The name El appears “230 times in the Old Testament” but is used as a generic term. In the Canaanite religion, El is the chief god and is known as father of all gods of the pantheon.

As the god, El was, in accordance with the general irrationality and moral grossness of Canaanite religion, a dim and shadowy figure, who, Philo says, had three wives, who were also his sisters, and who could readily step down from his eminence and become the hero of sordid escapades and crimes. Philo portrays El as a bloody tyrant, whose acts terrified all the other gods, and who dethroned his own father, murdered his favorite son, and decapitated his own daughter.

Already one can see how perverted the Canaanite religion was. If this is how their chief god acted, than nothing would stop them from acting the same way.

The name Baal means “lord” and was used generically in the Bible as well. There were many idols of Baal and they were “understood as manifestations of the one Baal worshipped among the Canaanite population.” He was known not only as the son of El but also as the son of Dagon. He was “believed to give fertility to the womb and life-giving rain to the soil, he is pictured as standing on a bull, a popular symbol of fertility and strength.” He was worshipped by committing “scared prostitution and sometimes even child sacrifice.” Again, here is shown the depravity of Canaanite religion and worship. This is what Yahweh wanted out of the land and this is how the Israelites forsook their God.

Asherah or Asheroth, being the plural term, was a great goddess and was the mother of the minor gods in the pantheon. She was also the wife of El. The name Asherah was also used as a generic term for deity. “The Hebrew term asera, seems to be used in two senses in the Bible, as a cultic object and as a divine name.” This “cultic object” is seen in Judges 3:7, “The sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.” This object was made out of wood and was the symbol that the people worshipped.

In the OT Asherah appears as a goddess by the side of Baal, whose consort she evidently became, at least among the Canaanites of the south. However, most biblical references to the name point obviously to some cult object of wood, which might be cut down and burned, possibly the goddesses' image.

In Judges 6:25-26, Yahweh instructed Gideon to “cut down the Asherah” and to “offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” Asherah or “the Asharoth” was a part of Canaanite religion and thus was one of the goddess that was worshiped during the Israelite’s apostasy.

Ashtaroth is the plural name for Ashtoreth and is also known as Astarte, the goddess that “was associated with the evening star and was the beautiful goddess of war and fertility.” Along with Asherah, she is the main female goddess in the Ugarit pantheon. It appears that many of the gods and goddess had different names depending on the use of the name and the region or culture it was used in. Where did the name Astarte come from?

In all likelihood, the name [Astarte] was created to reflect the opposition of the biblical writers to the native Canaanite religions. Because references to Astarte have been corrupted, as in the case of the Hebrew scriptures, or commingled with other goddesses, as in the Greek sources, the cultural understanding of Astarte of that time is difficult to determine.

Astarte is mentioned in the Bible as Ashtaroth. In Judges 2:13 it says, “So they forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.” In this case the name is used in the plural, suggesting that they were not worshiping the specific goddess but rather idols that were referred to as “the Ashtaroth.”

Like all the other deities, Astarte was depraved and in result, the worship of her was horrible. She reveled in sex and violence and the worship practices are both sexual and violent.

There is evidence from both biblical and non-biblical sources that her worship included frenetic dancing and self-mortification with knives and whips. Cult prostitution was practiced in the worship of Astarte, but there were also eunuchs among the temple attendance. The eunuchs were reported to have castrated themselves in worship of the goddess; thereafter they would dress in women’s clothing.

Most likely these are the type of practices that the Israelites, God’s own people, took part in. Their apostasy against Yahweh was great.

Dagon is another god that was mentioned in the book of Judges. He was a god of the Philistines who oppressed Israel. He is mentioned in Judges 16:23, “Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice, for they said, ‘Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands.’” This particular passage is amidst the story of Samson when he was captured by the Philistines and was a slave to them. He was used as a grain grinder. The word grain is derived from the word Dagon as “it is now a widely held view that the word for ‘grain’ comes from the name of the god and not vice versa.” That is an interesting parallel. Also, further down the text, one will read that the Philistines who were gathered that day were destroyed by the power of Yahweh given back to Samson. Obviously, their god Dagon was not that great of a god.

There is one more god and two more goddess that will be observed and they are Ishtar, Anat(h), and Mot. These deities are just a few of the pagan gods that were being worshipped during the time of the Israelite’s apostasy.

Ishtar is the daughter of the moon god Nanna and Ningal. She is the wife of the god of the sky, An. She is a fertility and rain goddess. Her behavior is discontent, restless, and, as with the other goddesses, she is a symbol of sexual attraction and actions. She supported prostitutes and was connected with cults in many cities such as Uruk, Akkad, Kish, Nineveh, and Arbela. It is difficult to characterize Ishtar because she “seems to exhibit a great variety of (perhaps inconsistent) traits and qualities than most other deities and plays a wide variety of roles.” She is a goddess that has many traits and personalities with no consistency which is a complete opposite of Yahweh.

Anat, also spelled as Anath, is thought as the possible mother of Baal’s children. Not only is she one of Baal’s wives, but she is also his sister. Anat, who is often associated with Astarte and Asherah, is the worst of the three. She is obsessed with sex and war. Ultimately, “the depraved character of Canaanite religion is indicated by the character of Anath.” Anat murdered in the harshest ways imaginable and she enjoyed it. The extent of this depravity is made know when one considers the fact that “Anath was given the epithet of "virgin" and "the Holy One"

(qudshu) in her invariable role of a sacred prostitute.” Here yet again is another example of the horrific wickedness that was taking place in the lives of the Israelites.

Mot is the god of death who appropriately lives in the underworld. Naturally, he is seen as more of a demonic character rather than a deity. He is known to have a large appetite since he is “a voracious consumer of gods and men.” He is the enemy of Baal and is the god of all emptiness and infertility. His traits and characteristics clash with that of Baal himself and the goddesses. Being unlike the other deities, he was not worshipped in the same manner as the others. “Mot’s absence from the Ugaritic cult and personal names suggests that he was not a deity worshipped like others in the pantheon.” The Israelites may not have worshipped him as they did the others, but he was still of influence as a pagan god in the Canaanite land.

Now that different Canaanite deities have been examined and observed, it is now time to look deeper into Israel’s apostasy. If these were some of the deities that were being worshipped in Canaan, than what kind of influence did they have on the children of Israel? Yahweh’s people obviously turned away from Him and served other gods, but what caused them to do that? This is what will be discussed in the next section.

Israel’s Apostasy

The Israelites were the epitome of the human nature. They had a God, one God, Yahweh, who had delivered them from captivity in Egypt. He had set them free and brought them to a new and good land. He had provided for them and protected them. He had chosen them as His people and made a covenant with them. However, they turned their backs on Him and “served the Baals, and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to anger” (Judges 2:11-12). The children of Israel, just like any other group of people, were sinful human beings. Though it does not make sense why they would turn away from Yahweh and worship a depraved religion, it was their sinful nature that enticed them to do so. They had very little faith with no excuse to doubt their mighty God but they did. They did not trust in Him to provide the help that they needed in conquering the Canaanites. As a result, they fell into apostasy and as a result of that, they were oppressed by their enemies and, for a time, Yahweh did not help them.

Formative influences had for ages been at work on the Hebrew mind, and Palestine had long been inhabited by people with fixed institutions, customs and ideas. When then Israel settled in Canaan, they had both a heathen inheritance and a heathen environment to contend with. It should therefore occasion no surprise to find during this period such lapses from the purity of the Mosaic faith as appear in the ephod of Gideon (Judges 8:24-27), the images of Micah (Judges 17-18), and the sacrifice of Jephthah's daughter (Judges 11:34-40).

In some ways, it is a surprise that the Israelites gave in to the culture around them because how could someone turn away from a God like Yahweh? It is easy to ask that when in reference to Israel but one must ask that question of themselves as well. It is quite easy for any human to give in to the world and turn from Yahweh, though it makes no sense to do so, other than simply giving into sinful human nature which is exactly what the Israelites did. In that way, Israel’s sin is not a surprise.

As anyone can see from reading the book of Judges, the Canaanites had a lot of influence on the Israelites. “Canaanite influence on the religion of Israel is probable from the gradual and incomplete manner in which the conquest of Canaan was effected by the Hebrews.” As was pointed out in the introduction of this paper, Israel did not completely wipe out all of Canaan immediately. It took many years in order for this to finally happen.

Canaanite influence on the religion of Israel is probable also from the adoption of Canaanite civilization by the Hebrews. When the Hebrews entered Canaan they were rude nomads of the desert, while the Canaanites had attained a high civilization. From the Canaanites they received the forms of city life and the institutions of city government. From them they learned agriculture and all the other industries of settled society.

This makes sense and, looking at it from this point of view, one can see the good that the Canaanites played in the lives of the Israelites. If it had not been for the Canaanites still dwelling in the land, Israel may have had a hard time getting started as a nation and government. However, in the overall view of things, the Canaanites did have a bad influence over the Israelites in the fact that they offered the temptation that brought Israel away from her God.

With the adoption of the civilization of Canaan there must have come adoption of the gods of Canaan. Agriculture could not be carried on without observing the ceremonies that accompanied the planting of the seed and the reaping of the harvest. The forms of city government could not be maintained except with recognition of the local divinities.

This is how Israel became involved with the pagan gods. They gave in to their human nature and conformed to the surrounding culture. By taking part in Canaanite religion and possibly even identifying these idols with Yahweh, not only did Israel misconstrue their purpose as the chosen people of the one and only Yahweh, they also misconstrued their view of Yahweh himself. In his book, John Andrew Dearman says, “If one asks about Yahwism from the perspective of Israel’s social identity, then the affirmation of the OT is deceptively simple: Yahweh is the god of Israel, just as Kemosh is recognized as the god of Moab and Milcom as the god of Ammon.” This is not true of Yahweh. He is not just Israel’s God but He is the only true, existing God who has authority over all the earth.

The Canaanite culture, especially their religion, had a great effect on the Israelites. It caused them to forgot their God, turn from His ways, forsake His covenant, and pervert His image as the one and only God.

The Canaanite Gods and Yahweh. These pagan gods and Yahweh are very different and yet, there are some similarities. Many of the gods and goddesses were known for fertility, which is symbolic of the giving of a new life. Many were also known for war and the taking of life. Yahweh is both the giver and taker of life. Like Baal, Yahweh is a God of order and not of chaos. Unlike Ishtar, Yahweh is a God who never changes. He is consistent and though He does have many traits, He is the same God now that He was when the world began. The practices that took place to worship these false gods of Canaan were horrific and were actions that defiled the children of Israel. The worship of Yahweh consisted of devout obedience, faithfulness to the covenant, and following His commands. The statement is true, “one should love Yahweh
unreservedly because there is no need for a divided allegiance.” Though Yahweh still worked out His plan and power through the mistakes and sins of Israel, this “divided allegiance” between the pagan gods and Yahweh caused much pain and suffering for the Israelites that could have been avoided had they remained faithful.

“Among this century’s archeological surprises, few have generated as much scholarly enthusiasm as the discovery of mythological texts from Ugarit in Syria. Nor has any discovery surpassed these texts’ impact upon the study of the clash of religions in Canaan and Israel.” The “clash” of these religions is great, as it was described above. In the Canaanite religion, there are many different deities who mostly stand for what is wrong and sinfully pleasurable. In the Israelite religion, there is one God and His name is Yahweh. He is good, sufficient, faithful, and full of grace, justice, and pure, unconditional love. The Israelite’s apostasy against Yahweh was illogical but unfortunately understandable. Many people today commit apostasy against the Lord by putting their own selfish desires before following His will. It is not right, but it is human. Thankfully, Yahweh is holy and in His power and glory, He delivered Israel time and time again from their own stupidity and oppression. The Canaanite gods would not have been so kind.

WHEN GOD WORKS BEHIND THE SCENES

There was once a time when God verbally spoke to people, made appearances or He at least sent angles with a message. Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden of Eden. Abraham was visited by angles of God on many occasions. Moses spoke with God through the burning bush and he stood on holy ground in the presence of God. There were also many prophets who were given prophecies by God. In most of the books of the Bible God is the main character and He speaks with people in a quite literal way.
Today, however, He no longer chooses to communicate by verbally speaking His will or revealing Himself in a miraculous way. Most of His communicating today is very subtle and almost silent if one does not know how to hear or see Him when He is indeed at work. He often decides to speak through His Word, the Bible, through other people with their wisdom and nudging in one particular direction, and sometimes through things like a song on the radio, a piece of literature, or certain circumstances. And sometimes there are things that happen that have no explanation and the credit must be given to divine providence.
Since people no longer literally hear the Lord’s voice, it can be hard to tell what His will is. And since He sometimes chooses to work behind the scenes, it can also be difficult to tell when He is working. The Lord can often seem absent from situations and when that happens, He is usually working in places where one cannot see and working in ways one cannot understand.
In this paper, the books of Ruth and Esther will be explored to discover how God was evidently at work in those particular times and circumstances; even though He was only a minor character in one and not mentioned in the other. Also, principles will be drawn that can be applied today to the strengthening of faith when God appears to be absent from life.
The book of Ruth is a beautiful story of lovingkindness and a story of hope during dire times. Both Naomi and Ruth’s husbands are dead so Ruth, the daughter-in-law of Naomi, go to Bethlehem from Moab with Naomi to live with her there. Even though Naomi tells her to remain at home in Moab, Ruth insists on going back with her. After arriving in Bethlehem, Ruth goes out to find a field to glean in. She happens to glean in the field of Boaz, who is a kinsman of her father-in-law, Elimelech. Once Naomi discovers this, she informs Ruth that Boaz is her kinsman and that he can redeem her. Naomi instructs Ruth to prepare herself and go to Boaz to ask him to fulfill his role. He does so and marries Ruth and takes care of Naomi. Ruth becomes pregnant and has a son, Obed, who becomes the father of Jesse, who becomes the father of David, which is the line that Jesus the Christ comes from.
The Lord was at work in Naomi and Ruth’s life even though He was not specifically mentioned as doing so. One can see where the Lord began to work when Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi even though it did not behoove her to do so. Naomi encouraged her to stay in her own land, with her own people, but Ruth would not hear of it. The Lord had to have influenced her in some way in order for her to be so willing to leave everything she knew and go to a foreign land with her mother-in-law.
Also, the fact that Ruth chose to glean in Boaz’s field had to be a work of the Lord. In chapter two, verse three, it says, “So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.” It says that she “happened to come”, though the Lord may have had provided some guidance for Ruth in directing her to Boaz’s field. The verse also highlights the fact of who Boaz is, insinuating the importance of him being a relative.
In chapter three, the Lord may have been using Naomi to speak to Ruth and to encourage her to go to Boaz. Ruth heeded Naomi’s wisdom and did as she said. Boaz treated her kindly and adored her noble character. He also not only showed respect for Ruth, but also for Naomi. The Lord must have played a part in developing the characters of Ruth and Boaz for them to handle the situation in the way that they did.
Though Boaz was a relative of Ruth, he was not the closest relative. Boaz had to meet with that relative to find out if he wanted to redeem the land of Elimelech and in doing so, redeem Ruth. The relative could not redeem the inheritance and so therefore Boaz did. The Lord must have been working to remove the obstacle of a closer relative so that Boaz would be the redeemer.
At the end of the book is where one finds the importance of Boaz being the redeemer. Through Boaz and Ruth and their descendants does the great king David come and further on, the Savior of the world. The Lord did not have to use Boaz and Ruth, but He chose to, and He worked behind the scenes to make things happen. He guided Ruth, spoke through the wisdom of Naomi, chose the upright man Boaz, and removed all obstacles.
There are at least three principles that can be drawn from this text in light of the topic. The first principle is faithfulness. Ruth was faithful to her dead husband by being loyal to her mother-in-law. She was faithful to glean in Boaz’s field so that she could provide for herself and for Naomi. She showed extraordinary faithfulness directly to Naomi by going to Bethlehem with her and being the vassal in which Naomi and her late husband’s land was redeemed. Because Ruth remained faithful, the Lord remained faithful to her by providing for her everything that she needed. He was faithful in a subtle and unexpected way but what is important is not the way that He was faithful, but that He simply was. In the same way, if people today are faithful to the Lord and others, then He will be faithful in every aspect to them as well.
The second principle is trust and reliance on God to do what people cannot. Though the author of Ruth does not let the readers know the thoughts that ran through Ruth’s mind or how she felt when she was not speaking, one can assume that she had to have second guessed her decision in coming to Bethlehem, had doubt in herself, and was unsure about how her life was to now unfold. When she went to find a field to glean in she might have been afraid of what could happen to her while she was out there. When she heard from Boaz that there was a closer relative, that might have worried her because things might not work out the way she had planned. These are obstacles that came into play while this story unfolded. However, the Lord removed those obstacles. It was necessary for Ruth to glean so that she and Naomi could eat. There was not much she could do if she were in almost constant danger while working. However, the Lord was good in directing her to Boaz’s field, where she was taken care of and watched over. Also, if the closer relative had been able to and wanted to redeem the inheritance, then there was not anything anyone could do about it. Boaz would have to give the right to the closer relative and Ruth would have to consent to marrying him. There are many hard obstacles in life that sometimes seem impossible to get around and overcome. That is when the Lord has to be trusted to work everything out.
At the end of chapter three Ruth has been to Boaz and he has told her that he must talk to the closer relative about redeeming her. When she returns to Naomi, she relays to her everything that happened. In verse eighteen Naomi tells Ruth that she must now wait. “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter turns out; for the man will not rest until he has settled it today.” Ruth did not have to wait very long, but waiting was involved. It is not easy to wait on something that could change one’s life but waiting cannot be avoided. When one has done all that he can and it comes the time to wait, one should wait patiently and with hope.
The book of Esther is about how a young lady named Esther became queen and saved her people, the Jews, from persecution and destruction. She became queen because she found favor in everyone’s eyes, especially the king’s, because she was beautiful and wise. She never made known the fact that she was a Jew up until a plot was made against them. Once she heard of this plot, she sent one of the king’s eunuchs to Mordecai, her cousin, to find out exactly what was going on and why. Mordecai ordered Esther to go before the king and plead for the safety of her people. Esther knew that she could not appear before the king without being summoned or risk being put to death. At the encouragement and blunt truth that Mordecai conveyed to her, Esther went into the king’s inner court room where he extended the scepter to her, graciously pardoning what could have been an offense. She invited him and Haman to a banquet that she prepared and they came and she again invited them to another banquet. During this time, Haman had been plotting against Mordecai while the king had been planning to honor Mordecai for uncovering a plot against him. Mordecai was honored and while the king and Haman were at the second banquet with Esther, she informed the king of who she was, pleaded for mercy on her people, and revealed Haman’s evilness. The king became angry and hung Haman, promoted Mordecai, and sent out an edict declaring that the Jews could protect themselves when their oppressors tried to destroy them. The Jews, in turn, destroyed their enemies and Mordecai became great among the Jews and second only to the king.
The Lord’s name was never mentioned in this entire book and yet He was clearly at work. As Mordecai told Esther in chapter four verse fourteen, she was probably chosen to be queen just for the purpose of rescuing her people. The Jews are the Lord’s chosen people and He knew what was going to happen. He chose to use Esther to bring about His divine plan and will and He removed the obstacles (Queen Vashti, the other young ladies who could have been chosen as queen, and Haman) so that the plan could be carried out. “’Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?’” This was Mordecai’s message to Esther but this might as well be the Lord speaking directly to Esther himself. The Lord could have used someone else or some other means to bring deliverance for the Jews, but He had chosen Esther and put her in place as queen for just this purpose.
There are three principles that can be drawn from this book and applied to today’s circumstances. The first principle is wisdom. Esther portrayed wisdom in the way that she, before taking any action, found out all of the information that she needed to have a complete understanding of the situation. The text does not say explicitly but one can suggest that she did not jump to conclusions, was not quick to become angry or frustrated, but rather was concerned for Mordecai and for the situation at hand. She was also wise in the way that she approached the king and she patiently waited until the time was right to plead her case with him.
Wisdom is needed in any situation if it is to be handled correctly and in the best, most godly way. Even though God may seem completely absent from a situation, godly characteristics should still be portrayed in handling the situation. A prayerful person can gain wisdom and when the Lord seems to be absent or silent, sometimes the best thing to do is to use one’s wisdom and do the best thing one knows to do.
The second principle is willingness to listen to others. This can go alongside of wisdom. Esther was constantly listening to the wisdom of others in order to learn what she must do. Chapter two verse fifteen says, “Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the women, advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.” Here she took the advice of Hegai, one who would know just what she needed to do in order to gain favor, and she did gain favor “in the eyes of all who saw her”. Also, in many different places throughout the book, Esther listens to what Mordecai tells her and takes what he says as true. She uses the information he gives to an advantage and this too gains her favor.
There are many times in life when one has to look to the wisdom and experience of another in order to know what he must do. When the Lord seems to be silent, it may be wise to look to a trusted advisor. The Lord will often speak through other people in order to carry out His will so it is wise to seek and to listen to advice.
The third principle is fasting. Before going in to see the king, Esther instructed Mordecai to have all the Jews in the area fast for her while she and her maidens did the same. It was not until three days later that Esther went in to see the king. This time of fasting gave Esther the chance to prepare herself for what she was about to do. One can be sure that Esther did a lot of thinking and praying during this time.
Fasting is a way of dedicating specific time to the Lord, expressing one’s humility and need for direction. Doing a fast is one way that a person can strengthen their faith during the times when God seems absent. Sometimes the Lord chooses to reveal Himself and His will while a person fasts because that person is in complete submission and earnestly seeking help.
It is true that there are times when God seems absent and silent in life’s situations. However, He never stops working, He’s never caught off guard, and He’s never surprised by the outcome. When these hard times come and hope seems lost, one must remain faithful, trust that God will remove all obstacles, and patiently wait for the outcome while obtaining wisdom, being willing to listen to others, and spend time fasting to give the situation over to the Lord. Silent or outspoken, absent or involved, the Lord is always the same and that is sufficient hope.

Best Work Reflection: When God Works Behind the Scenes

Why is this one of your favorite, best or most important works?

Ruth and Esther are two of my favorite books and the topic was relevant in my life at the time.

What are the strengths of this work?

I would say that it is well organized, clear, and concise.

What are the weaknesses? How could you improve it?
I believe the beginning could be stronger.

Describe the growth that occurred in your life as a result of this work?

What have you learned?
When I wrote this paper I was going through a time in my life when God seemed quiet and absent. Studying Ruth and Esther was an encouragement to me that God, while He may seem quiet at times, is never truly absent. It helped me know that He was still at work even though I couldn't see it.

What future goals did you set because of this work – what do you want to do better?

What can you do to reach these goals?
I don't believe I set any future goals. It was an assignment I enjoyed doing at the time and it was a help to me in my particular circumstances.

If you were a teacher and grading your work, what grade would you give it and why?
Well, I was given an A on this paper and I agree with that grade. I fulfilled the requirements for the paper and I believe that it was written with clarity and interest.

THE NATURE OF SIN

Sin has been a part of this world ever since the beginning. When Eve in the Garden of Eden listened to the deception of the serpent, craved power, knowledge, and partook of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, sin entered the world. From then on, the human race has been trapped within their sinful nature. Even those who have been saved by God’s grace and are free from the power of sin, still struggle with their sinful nature simply because they are in this broken world. The nature of sin can be seen throughout the Bible and throughout history itself. Every wrongdoing, every war, every broken relationship, every hurt and pain are the result of sin. This phenomenon called “sin” has wrecked havoc in the universe as a result of disobeying the Creator. Sin brought about shame and it broke open communion with the Creator Yahweh. Sin demolished the original purpose of the created world.
This paper will survey the serious nature of sin, how it developed in God’s people, and how serious it was from God’s perspective by looking at prophetic books of the Old Testament. It will also address the concern of whether Christians today take sin seriously enough and how the culture desensitizes Christians to the serious nature of sin. This paper will also answer the question whether Christians are responsible to communicate the seriousness of sin to other Christians or whether they should leave that up to those who are “called,” such as someone in the ministry. Finally, this paper will draw three principles from the prophetic texts that Christians can apply to their lives and to their churches on the issue of sin.
The prophetic literatures that will be dealt with are the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos, Micah, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Malachi. In Isaiah, there is pagan idolatry among Judah and Yahweh responds by giving the people over to their sin of idolatry. There are times when He will give the people what they want. In Jeremiah, Judah has sinned by committing apostasy but they would not repent so Yahweh sends judgment on them in order to purify them. In the book of Ezekiel, Judah’s sins consists of corruption of the political leaders, spiritual leaders, the family unit, and worship. In Hosea, idolatry is again the major sin and Yahweh responds by judging the people because of their violation of the covenant. Hosea was a prophet that brought immediate punishment but proclaimed future hope. In Amos, social injustice takes place and there is the issue of ethical behavior and the right treatment of others. In turn, Yahweh brings judgment on His own people for the injustices they have committed against each other and others. Israel needed to remember that there were consequences for disobeying the covenant. Like Hosea, Amos also proclaimed a future hope and promise of restoration and blessing. The book of Micah is about how the people were guilty of injustice and what they needed to do to get back in right standing with the Lord. The book of Zephaniah announced that the day of the Lord was approaching quickly and that Judah needed to change. Haggai’s message was for the people to repent, to put aside their selfishness and complacency, to renew the covenant with Yahweh, and rebuild the temple. Malachi goes over Israel’s covenant relationship with Yahweh and its consequences.
Israel and Judah both committed apostasy, they committed spiritual and physical adultery against the Lord, they desecrated human life and morals, and they were selfish and unfaithful to the covenant Yahweh had made with them. Their hearts were hardened because they would not repent. In the book of Malachi, the people asked of the Lord ten questions that show that the people were blind to their own sin. Yahweh had established a covenant with His people and they had turned their backs on Him. They did not obey Him and they completely defied Him by going against every good and natural thing He had created. Their sin brought about the wrath of God and His judgment and punishment.
Sin is very serious in God’s perspective. Because of sin, His original plan and purpose for humankind was frustrated. Because of sin, the world He created and called “good” is now full of evilness and perverseness. Sin, no matter what it is, is an offense against the Almighty God. Since God is perfect, holy, and righteous, He cannot dwell amongst sin or commune with what is sinful; sin cannot touch Him. The Israelites were God’s chosen people and even though they were extremely sinful, He set them apart as His own and remained faithful to the covenant He made with them. However, He did have to discipline them. Sin cannot just be excused; it must be dealt with.
In Isaiah, Yahweh used a sick human body as a figure of comparison for Judah in chapter one, verses five through six. Moreover, in verses ten through fifteen, Yahweh was fed up; He no longer wanted their sacrifices or offerings and told them that He would not listen to their prayers, for their “hands are covered in blood.” He sent them into exile in order to purify them, for His people could not be ungodly.
In Jeremiah, the people would not repent and Yahweh had to judge them in order to purify them. Jeremiah 13:11 says, “’For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.’” Then in chapter fifteen, judgment comes and Yahweh sends His people from His presence. Verse three says, “’I will appoint over them four kinds of doom,’ declares the LORD: ‘the sword to slay, the dogs to drag off, and the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.’” Then in chapter thirty, Yahweh promises deliverance from captivity.
Isaiah and Jeremiah are just two examples of what the rest of the prophetic books say. Israel and Judah sin, Yahweh judges them, brings punishment upon them, and promises them future hope of restoration.

Sin is taken seriously by God, but not by His people from thousands of years ago and not by His people today. Christians in today’s society are becoming more and more desensitized to sin by the culture. The post-modern world of today says that any choice can be the right choice and no one has the right to question another’s decision. Sin takes place in many churches but nothing is done because no one wants to confront the conflict or risk offending anyone and losing members. Sin is hidden, ignored, and shrugged off as if it is not a big deal. Many Christians live as if they are still slaves to sin and in so doing, they deny the power of Christ. Christians have given into the temptation to believe that they can sin all they want because God has forgiven them and they are going to Heaven anyway so they might as well do what they want. Those Christians are living for their own pleasure in the here and now and are not looking toward the future or living for eternity. Most modern Christians are much like Israel in the way that they are selfish, stubborn, and use God for their own gain. Living in this way is like saying they are god so thus, they have no true respect for God and therefore, sin is nothing because there is no greater God to offend. It is a sad reality but there are Christians who really do live this way, whether they realize it or not; and there are many churches who ignore such things like affairs amongst church members, favoritism, heresy, and gossip. The church has fallen into the instant gratification mindset; it is easier and more beneficial now than in the end to ignore the sin that is being committed. It is very wrong for God’s church to be living like this. In fact, it is a sin. They are misrepresenting Him and His kingdom. They are corrupting their purpose, which is to be light and salt to the nations. One cannot be light and salt when buried in sin that is being ignored.
Not all Christians are like this, there are those who are true followers of Jesus Christ, and they are constantly working out their salvation and allowing the Lord to sanctify them. It is these Christians who have the responsibility to lovingly confront others, as the Lord directs, on their misdirected view of sin outside of a church congregation. As for inside the church, it is the pastor’s responsibility to confront sin that is committed within his congregation. As a pastor, he is to be a shepherd who guides and protects his sheep. He is their spiritual leader so he has the responsibility to recognize and deal with sin with the help of the Holy Spirit.
There are three principles that can be drawn from the prophetic texts that have been discussed that are applicable for Christians today. The first principle is that there is judgment and punishment because of sin. This principle can be drawn from every prophetic book but here are a few passages for examples. Isaiah 1:19-20 says, “’If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.’ Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.’” These verses are figurative but are clear. With obedience comes blessing and with disobedience comes punishment. Ezekiel 8:17-18 says, “He said to me, ‘Do you see this, son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me repeatedly? For behold, they are putting the twig to their nose. Therefore, I indeed will deal in wrath. My eye will have no pity nor will I spare; and though they cry in My ears with a load voice, yet I will not listen to them.’” Judah had sinned and as a result Yahweh is angry and their punishment is that He will not have pity on them.
The second principle is that sin affects everyone. Many people have the misconception that their sin will only affect them but that is not true. This is seen with the prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Hosea. Jeremiah is known as the “weeping prophet” because of the opposition that he faced because of his ministry. In 11:18-23, there is a record that there was an attempt of assassination on Jeremiah’s life. In 12:6, Jeremiah is rejected by his family and in 20:1-3 he is beaten and put in the stocks overnight. There were times that Jeremiah wanted to resign from his ministry but could not. In chapter twenty, verse nine, it says, “but if I say, ‘I will not remember Him or speak anymore in His name,’ then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot endure it.” All of this and more was because of the people’s sin and their stubbornness to repent. Judah’s sin did not just affect them but also Yahweh’s tool in bringing them back to Him.
Ezekiel was also affected by the sin of the people. Yahweh allowed Ezekiel’s wife to die and he was not to mourn for her publicly. This was to serve as an illustration of the fate of Judah and the Lord’s response to it. Hosea was affect as well. Because of Israel’s unfaithfulness, Yahweh commanded Hosea to marry a prostitute to serve as symbolism of Yahweh’s relationship with Israel. These prophet’s lives were devastatingly altered because of other people’s sin, not because of their own.
The third and final principle is that the Lord will eventually bring restoration. Ezekiel 16:62-63 says, “’Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD, so that you may remember and be ashamed and never open your mouth anymore because of your humiliation, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done,’ the Lord GOD declares.” Yahweh is promising that He will establish a covenant with them and that He will forgive them. Haggai 2:6-7 says, “For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts.” Yahweh will bless Israel and restore them “in a little while.” Malachi 3:17 says, “’They will be Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.’” Israel will be the Lord’s own possession someday. A person has to go through many trials and tribulations in order to be sanctified before the Lord but one day that person will be brought to full restoration. One day everyone who is a child of God will be glorified in a new body. There is hope; God brings His people hope, even amidst a world full of sin and shame.
To commit sin is to commit treason against the God that saves, loves, and restores. God sees sin as a serious issue, especially among His people, because they know better and have the ability to overcome the temptation sin offers. Sin is not to be taken lightly but is to be dealt with appropriately; otherwise, it causes destruction and ultimately death. Christians today need to take the nature of sin more seriously and to see it just as God sees it. They need to remember that with sin comes consequences and those consequences can affect anyone. However, there is hope, because the Lord is faithful and promises forgiveness and restoration.

Photography

Bridal Photo

Why is this one of your favorite, best or most important works?

This is from my first bridal shoot. I love the composition and the effects on her dress.

What are the strengths of this work?

It is clear, it puts a spotlight on her and the beauty of her dress, and the positioning of the camera created a great frame around her.

What are its weaknesses? How would you improve it?

I would have preferred for the dress to be straighten out some more which was a mistake on my part.

Describe the growth that occurred in your life as a result of this work?

What have you learned?

It gave me my first experience in doing a bridal shoot so I learned how to create some beautiful pictures. I learned the importance of positioning flashes, composition, and poses.

What future goals did you set because of this work – what do you want to do better?

What can you do to reach these goals?

I want to create more poses and ideas. This can be done through research and through doing more photo shoots.