Posts
timewithgod.blog-city.com — August 2010
Ruth 1 -- Living With A Complainer
Ruth must have been given a double measure of the gift of extending grace to others. Her mother-in-law reminds me of the smallest woman on the cast of Golden Girls: "My life is too sad for you to share, because the Lord has been agai
Ruth must have been given a double measure of the gift of extending grace to others. Her mother-in-law reminds me of the smallest woman on the cast of Golden Girls: "My life is too sad for you to share, because the Lord has been against me! ... Don't call me Naomi (pleasant). Call me Mara (bitter), because the Almighty has made my life very sad. When I left, I had all I wanted, but now, the Lord has brought me home with nothing. Why should you call me Naomi when the Lord has spoken against me and the Almighty has given me so much trouble?"
I just can't imagine having to remain around someone with that attitude for any length of time, but Ruth chooses to accompany Naomi back to Israel, knowing full well that because neither of them has a male protector, they will be facing lives of poverty and hardship, which will likely only increase Naomi's level of complaining!
Ruth also faced the problem of being a Moabite in a Jewish nation. She knew there'd be a very good chance that she would be shunned by Naomi's people. Yet her love for Naomi led her to go anyway.
Father, help me to be better able to slough off or absorb the whining and complaints of those You place in my life who may resemble Naomi, and help me to examine my own conversations and eliminate complaining and whining of my own before it leaves my mouth. I thank You for the blessings You bestow. Help me to always be thankful.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
I just can't imagine having to remain around someone with that attitude for any length of time, but Ruth chooses to accompany Naomi back to Israel, knowing full well that because neither of them has a male protector, they will be facing lives of poverty and hardship, which will likely only increase Naomi's level of complaining!
Ruth also faced the problem of being a Moabite in a Jewish nation. She knew there'd be a very good chance that she would be shunned by Naomi's people. Yet her love for Naomi led her to go anyway.
Father, help me to be better able to slough off or absorb the whining and complaints of those You place in my life who may resemble Naomi, and help me to examine my own conversations and eliminate complaining and whining of my own before it leaves my mouth. I thank You for the blessings You bestow. Help me to always be thankful.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Ruth 2&3 -- More Treasure Hunt Clues
"It just so happened" that Ruth went to gather grain in a field owned by the man God had chosen to be her future husband. We too cavalierly chalk up such coincidences to luck when we're actually witnessing God's handprints all
"It just so happened" that Ruth went to gather grain in a field owned by the man God had chosen to be her future husband. We too cavalierly chalk up such coincidences to luck when we're actually witnessing God's handprints all over our lives!
This last Sunday, the lesson I was teaching encouraged us to use Christ as the key to unlocking the Old Testament, seeing every story as something pointing us eventually to Him. Here, my commentary revealed just that for this story: "In Boaz we see illustrated many of the excellencies of Christ. Boaz was a man of great wealth. He was compassionate to the stranger, who had no claim on his favors. He knew all about Ruth, even before she met him, even as the Lord knows all about us even before we come to know Him. He served Ruth graciously, and all her needs were satisfied. He granted her protection and prosperity for the future. In these acts of grace we see a foreshadowing of our blessed Redeeming Relative's mercies to us."
Father, thanks for reinforcing what You taught me on Sunday. It's so amazing to have unveiled for me all of these little "treasure hunt clues" that have been awaiting me for millennia. I pray that You will be at work in my life using me to point others to Christ as well.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
This last Sunday, the lesson I was teaching encouraged us to use Christ as the key to unlocking the Old Testament, seeing every story as something pointing us eventually to Him. Here, my commentary revealed just that for this story: "In Boaz we see illustrated many of the excellencies of Christ. Boaz was a man of great wealth. He was compassionate to the stranger, who had no claim on his favors. He knew all about Ruth, even before she met him, even as the Lord knows all about us even before we come to know Him. He served Ruth graciously, and all her needs were satisfied. He granted her protection and prosperity for the future. In these acts of grace we see a foreshadowing of our blessed Redeeming Relative's mercies to us."
Father, thanks for reinforcing what You taught me on Sunday. It's so amazing to have unveiled for me all of these little "treasure hunt clues" that have been awaiting me for millennia. I pray that You will be at work in my life using me to point others to Christ as well.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
No comments:
Post a Comment