When we meet Esther, who comes to mind but Rachel, mother of Israel, likewise “beautiful of form and face” (Gen. 29:17)! This is no mere coincidence, not just a common manner of talking at that time. Through Rachel and Esther, the Divine Author is pulling on the female narratival line that carries us from theContinue reading “Esther found favour”
Category Archives: Ruth
Ruth and Esther
Ruth and Esther are the only two Biblical books bearing the names of women. This alone draws our eye to them, asks us to consider them together. By the time we get to Ruth, God has already primed us many times over to watch closely for women, to trace their place in the Bible’s storyContinue reading “Ruth and Esther”
Naomi and the Shunammite Woman
It’s easy to forget the rest and relief of Ruth when you’re knee-deep in all of the violence and betrayal in the books of Samuel and Kings. Reading these books is like traveling through an immense desert, surviving spring to spring. And yet, 2 Kings offers us Ruth again, just when we need it. Or,Continue reading “Naomi and the Shunammite Woman”
Stay Close to the Bread
When you have been in a spiritually abusive church, some of the woeful work you eventually have to do is to rewrite the narrative of your past. This means that you have to reject the false reality that was imposed on you and embrace the truth. About a year ago, my husband and I startedContinue reading “Stay Close to the Bread”
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