Then Ruth the Moabitess said, "He even said to me, `Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.'" Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, "It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with his girls, because in someone else's field you might be harmed." So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
Ruth 2:21-23
FAMILY
Boaz was very kind and provided for Naomi and Ruth. He told Ruth to keep gathering grain in his fields, working near his own servants. Naomi was quick to see that this would also help to insure Ruth's safety. This was, after all, a foreign country to Ruth. And with Ruth working in Boaz’ fields, this close relative of Naomi would be reminded of the honor and obligation of a kinsman-redeemer (verse 20), to care for the widows and to buy the land of their late husbands so that it could be passed on to their sons and grandsons.
Ruth continued to work faithfully in the field of Boaz until both the barley and wheat harvests were finished – a period of about two months. There was plenty of time for their relationship to grow. Yet during this time, Ruth lived with and cared for her mother-in-law as Naomi got older. Ruth respected Naomi and obeyed her, just as God commands in the Fourth Commandment that we honor our fathers and mothers.
Our parents never stop being our parents. We may move out of the house. We may start having families of our own and become parents ourselves. But our parents always deserve our respect, love and care. Used as a guide in our lives of faith and done out of love for Christ and our heavenly Father, we are reminded that applications of the Fourth Commandment can be found at all stages of ours and our parents’ lives.
I thank you, heavenly Father, for loving parents who not only provided me with everything I needed growing up but who also provided me with the one thing needed. I thank you that they saw the importance of having me baptized so that you could bring me into your family. I thank you that they saw the importance of feeding my faith with a steady diet of your Word. Enable me to do the same for my children and theirs. Amen.
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One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.
Luke 14:1
What would Jesus do? The dinner guests carefully watched his every move. But they were not the only ones doing the watching. Jesus also observed their actions (Luke 14:7). What he saw offered him an opportunity to teach a different perspective.
The guests were literally falling over themselves to have the best seat at the dinner. Pride was their motivation, as was the desire to be recognized as being just a little better than everyone else. Jesus offered a different perspective, and it is one to which I need to pay attention.
It is natural for me to want recognition. I desire to have people take notice of me and what I have done. It makes me feel valuable. This is why humiliation is such a bitter pill to swallow, and why Jesus' perspective is so different. He says, "Be humble."
Being humble, truly humble, is difficult. As someone who craves attention, being overlooked is hard to accept. Still, Jesus' lesson strikes home. My pride and my self-promotion cannot stand up in front of God who is judge over all. I may try to offer all the good I have done. I may claim to be better than other people. I may even demand that God has to accept me for who I am. Unfortunately, God looks at me from a different perspective. He says, "Be perfect" (Matthew 5:48). He adds that all have sinned and fall short of his glory (Romans 3:23). He further adds, "Away from me, you evildoers" (Matthew 7:23).
In humility, I realize I cannot stand in front of God nor take pride in anything I have done. This is why Jesus' perspective is so important. He teaches me to look past my works and look to him. He provides me the perfection I can not attain. He offers me the forgiveness I need. He gives me the ability to stand before his Father completely acceptable.
In humility, I need to look away from myself and look to Jesus alone in order to be exalted in the presence of God. Yes, it is a different perspective, yet it is one through which I receive life and lasting glory in heaven.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, you alone are my pride and glory. Give me the faith I need to depend on your work for my rescue, my ability to stand before your Father, and my certainty of heaven. Amen!
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The LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place." So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.
Judges 7:7-8
Most people like to cheer for the underdog. We like to see someone prevail against overwhelming odds and adversity. However, it's usually a lot more fun to cheer for the underdog than to be the underdog. This is especially true when it comes to life and death matters, like fighting cancer, or going into war.
The Israelite army was the underdog to begin with, outnumbered 135,000 to 32,000. Then after the Lord told Gideon to send home those who trembled with fear and to keep only those who lapped water with their hands, it was 135,000 to 300. That's 450 Midianite soldiers to each Israelite! Impossible odds in an era of hand-to-hand combat. But the Lord gave his people the victory!
So why did God make it seem so impossible? He was making sure that the Israelites would not boast in their own strength or think that the victory came by their own planning or power. When it comes to our salvation, God wants us to recognize the same thing. He has done it all. We can do nothing!
Spiritually, each one of us was the most unlikely underdog imaginable. Not only were we separated from God at birth, but we were also blinded by unbelief. On our own we could not even begin to make the first move toward God, nor did we want to. But God did the impossible by sending his Spirit through his Word to lead us to love and trust in his Son as our Savior from sin.
The victory is the Lord's! Therefore, instead of boasting of our own strength or righteousness, we rely on God our Savior and praise him for his gift of righteousness.
Dear Heavenly Father, you have done everything for our salvation. We have done nothing. Give us such a faith that humbly approaches you and praises you continually for your great goodness. Amen.
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So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough. Her mother-in-law asked her, "Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!" Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. "The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz," she said. "The LORD bless him!" Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. "He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead." She added, "That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers."
Ruth 2:17-20
LOOK AT THIS
Ruth put in quite a day. She gleaned until the sun went down, and then she threshed what she had gathered. Threshing in Old Testament times meant beating the heads of the grain to separate the kernel and then throwing everything into the air with something like a pitchfork. The light, inedible husks and other chaff would blow away and the heavier grain would fall back onto the ground or stone threshing floor. What Ruth took home that day was out of the ordinary. An ephah was three-fifths of a bushel, enough to bake about 20 loaves of bread.
When Naomi asked her daughter-in-law where she gleaned to get so much barley, Ruth said she worked in the field of Boaz. Naomi revealed that this man was her relative, and she praised God for his kindness and generosity.
This scene in God's Word reminds us that our acts of kindness done out of love for the Lord affect more than just the immediate person whom we are helping. Others also reap the benefits of our kind acts, though we may never know how the kind things we do for people end up helping others. May God continue to give us loving and generous hearts, and may he use our acts of kindness to lead to opportunities to verbally share his great act of kindness—sending his Son to redeem us.
"Redeem" is an important word in the Scriptures. That teaching is introduced here in our study of the book of Ruth. The "kinsman-redeemer" was a man who was responsible for protecting his close relatives. He was supposed to provide heirs for a brother or other relative who had died. He was also to redeem (literally "buy back") land that a poor relative had sold outside the family. He was also to redeem (again, "buy back") a relative sold into slavery. (Sometimes people were forced to sell themselves into servitude in order to pay off a debt, and sometimes prisoners of war became slaves.)
In a much greater way, all people were held in slavery. The Bible tells us, "Everyone who sins is a slave to sin" (John 8:34). But Jesus Christ came to be our Redeemer. He bought us back from sin's curse. The price he paid was his holy, precious blood and his innocent sufferings and death. "We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Ephesians 1:7). Jesus bought us back; we are his, to love and to serve him and others in his name.
Prayer:
Forgive my selfishness, Lord, and make me willing to befriend those who need a friend. I thank you for the kindness you have shown me in Christ, my Redeemer. I also thank you for the kindness you have shown me through the kind acts of others. Amen.
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You have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God
Hebrews 12:22
No doubt you’ve seen pictures or video of Mount Everest. Its beauty is stunning. And its height – nearly 6 miles above sea level – makes it the highest mountain in the world. It’s the stuff of legend.
That much you know. What you may not know is that Mount Everest is littered with bodies.
Over the years, you see, about 4,000 people have tried to climb Mount Everest. Almost 200 of them have died in the attempt. So extreme, however, is the terrain near the summit that it’s simply impossible to recover many of the bodies. And so they remain on the mountain to this day.
It’s a sobering thought: A mountain littered with scores of people who gave their lives for a fleeting moment of glory.
The Lord introduces us to a different kind of mountain – “Mount Zion,” he calls it. The heavenly Jerusalem. The city of the living God. Here there is only one person who gave his life. It’s the Son of God himself. Only he didn’t do it for a moment of glory. He did it to wash us clean of our every sin. He did it to give us eternal life.
And now he lives. And because he does, Mount Zion is ours. And not just for a moment. Because Jesus lives, Mount Zion – heaven – is ours forever.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, you died to wash me clean. And now you live again. Because you do, Mount Zion is mine. Empower me never to forget what I have through you. Amen.
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At mealtime Boaz said to Ruth, "Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar." When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, "Even if she gathers among the sheaves, don't embarrass her. Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don't rebuke her."
Ruth 2:14-16
YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME
Lunch-break in the field was not the most ideal setting for a "first date" but it would have to do. Boaz' generosity has now moved beyond an admiration for a widowed woman who had left everything to take care of her widowed mother-in-law (remember that Boaz had heard all about Ruth's and Naomi's 10 years in Moab and their return to Bethlehem). We see a man not trying to impress a woman with his wealth, but a man of means simply trying to impress a woman to whom he is attracted. He invites her to eat with him and his workers. The bread and the wine vinegar would have been a typical lunch in the field, but Boaz goes beyond the "brown bag special" and takes the time to roast some grain. So much food did he have prepared that Ruth couldn't finish everything—even after working hard in the field throughout the morning. If it hadn't been clear to his workers by now that their boss had taken a liking to Ruth, it became obvious when he gave strict instructions to leave extra stalks for her from their bundles. No words were to be spoken among themselves, to Ruth, or to the other women who were gleaning. Certainly Ruth picked up on the generosity of the meal but had she picked up on Boaz' feelings? We're not told. One would think that the effort on his part would be hard to miss.
We don't have to fall in love with someone to show them acts of kindness. We can be generous to all. We can look out for others. We can share with those in need. We can defend those who can't defend themselves. We can encourage, support, and advise those who seem to be lost in life. We can do this for all people because it's not our love for them that moves us to action, but rather it's our love for the Lord that moves us to action. Showing kindness to others is a simple fruit of our faith that naturally flows from the love of the Lord that moved him to act on our behalf and in our place to save us from sin.
Lord, help me break out of my sheltered world so that I may see the needs of those who have no shelter—be it a physical, emotional or spiritual shelter—and respond to those needs out of love for you. Amen.
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Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!' There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."
Luke 13:22-30
"The early bird gets the worm." "If you want a job done well, then do it yourself." Some of these "truths" of life we adopt and others we discard. The people among whom Jesus lived and taught had their own "truths" too. Some believed their day-by-day goodness won them God's love. Others believed their nationality was key to a relationship with God. Today many still believe their day-to-day goodness wins them God's love. Others believe instead that believing anything is fine because God is love.
Some of these "truths" can seem really appealing to us at times. It can feel good to list our accomplishments or compare ourselves to somebody else. It's much easier to say that what we believe or do in life doesn't really matter. All the hard conversations go away then. Different as they seem, all of the world's truths are basically the same. All of them either ask sinners to please a perfect God or to demand that God accept us as we are.
It's because of "truths" like these that Jesus was earnestly teaching. He knew that many will find out what they thought was important only locks them outside God's love in punishment for sin. Jesus says it like this: "The last . . . will be first, and the first . . . will be last." It doesn't matter who we are or what great things we did in the world. The truth is: God doesn't supply a wide-open, anything-goes way into heaven. There is only one, narrow way by which God will know us and let us in.
This was what Jesus was teaching the people as he made his way to Jerusalem. There he would die. Dying on the cross, he would open the door to heaven by paying for the guilt of sin. Jesus once said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). By faith in Jesus' work, God knows us just as he wants us to be. All the sins that would keep us out of heaven are removed through Jesus. Everything that pleases God we have through Jesus. Access to heaven is ours through Jesus.
The world will tempt you with many other "truths" as long as you live. When you're tempted, toss this truth back to the world, "Getting into heaven is all about whom you know . . . and I know only Jesus."
Dear Savior Jesus, help me remember that you are the only way into heaven. Teach me your Word every day so I can help others understand this truth too. By your grace, forgive my sins and bring me into your glory. Amen.
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“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:23-24
“I have good news for you, and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?”
“Give me the bad news first; let’s get it over with.”
“Okay. The bad news is that you can’t hide from God; he fills heaven and earth. He sees your every movement and knows your every decision. He sees which shows you’re watching and which websites you’re visiting. He hears how you speak to your co-workers and how you speak about your co-workers. He reads your heart and mind. You can’t hide. AND … that God who’s everywhere; that God hates sin.”
“Oh! That means I’m in trouble! What’s the good news?”
“The good news is that you can’t hide from God; he fills heaven and earth.”
“Wait a minute. I thought that was the bad news!”
“It was, but it’s the good news, too. God knew your sinfulness completely, and he solved your problem by sending Jesus to our world. Jesus died and paid for your sins in full. You’re forgiven! God loves you! And, no matter where you go or what you do, your God will be with you always. You can’t hide from him. Nor do you WANT to hide from him, because he loves you. Now he’s faithfully watching over you – no matter where you are – to care for you and guide you towards your eternal home. Let’s pray about it, shall we?”
O God, remind me that you are here, there, and everywhere! Assure me that you’re with me always, guiding and directing my steps, that I might be confident of your presence and your love, today, tomorrow, and all through my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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So Boaz said to Ruth, "My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the girls. I have told the men not to touch you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled." At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, "Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?" Boaz replied, "I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge." "May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord," she said. "You have given me comfort and have spoken kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servant girls."
Ruth 2:8-13
YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME
Boaz made Ruth feel welcome. If there had been any impropriety toward Ruth on the part of his workers, he made it clear that he would take care of it. If there had been any confusion on Ruth's part as to where to glean, how to glean, where to rest or anything else, Boaz explained the system to her, and he even gave her special privileges. Boaz offered comfort, encouragement, food, water, and protection. He reached out to her as a friend.
Why? That's what Ruth was wondering, too. The answer was that Ruth had impressed Boaz. Boaz had heard all about her selflessness and the sacrifices that she had made to help Naomi. In this way, Ruth demonstrated her faith in the Lord, so Boaz recognized her as a sister in faith. He wished for her the Lord's continued blessings.
Ruth finally felt at home. She now had the friendship and support of someone other than her mother-in-law. She remained humble as she expressed her gratitude. This relationship, however, is only beginning to develop.
God gives us support and encouragement in his Word. Jesus assures us that he is with us always. What wonderful blessings! What needed blessings! These verses from God's Word about Ruth and Boaz remind us of another blessing that God gives: Christian fellowship and love. We need each other. We have each other. Sometimes we are Ruth—needing and looking for support. Sometimes we are Boaz—having and offering that support. May God teach us to rely on one another that we may encourage each other in Christ.
Open my eyes, Lord, to those who need a friend and help me be the friend they need. Equip me with your Word that I may offer spiritual comfort. Amen.
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Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. . . . Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
Hebrews 12:1-3, 10-12
Eat this, not that. Go to this or that gym. Buy this machine or that fitness gadget. Trainers, workouts, and nutritional supplements promise a healthier, stronger you. What would you do for a stronger, fitter body?
God's goal for you is that you would share in his holiness. God promises a "harvest of righteousness and peace." What would you do for a stronger faith and closer relationship with God?
Do you know how he grows and gives that? Discipline, sometimes painful discipline, is used by God to build a stronger you. Painful trouble is not fun, but God allows it. He allows it, but not because he wants you further away from him. No! Just the opposite is true. When sin and guilt, or hurt and problems push down on you, God wants you in his Word and at his side.
God is not punishing you for sin because Jesus already took your punishment in full on the cross. Hear God proclaim his love for you as he forgives all your sins. Listen to God's care for you when he tells you his highest goal for you is an eternity at his side in heaven. Know that he loves you dearly and deeply. The pain you're experiencing does not disprove that love. Rather, God says this painful discipline emphatically proves his love for you. Through it, God promises "righteousness and peace." These blessings are yours in Christ.
God may allow very difficult things into the lives of his children. But, Christ's followers know that God's intent is not to cruelly treat his children. God's desire is to turn our eyes and hearts to him and his Word. God's goal is to grow our faith as we trust in his promises. Our almighty, all-wise and loving God will use even painful troubles to discipline us and "produce a harvest of righteousness and peace." This pain is temporary. Our joy with God in heaven will be eternal.
Prayer:Heavenly Father, increase my trust in you when you allow trouble into my life. Drive me back to your Word and your strength. Pull me close to you with your sure promises and love. Use difficult times to grow my faith. Amen.
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Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, "The LORD be with you!" "The LORD bless you!" they called back. Boaz asked the foreman of his harvesters, "Whose young woman is that?" The foreman replied, "She is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi. She said, 'Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.' She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter."
Ruth 2:4-7
WHO IS THAT?
All was unfolding as God planned. Boaz—the wise landowner and businessman that he was—not only checked in on how the harvest was going, he also had a close relationship with his workers that was expressed in exchange of godly greetings: "The LORD be with you!" . . . "The LORD bless you!" We see how their faith in the true God showed itself in the way they treated and talked to one another. The example of Boaz and his workers teaches us not to use God's name in vain, such as the way many flippantly interject it in their speech ("Oh, my God!") or use it to curse others. God has given us his name for the blessing to know him as our Savior and to bless others by sharing his saving love with them. Therefore, be careful how you regard and use the name of God.
It didn't take long for Boaz to notice Ruth. Perhaps she stood out because she did not fully understanding where or how to glean. Perhaps she stood out because of her fine beauty. Perhaps she stood out because she was off by herself due to some harassment on the part of the harvesters (in the next section Boaz will assure Ruth that the men will not touch her). Either way, Boaz inquired about her. He is now faced with the decision of what to do next. Go and meet her as the owner of the field? Go and meet her as someone interested in getting to know her better? Leave her alone? Curiosity, attraction, concern, and admiration all may have been a part of why he will go to introduce himself to Ruth. We know that ultimately it was the Lord's will for this landowner and this woman from Moab to meet.
Lord, I don't often thank you for the simple joys of personal relationships so I thank you for all of the people in my life with whom I have grown close. Amen.
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“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Luke 12:49-53
“Peace on earth! Good will toward men!” The angels joyfully sang those words because the world’s Savior had come. Little baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem. And heaven couldn’t hold in the joy and peace his work would bring to earth. Fast-forward thirty-some years and you’ll find Jesus saying what seems the opposite in Luke 12. “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” Mother against daughter, father against son, and so on.
Jesus’ words aren’t contrary to the angel’s message at Christmas. They’re more an expression of what happens when the sinful world meets the truth of Jesus’ love. It’s like fire. Fire can warm and comfort, if you respect it. If you don’t, fire can burn and blister and destroy. Jesus says he came to bring fire on the earth. One kind is the fiery love believers have for their Lord. They know the “baptism” he mentioned was his tormented death to pay for their sins. They’re grateful; they’re fired up; they love to do what makes God happy and to share his love with others.
That same fire burns division and pain. Consider the greatest God’s-love passage ever: John 3:16. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” God’s Word clearly promises love and everlasting life, but not for everyone; it’s for those who believe in Jesus’ work alone. That’s tough. Many people don’t like that. And it’s hard for us at times – when our family is split along these lines; when some believe the Word and others do not. It’s appealing to want earthly peace instead. But Jesus’ truth doesn’t change and we can’t hide it. God’s fire is burning like this: warm and comforting, harsh and painful...until the end of the world.
When the fire of God’s love is burning and your world is turning away from it, don’t give in. Remember your Savior who felt the fire of hell and burned with love for you anyway. Remember that his peace comes to hearts on earth in forgiveness and love through his Word. Spread the comforting fire of his Word despite the fiery division it will bring. Do it because your Lord has prepared for you a place free from division. It’s the peace and safety of heaven.
Dearest Jesus, you burned with love for me enough to face the fire of hell because of my sins. Fire me up today to share your fiery love with those around me. As your fire brings division in my life on this earth, remind me that I have the peace of heaven in store. Amen.
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After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 15:1-6
Abram (later known as "Abraham") was down. God had made some awesome promises to him—that he'd become a great nation, his descendants would inherit the land of Israel, and most importantly, someday the Savior would be one of his descendants. Amazing promises!
However, Abram had no children. How could he become a great nation, inhabit a land, and be the Savior's ancestor if he didn't have a child?
God allays his fears and concern. He takes Abram outside and says, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
Have you ever tried to count the stars in the sky? That's tough to do because of the vast number! Yet God said that Abram would have that many offspring!
The word of God was fulfilled just as he promised. Later God gave a son to Abram and his wife; they named him Isaac. Isaac gave birth to twin boys, and one of those, Jacob, ended up with 12 sons and a daughter, and the great nation had begun—the nation from whom Jesus would eventually be born. To Abram it looked hopeless, but God promised a fulfillment exactly as he determined it would turn out.
God promises to be with you and use every situation in your life for your good. He is in control to help you reach your heavenly home. Oh, there may be times when the way is tough and things look bleak. But God assures you through Jesus that he is always concerned for your welfare and working for your eternal good.
When you're struggling, look up into the night sky. When you see all the stars, recall how God fulfilled his promise to Abram. Then, like Abram, believe God who still keeps his promises that he gives you in his Word!
O faithful God, remind me that you always keep your promises so that I might live in confidence and joy. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side, from the clan of Elimelech, a man of standing, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor." Naomi said to her, "Go ahead, my daughter." So she went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.
Ruth 2:1-3
KIND AND CONSIDERATE
When God provided for his people by giving them the Old Testament laws, he made sure to provide for poor people and foreigners as well. One of those laws instructed farmers not to reap the edges of their fields, and also not to go back and pick up what they dropped while harvesting. This allowed people without other means of support to come and pick up what they needed. This was called gleaning. (You can read one example of this law in Leviticus 19:9-10.)
Ruth knew that it would be difficult for Naomi to go out and glean. Naomi was not a young woman any longer and the work would be tedious, hot, and exhausting. Also, Naomi had been a woman of standing before the famine. She might be uncomfortable going out to scrounge for food among the fields of her acquaintances. Ruth tactfully volunteers to do the work that would support both women in such a way that would permit Naomi to retain her dignity.
We see Ruth's kindness in the way that she was so considerate of Naomi, but we also see her kindness in her willingness to work (and to work in a situation where she had to swallow some pride) to provide not only for herself but also for her mother-in-law.
Being considerate and kind toward others are certainly ways that our faith in Christ will express itself. These fruits of faith show our gratitude for the kindness that Jesus showed us by coming to earth to serve us as our Savior.
"As it turned out" the field where Ruth started gleaning belonged to Boaz. This was not a coincidence. This took place according to the plan of God. As we continue our study, we will learn why.
Lord, may my first thought always be for you. May my second thought always be for others. Amen.
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All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. . . . Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:13,16
"This year, we will win the Super Bowl." "In the next five years, the economy will . . ." "Your weekend weather will look like this."
Do you believe promises? It depends, doesn't it? Who's making the promise? An honest parent? An over-confident and under-talented athlete? A trusted friend? A classmate who lies frequently? And, what are they promising? Does it seem possible? Probable?
Do you believe God's promises? Your sinful nature doesn't. You've noticed that, haven't you? God promises something—forgiveness, peace, eternal life. Your sinful natures nudges you and says that God would not forgive you (how could he if he really knew all the particularly bad stuff you've done!) Could and would God actually give you an eternal, peaceful, and joyful life with him in heaven (does that even seem possible or probable)? We could go through a long list of God's promises about prayer, his hand in our lives, and on and on. There are so many "logical" reasons why God must be wrong about his promises.
Then God steps in. He issues his sure promises to you through his Holy Word. God is all-powerful, faithful, and does not lie. He will do just as he says. The Holy Spirit works through that Word on your heart. The Holy Spirit gives and sustains and strengthens your faith, your trust, in God's promises. God does love you. Jesus did die and rise for you. God does forgive your sins. God has made you his own dear child.
In our Scripture reading, God tells us about people who believed, even though they had not yet received what they had been promised. By faith, they believed God would do just as he had promised. By faith, they knew their true and eternal home was heaven. Like them, you are "a stranger and alien on earth." This life is important, but your eternal life is far more important. Your true and eternal home is heaven—just like God promises!
Heavenly Father, maintain and strengthen my faith in you and your promises. When doubts and fears come my way, send your Holy Spirit to drive them away with your powerful promises. Keep me living by faith until my death. Then, bring me to what you have promised me—a better country, a heavenly one. Amen.
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So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?" "Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me." So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.
Ruth 1:19-22
SOME HOMECOMING
Naomi had been gone about ten years from her hometown, and those years had taken a toll on her. She had lost her husband and her two sons. As Naomi described her life to the women of Bethlehem, she was in agony. She did not depict the meaning of her name Naomi, which means "pleasant." Rather, her life was "very bitter" and she thought it would be better to be called Mara, which means "bitterness." She was "empty" and "afflicted" and "misfortune" had been brought upon her. However, through it all, she recognized that the Lord is in control, though it was very difficult for her to understand his ways and in the weakness of her sinful nature complained about her bitter life.
Naomi's misfortune, however, set the stage for the wonderful blessings God was about to bring to her—and to Ruth. God had not forgotten about her. God had good things in store for her. This is where the real story of Ruth takes off. What we have heard up to this point is background. God had ended the famine, enabling Naomi to return home with Ruth. And their arrival was coincident with the beginning of the barley harvest. This relatively minor detail sets up everything that follows. The timing of their arrival enabled Ruth to meet a certain man who plays a role in God's plan.
God has not forgotten about us or this world. God has a plan, and that plan included sending his Son to pay for the sins of the world, including our sins of dissatisfaction and complaint. In the chapters ahead we will see some of the significant steps that God took to bring his Son into the world to be our Savior.
Give me patience and understanding and forgiveness, Lord, as I wait on you, to accomplish your good plans for me and cause your loving will to be done. Amen.
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"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
Luke 12:32-40
As God finished every aspect of creation, the Bible says "he saw that it was good." Search as we might, it's pretty hard for us to grasp quite the extent of God's evaluation of "good" regarding all that he brought into existence. Perfection as only the almighty God could produce it permeated everything. From there it was a long fall when Adam and Eve spoiled God's perfection with their disobedience. Because of sin, what's truly good is now far removed from here, in every respect.
That doesn't stop us from trying to find it in our sin-broken world, however. It's tempting to describe our lives as "good" with square footage or fulfilled wish lists. But as Jesus reminds us, these are the things that wear out over time. They're stuff that deteriorate and are destroyed. They're not real treasure, but as our hearts are drawn to them, they're a distraction from our purpose as Christians.
Jesus focuses Christians on their purpose in life: be ready for your master's return. "Don't look at all the things around. Don't let them trip you up. Be ready for my return every moment." It's hard to be ready when you're searching for good things to patch up your fears. So the Lord says first, "Do not be afraid." Through him there's no reason to be afraid. But it doesn't always seem so now; now we wait in a sinful world. But Christian waiting looks forward to what is truly good. "It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes." It will be good when the master of all things serves his servants. Imagine that! But of course, that's not hard for you to imagine. You've seen it. Your master, Jesus, stretched his hands to the cross. He paid for all of your imperfect acts and thoughts. He experienced exhaustion and death. He rose to live again. You know what's good; what's been given. "Your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom." There's no fear in the kingdom—forgiven of every sin; living under the care of the one who made everything good to start. Your master made it yours now. You wait to see it firsthand when he returns. Focus on what's good and be ready to receive it.
Heavenly Father, you’ve given me your whole kingdom when you gave me your Son to pay for my sins. May I this day see that good as my primary goal. As I enjoy all your good gifts, may I be ready in all I do to see you in all your goodness. Amen.
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I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Ecclesiastes 2:18-26
"I can't understand it. I've invested 25 years in that company. I was only five years from retiring and they showed me the door. What a waste."
"I've been saving for the past 20 years only to see all my savings depleted through the down turn in the economy. Why did I work so hard to save that?"
"I can't believe I have to be on call all weekend. It seems like the harder I work, the more I work and in the end I'm neglecting everything else. What's the use?"
Life can feel pretty meaningless at times. If these type of thoughts move through your mind from time to time, you wouldn't be the first. Hundreds of years ago one of the most powerful rulers of all time, King Solomon of Israel, mused about how meaningless life can be. He described it as a "chasing after the wind."
If our focus in life is to chase after material things, we will never catch them. There is always more money to earn, a higher standard of living to obtain, more tasks to do, and another promotion to be had. Yet, why do we spend so much energy trying to catch something as fleeting as a breath? The world leads us to believe we can catch it and find significance and value and purpose in it. What a lie!
This Scripture lesson today is a great one to refocus our day and our life. We all need to repent of our chasing after things that are meaningless and temporary. Today God desires to focus our attention on what is important and lasting. Recognize that all you have is a gift of God and is to be used to please God. Do your work and carry out your activity to please the almighty, living God.
As you think about the purpose and meaning to life, realize that what matters most is what God has given you in his Son Jesus, full and free forgiveness for all of your sins. As you look ahead through this life to the next, realize that while all the stuff of this earth will pass away, God has in store for you a place in heaven that will never pass away.
Dear Father, today turn my attention away from what is temporary and meaningless to what is eternal and meaningful. Keep my focus on you and your Son, Jesus, and lead me to realize my purpose today is to love and please you and love and serve the people around me. This is where I can find true joy and meaning in what I do. Amen.
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"Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her." But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn 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. 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." When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
Ruth 1:15-18
I'M GOING WITH YOU
This "Song of Ruth" is a beautiful example of the kind of relationship we normally think of when a man and woman become husband and wife. This passage is often used as a wedding text. Ruth’s pledge to Naomi reminds us of the commitment and faithfulness that a man and woman pledge to each other in their marriage promise.
Ruth commits herself to stay with Naomi and also to faith in God. Even though her sister-in-law, Orpah, had decided to take Naomi’s advice and return to her family, Ruth continued to insist on returning with Naomi to the Land of Judah. Why? Perhaps it was what Naomi had said about returning to her people and to her gods. Naomi had given Ruth something far greater than a son to marry; she had told her about the true and living God. Through the witness of Naomi, God had brought Ruth to faith in her Savior. Her relationship with God meant everything to her. She was determined to go with the one who had first shared her faith with her so that the two of them could continue to be mutually encouraged in the Word. National ties and family ties meant nothing if they came at the expense of her tie to God. Her confession of faith to Naomi said as much.
So many things in life demand our attention. So many things demand our time. We have obligations and commitments and responsibilities that we must honor and keep, but may we not do so at the expense of honoring God’s Word, reading it daily, studying it regularly and gathering around it weekly. In the end, the only thing that matters in life is having a right relationship with God. Through Jesus’ blood, we have been purchased to be God’s very own so that we might live him forever.
Forgive me, Lord, for misplaced priorities. Forgive me for allowing the things of my busy life to choke out time spent in your Word. Assured of my forgiveness in Christ, lead me to gladly hear and learn what you have recorded for me in the Bible. Amen.
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Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:5
Greg Brush is a veteran fishing guide who lives in Alaska. Last summer he heard a twig snap behind him. He turned around just in time to see a massive brown bear charging straight at him.
“When I spotted him, he was within 15 yards,” Brush later said. “He was coming like a freight train.”
Brush had but one option. He raised his gun and started firing. The bear kept coming. Brush stumbled and fell on his back. Then his gun jammed. The last shot, however, had finally stopped the bear. It was just five feet away.
In your life there’s at least one temptation that regularly comes at you like a charging bear. Give yourself a few moments of candor and no doubt you’ll identify what it is. God’s Word tells us when that temptation comes, you and I have but one option. We need to raise the gun and pull the trigger. We need to put that temptation to death.
Too often, of course, you and I do the opposite. We think that we can befriend the temptation. We think we can domesticate it. We tell ourselves we can keep it under control. But the bear keeps charging. And in our heart of hearts we know what that bear wants to do.
Confront the bear. Pull the trigger. Come to repentance. Be washed in the blood of your Savior. Be renewed by his forgiveness. And be ready to confront another charging bear tomorrow.
Lord Jesus, when temptation charges at me, empower me by your Spirit to put that temptation to death. For this I look to you alone. Amen.
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