Faithfulness
Ruth 2:11, “…All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me,… and came to a people that you did not previously know. 12 “May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.”
After the death of her husband, and sons Naomi left Moab to go back to her family. Ruth, her daughter-in-law, felt an obligation to return with her, and to care for her mother-in-law even though she had been released from all duties because of the death of her husband. Ruth still felt the need to follow through with the promise she had made when she married Naomi’s son. She gives us the perfect example of “marrying into the family”. I see that Ruth now thought of Naomi as mother, and not her mother-in-law. As such she considered it her duty to take care of Naomi. Obviously, Ruth had a deep understanding of what it meant to follow God’s law even though she did not personally know God. I believe it is for this reason that Ruth is one of only three women listed in the genealogical ancestry of Jesus. Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David; whose lineage produced Jesus Christ.
I believe that there is a lot we can learn from the faithfulness of Ruth.
First we can see that following God wholeheartedly does not always make sense to us or those we are close to. Jesus Christ’s own family did not understand or believe that He was doing the will of God. John 7:5,” For not even His brothers were believing in Him.” Human misunderstandings of the will of God are unavoidable, but if through prayer and Bible reading we ae become certain that we are in His will we must never become distracted!
Secondly, when we know that we are following God’s will then it will cause a change in our family relationships. Matthew 12:46, “While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47 Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.”48 But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers ?”49 And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers !50″For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” Families increase, and relationships grow stronger as we get closer as we follow the will of God!
Third, we are blessed as we continue in God’s will. Ruth was blessed by God because of her obedience when Boaz commanded his servants to leave grain for her to gather, and we are continually and eternally blessed by God because of our faithfulness. Matthew 25:34,”Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” When we choose to be obedient to God His blessings do not stop when we die. Only then will we understand the fulness of the grace He gives because of our faithfulness! The apostle Paul writes in I Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face ; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” While we are own this earth we do receive the blessings of God in sample forms, but one day when we see Him face to face we will receive the full measure of His grace!!!
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Father God, I thank You for giving me samples of Your grace on this earth, and I eagerly await for the day when I will receive Your grace in its fulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen
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