#pwolfnation

[pwolfministries]

Commitment to Loyalty

by Maddie Knudtson

Many parts of the Bible give me chills. Powerful praise and wrenching stories coat this book from cover to cover, and one that will never leave me comes from Ruth. It paints a beautiful picture of loyalty, love, and endurance. My favorite part comes from Ruth 1:11-18.

"11 But Naomi said, 'Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me--even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons--13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord's hand has gone out against me!'"

In the very beginning of the chapter, Naomi loses both her husband and her two sons. Her sorrow is great, and she ends up urging her two widowed daughters-in-law to return to their homes. This isn't the shooing away of nuisance relatives, but a fond farewell. Naomi wishes the best for these women. She refers to them lovingly as daughters, intending to give them a better chance in life by freeing them to pursue other prospects. One of them, Orpah, agrees to go back. Ruth, however, refuses. 

"14 At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, but Ruth clung to her. 15 'Look,' said Naomi, 'your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.' 16 But Ruth replied, 'Don't urge me to leave you or to return back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.' 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her."

Ruth's utter devotion is staggering. Even though she has permission to return back to the family she was born in to, she sticks with the family she committed herself to through marriage. Naomi finds more than a daughter-in-law in Ruth (whose name, in fact, means "friendship"). But the loyalty runs deeper than their relationship. Putting aside the gods of her youth, Ruth displays the strength of her conversion to the Lord God. She refuses to abandon her faith. 

While other people find joy in romantic love stories, my heart melts at the love between Ruth and Naomi. Ruth's words display a fierce loyalty that speaks to her character. Yes, both women lost much in the deaths of their men, but there remained much between their commitment to one another and their faith. 

-Maddie

Additional resource, for your listening pleasure, which uses the text of the passage to bring tenderness to life: https://youtu.be/uN__MkVsdUI

[pwolfministries]

Go Before Us

The older I get, the more people ask me what I want to do with my life. In high school that's a matter of major and general study; in college, employment becomes a tangible point of concern. I have vague answers about which livelihoods would be ideal for my interests. What I don't know, however, are steps to getting closer to that point.

Other college students may or may not be in the same boat. For those of us that have a blurry image of the future, there may be a good deal of anxiety to grapple with. Perhaps it doesn't even come from the prospect of jobs--there are also relationships, health concerns, deadlines, and dozens of other things to worry over. Thankfully, not all of that pressure rests upon our shoulders alone. Human plans can bring some measure of certainty, but it is ultimately God's vision which goes before us, paving a path that we are invited to tread. 

After the Israelites were liberated from Egypt, they had no choice but to trust in God's provision. He faithfully provided them with food, direction, leadership, and structure in an otherwise uncertain environment. We may never need to wander in such a dramatic manner in our lives, but there will always be periods that feel tumultuous and beyond control. Look for the beauty in those times. It lends an opportunity to place our trust where it best belongs. Though life may take us on a journey beyond spheres of comfort or control, continue in prayer and be assured: God has gone before you, He is walking with you, and He will bring you to rest. 

-Maddie

Numbers 10:33-36

So they set out from the mount of the Lord three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting place for them. And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.

And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, "Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you." And when it rested, he said, "Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel."

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Isaiah 44:1-3

"But now listen, O Jacob, my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. This is what the Lord says--he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants."

[pwolfministries]

God’s Vision Through Mothers

by Maddie Knudtson

Each year, Mother's Day specifically celebrates influential women. Even if the relationship isn't biological, there's something to be said for the feminine care and nurturing we've received in our lives. The way that God uses mothers is key to the endurance of life -- through their faith, the will of the Lord prevails through generations. And, in return, faithful mothers receive heaps of blessings.  

One mother from the Bible that I've been thinking about is Jochebed, Moses's mom. Her story is less renowned than her son's, and yet without her we lose an entire future, history that otherwise drops off into nowhere. Jochebed's fear of God outweighs any mortal fear of Pharaoh, keeping her baby alive and hidden for months. That deception of local authority would take courage. Just like concealing fire, it's only a matter of time before someone smells smoke and locates the flame.

Exodus 2:1-4: 1 Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

After the limits of her protection were reached, Jochebed didn't give up hope. She used the rest of her available resources in order to provide for Moses, giving all she could before placing him in that basket. It must have been agonizing to let go. But that didn't stop her from living out her faith, trusting fully in God when she could do no more. Because this one mother gave up control, not only did Moses survive to lead their nation, she received a blessing back to her: more time with Moses.

Exodus 2:5-10: 5 Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. "This is one of the Hebrew babies," she said. 7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?" 8 "Yes, go," she answered. So the girl went and got the baby's mother. 9 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you." So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, "I drew him out of the water."

After proving Himself greater than a death order and risky separation, God continues to work good for mother and son. This may be a story of an individual blessing, but it also displays an eternal promise to those who let go of the reigns: God has a plan, He can and will make a way, and He does not forget along the way. Because Jochebed remained obedient to God, she received the worldly gifts of time and safety. That's incredible! It should encourage us that God does not neglect those who give life and strive to provide. 

Unfortunately, if we focus on what's coming with Moses rather than what is here received, her story is easy to brush past. But isn't that the way it can be with mothers? I've spent years of my life taking for granted all the times my own mom cooked for me, cleaned up after me, and carted me around to all my activities. No effective mother has glory in mind. Just like the image of the wife of noble character from Proverbs 31:10-31, motherhood requires everything from humble diligence to smart business, faithful wisdom to fear of the Lord. Before God could ever use Moses, He worked through Jochebed -- her relationship with God creates the base for all subsequent endeavors. 

Out of the oppression found in the beginning of Exodus comes a mother. Out of that mother rises hope and direction. Before celebrating the achievements enacted through Moses, we must look towards Jochebed, a woman who proves that a faith-led household can turn the tides of nations.  

-Maddie

[pwolfministries]

Living Your Faith

by Maddie Knudtson

Christians are judged harshly in the world. They represent a people set aside and held to a different standard, causing those who don't follow Christ to look upon them do with a curious, critical, and even cautious eye. To say that we love God is important, but faith is also displayed in behavior. How can we pursue His glory if we don't obey? If we live a lifestyle contrary to God's desires, won't people take notice?

I genuinely became a Christian on a mission trip after my peers showed me love. The shock I felt towards their behavior crumbled the walls of my stubborn disbelief. After years of looking down on Christians for not practicing what they preached, I finally felt as though I'd found people capable of living for God in deed and word alike. Hungry for what mere humans had fed me, I threw off my agnosticism to fully receive Christ's love. 

James 2:14-17 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

Now, as someone trying to actively live out her faith, I know first-hand how vicious the expectations for Christians can be. I sometimes catch myself acting like a "Christian", following ritual rather than faith. In those moments, I remind myself of my sinful nature, then take the temperature of my heart. I'm never fooling anyone but myself -- it's harder than you may think to trick people, and impossible to pull one over on God. Just as it says in James: faith and acts are in balance, a two-way street. They work perfectly together.

1 Samuel 15:22-23

But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king."

As you walk through life with Christ, remember that living your faith requires active submission. Just because Saul was chosen by God to be king and just because he sacrificed to God does not mean that his acts were done in faithfulness. He relied on peer pressure and ritual to guide him. Thanks to that outward inspiration, though doing something typically devotional, he failed to trust in God. 

Similarly for us, there will always be pressure and expectation surrounding what a Christian ought to be. Don't let that sway you. Do not act because you should; do not fail to act at all. Listen to what the Lord intends for you and keep clear that two-way street. When Godly love can flow both ways, do not doubt God's ability to work. People are always watching, and we should always want to leave the world caught off guard by God and hungering for more.

-Maddie

[pwolfministries]

Fear For the Future

by Maddie Knudtson

We are a world that understands fear. If you are not afraid for global health and individual well-being, then you may be concerned for your financial stability, or nervous about being setback after leaving an internship. It could be as simple as fearing the concept of summer -- with no vacations, potentially no job, and nowhere to go until coronavirus is put to rest, the months spent out of school could stretch for years. 

I know I fear for the summer. Although my family is wonderful and I am blessed to live where I do, it's daunting to think that a normally busy time may screech to a sedentary halt. But, for better or for worse, I also have the added complication of maybe having somewhere to go: I am still set to work at a summer camp. If I leave home to join the other camp counselors, I escape the endlessness of life at home; if I go, I don't have the reassurance of social distancing and put myself at risk by coming into contact with strangers. Camps have yet to close, and I've yet to know what to do.

Luckily, the Lord has a plan for me. He is the same Rock in this time just as in any, providing comfort and clarity. Our struggles are known to Him, and no amount of fleeting uncertainty has the power to tear us away. Instead of looking for immediate answers and escapes from our problems, it is up to us to set ourselves aside and focus on loving and following Him. Only God has the wisdom we desire.

Deuteronomy 30:15-18 (NIV): "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess."

There may not be an actual land waiting for us on the other side of our fears, but we will find rest. We should wait upon the Lord rather than allowing our unrest to multiply. I'm not yet sure whether it is wiser to serve as a camp counselor this summer or stay home to keep my family safe and supported, and may not know which path to take until the very last moment. One thing I am certain about, however, is that God has a plan for me. I want Him to use me for that purpose, no matter where that takes me. Because of that I want to choose life and prosperity. 

Even if when it's intimidating and the world makes no sense -- perhaps even because of those things -- we should stick close to His Word in obedience. Only then can we lay down some of that fear for the future, choosing to live the life and receive the blessings God designs for us. 

-Maddie

[pwolfministries]

Backed into a Corner

by Maddie Knudtson

Judges 11:29-36 (NIV)

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites. And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."

Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands. He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break."

"My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised, now that the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. But grant me this one request," she said. "Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry."

This passage is a dense mixture of conquest, impulsive oaths, submission, and keen loss, all-in-all troubling to consider. If Judges were just a work of fiction, it would make for a fierce story; instead, this is history, not to mention a source of learning given to us by God.

The first theme I'm struck by comes through very clearly: faithfully submitting to parents. Jephthah's daughter could complain that her father is sorely in the wrong (which he rather is), but she is still willing that his oath to God be fulfilled. Through this morbid situation she sets a powerful example of humility. God does NOT desire that human life should be sacrificed, but even a messy story such as this creates a parallel to the pure heart of Jesus--daughter and Son, both offspring, allowing the sin of others to come upon them, lives ending in sacrifice. Judges isn't a book of prophecy, yet it points towards Jesus.

The second theme I've been mulling over is the Jephthah's oath itself. Not only does it start all of this trouble, but it is deeply problematic:

It's an attempt to bargain with God,

it's vague and impulsive, showing that a person can have God with them and yet still act in foolish ways, and

vows should not be made lightly.

Proverbs warns explicitly to watch your words (Proverbs 13:3, "He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin."), a thing which Jephthah fails to do. As a result, he brings misery upon himself and his family. Perhaps he thought he was doing God a "favor" by promising something in exchange for success, but there are other ways to give thanks, such as praying before a battle and then making a traditional burnt offering later. Instead of improving his odds against the Ammonites, his reckless words just trap him into a moral dilemma between family and his word. In the end he does follow through with the sacrifice. It's horrific, but he certainly understood the weight of the oath and honored it.

Although tempting to condemn Jephthah for sacrificing his daughter, this passage forces us to confront our own misguidance. How often do we rely upon our wisdom and trap ourselves between a rock and a hard place? How often do we swear or create vows, bargaining with God and man without ever following through? Put aside all of the bloodshed and disaster, and we are left with two examples to live by: practice obedience and simply avoid making oaths in the first place. As Jesus says in Matthew 5:34-37, "'But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No"; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.'" Otherwise, you might find yourself backed into a highly unpleasant corner.

-Maddie

[pwolfministries]

Clean

by Maddie Knudtson

Some things in this world can be regarded as breeding grounds of sin. Social media? An abhorrent distraction! Violence in media? Oh, how it will affect the children! The Bachelor? Morally detrimental! 

I'll be the first to say it: okay, boomer. But it is worth considering how some of the things in the world impact us, and where the line is that separates the clean from the unclean.

In the Old Testament, God set many restrictions on the types of foods that could be consumed. His people had to take care what they allowed into their bodies, setting them apart as God's people in comparison to other nations. Time passes, Jesus comes, and then Romans 14 informs the church that no food is inherently unclean--only through the distortion of sin can something become a source of temptation. On top of that, the distinction is different for everyone. Social media may be a pleasant resource for one person, but an addiction for another. Violence has the potential to either slip by or snag within the heart. The Bachelor can be seen as mindless entertainment, and yet it also has the potential to plant unrealistic expectations or harmful values in the heart. There isn't a one-size-fits-all list of what should be considered a stumbling block. For even the simplest of things, how an individual contends with it dictates its nature. If something sows struggle within us, it becomes unclean, and allowing it to grow is sin's worldly indulgence.

That said, we must take care to support one another. Just because you have control over your social media habits doesn't mean that everyone does. Do not use it or talk about it around friends and family that are struggling, but work with them to regain control. Especially now that most of us are at home, have open conversations about what distracts you. Nothing on earth is so important as to disrupt God's intentions for us; nothing should cause us to draw away from Him. All things enjoyed should not cause harm to others, especially fellow siblings in Christ. 

-Maddie 

Romans 14:13-21 (NIV)

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. 

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads us to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24; 31 (NIV)

"'I have the right to do anything,' you say--but not everything is beneficial. 'I have the right to do anything'--but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. 

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Galatians 6:7-10 (NIV)

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

[pwolfministries]

Where are you now?

by Maddie Knudtson

If you're anything like me, moving home and switching to online classes has provided you with far more time to be spent. After wasting most of the day yesterday, I decided to listen to a sermon on YouTube and do a quick fifteen minute workout. It didn't feel like fifteen minutes, however, because God took that time into His hands. I listened, planked, and reveled in the irony of simultaneously conditioning both my body and my heart with two things that don't come naturally to the flesh. More ironic still, the sermon was about overcoming flesh through the fruit of self-control.

In my house, there are a whole host of distractions just waiting to trip me up. My bedroom, for example, reeks with old high school habits that seem to sap my motivation and keep me scrolling through Reddit endlessly. Even good habits related to my health started to become an obsession, since they differ from what I'd gotten used to at school. With extra time not devoted to campus life, slothful and glutenous desires of the flesh suddenly get more reception within me. To some, the idea of self-control means forcing yourself off social media and into that article you need to read for class, or to put aside that snack and wait for lunch. It can sometimes seem like depriving yourself of what you naturally want for some elusive concept of what's "best." This is just a minute version of what self-control is. For Christians, it moves beyond restraint, beyond fleshly desire, and into the desires of the spirit. In order to do this, two things need to happen: honestly scrutinize where you are, then accept support from the Holy Spirit. Self-control is delivered to us by God, not by our own ability to temper our flesh.

Wherever you are in your habits, gain an awareness of your actions. Know where you are. With all the extra time on your hands from social distancing, focus on a relationship with God over everything else that comes naturally to the flesh. If we put more time into scouring human news than the Good News, how can we ever pursue a deeper relationship with God? He created this pandemic time, so let's allow Him to use this time for our good.

-Maddie

Psalm 77:1-15

I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted.

I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked: "Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?"

Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds."

Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

Colossians 3:5-10

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge of the image of its Creator. 

Other resources: https://youtu.be/iW7xpxdavMw