READ THE BIBLE IN 2022: This past week, March 20 through 26, we read Judges 6 - Ruth. A key word in Judges is eyes, and is used in a sentence, twice, that led to so much trouble in the young nation of Israel. Namely, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Jdg 17:6 and 21:25). Every time that Israel took their eyes off of God, they fell into disaster. But when they turned their focus back to God, He sent a judge (deliverer) to redeem them. The eyes are also an important part of Samson’s account. For the Lord raised him to deliver Israel, but his eyes were set on a woman, Delilah, who led him astray. As a result, he was captured by the Philistines and his eyes were gouged out. From his physical and spiritual darkness Samson’s heart cried out to his Creator and God’s grace gave Samson the strength to bring down the building he and his captors were in so that in his death, Samson redeemed Israel from the hands of the Philistines. The Book of Ruth is a redemption story. Her marriage to boaz, a kinsman redeemer, grafted her into the family of Israel and as the great-grandmother of King David, she is also in the lineage to Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer. This week (March 27 - 26) read 1 Samuel 1 through 24.