God's Providence

Prepare: God takes care of those who take refuge in Him.
Read: Ruth 2:8-23

When a person takes refuge in the living God, he will be safe (Ps 91:1,4), will sing for joy (Ps 63:7), will experience abundance from God almighty. (Psalms 36:7-8)

This was Ruth's story after she decided to run to the living God leaving her pagan gods, her people and place. Her faith in God and love for her old mother-in-law was known to all the people. She found favour in the eyes of God and man. The Lord became her provider, comforter, shelter and security in the form of Boaz. Verse 8 - Boaz told her to stay in his field and not to go else where. Verse 9 made sure of her safety. Verse 13 - spoke to her kindly and comforted her. Verse 14 made her sit with him and eat from his food. Verse 15, 16 gave her enough and more. He became her kinsman redeemer!

A kinsman redeemer is one who is responsible for protecting the interests of his extended family, one who redeems the land of a poor relative sold outside the family (Deu.25:5-10, Lev 25:25-28, 47-49). Boaz stands as a foreshadow of Jesus, who came to redeem us. We were in need of salvation and help;we had sold our souls to sin. Jesus redeemed us by giving a price of His own blood. Only we have to come under His refuge in faith. He will do the rest.

Respond: Dear Lord, Your unfailing love is all I want. My heart takes refuge in You. Amen.

Industrious Ruth

Prepare: He who chooses to trust God will reap blessings.
Read: Ruth 1:19-2:7

Yesterday we saw that wrong choices bring difficult situations. But turning towards God brings blessings (1:19). Wrong choices had left pleasant Naomi bitter, calling herself as Mara.Ruth's right choice of putting her trust in  the Lord, led to a life of great blessings. She was a Moabite, a hated community; she was a young and beautiful widow in an unsafe situation. But she experienced love and respect along with protection from the master himself. Her beautiful inner character combined with her trust in God changed her life altogether.

Ruth's humility and industry are remarkable. She submitted herself to the authority of her mother-in-law by informing her about her plans. She approached the reapers with a gentle request to glean. She knew how to talk pleasantly and was not proud. "One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honour." (Prov 29:23). She worked steadily from morning till mealtime except for a short rest.

God led her to the right place: She went to the field belonging to Boaz. Boaz was a very godly man. Note how he greets the reapers and how they respond.

God led her to the right people: Boaz was not there when Ruth went to glean. The harvesters and the foreman were working.When Ruth requested with all humility, God opened their hearts to allow her to work.

Respond: Lord, help us to choose an attitude of submission to Your Lordship and to others. Amen.

A Wrong Choice

Story of Ruth - Animated Bible Stories from the Old Testament

Prepare: Live by faith not by sight.
Read: Ruth 1:1-18

Wrong choice: Elimelek's family lived in Bethlehem, the "House of Bread" and worshipped the Living God of Israel. When famine struck, they decided to move away from Bethlehem to Moab, a land which worshipped a pagan God, Chemosh. They were afraid that they may die without food. As if one choice was not enough, Naomi got her sons married to Moabite women. Marriage with Moabite women was not allowed and they were not allowed to enter the assembly of the Lord (Deu 7:3, 23:3).

Worse situation: A wrong choice led to a worse situation. Elimelek and the two sons died, even with abundance of food! Naomi was left childless with two daughters-in-law who were childless. What a picture of emptiness! Not trusting God, but leaning on your own wisdom leads to an empty life.

Right choice: When Naomi heard of the Lord visiting His people in Bethlehem, she decided to return. By then she had realized it was her bad decisions that had caused the Lord's hand to be severe on their family. Ruth's declaration of faith in the living God is the highlight of this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship.

The difficult situations and trials in our lives are brought by God to discipline us. When we try to run away from them, choosing the temporary way out, it becomes a bad choice. Only when we realize our mistake and put our trust in God, we will experience His blessings.

Respond: Lord, enable us to choose that which pleases You.

Reality Check at Review Time

Psalm 54

Prepare: When you are in trouble and forced to wait for help, where you place your faith is all-important.
Read: Psalm 54:1-7

The late Dr. A.W. Tozer once wrote, "I can safely say on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven".

Today being Sunday, you join the thousands of saints across the globe even in the underground churches to worship and adore Him. You may be in a similar situation as David in many areas of your life, own people rising against him. Here David uses a great way to pray in verse 1&2, which results in sure faith in verse 4. On this day of joy and gladness can you recognize God's ways in your life?

God is faithful; though men are not to be trusted, and it is well for us it is so. David has no other plea to depend upon than God's name, no other power to depend upon than God's strength, and these he makes his refuge and confidence. What bonds of nature, or friendship, or gratitude, or covenant will protect you from those who have no fear of God. Only God can.

David sums up the psalm with praise. There is an interesting sequence of experiences: David had trouble, this led him to trust God, which resulted in triumph. He had a  problem, so he turned to prayer, which brought about praise to the Lord.

Respond: Christians should never suffer the voice of praise and thanksgiving to cease in the church of the redeemed. 

Credible Christian

Prepare: Being is more important than doing.
Read: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

The Bible gives very high priority for human relationships. The world does not. People of this world want to exploit every situation and every relationship for its own gain. So relationships are shot and shallow. Enriching relationships cost both the parties. Paul was willing to pay the cost to build up relationships.

In attitude, servant: Paul was one of the great leaders that the Church had ever produced. He used his spectacular leadership qualities in humble services. He was very careful not to become offensive in his attitude. The situations he found himself in were like tests of his actions.Hardship, imprisonment and other trials could have broken an ordinary man. But Paul's humble attitude enabled him to face all these trying situations under the watchful eye of God and to come out of them cheerfully and victoriously.

In motive, purity: Leaders need to be transparent and open. Paul wanted to be pure, patient and kind in his relationship with the church members.Leaders with enormous power need to be guarded and guided by Scriptural principles in order to be useful in building relationships with others and encourage others to maintain their relationship with one another. Motives may be hidden from man, but not from God. Pure motives bring permanent results in the lives of the people.

Respond: Let my attitude be humble and motives pure in my relationship, O Lord. 

Compelled Christian

Prepare: We are of great value in His eyes.
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

The world around us constantly influences our mind with its message. So our values are confused and our priorities are mixed up. Paul in this passage wants us to model our life after Jesus Christ. Paul argues for a life that is entirely committed to bring the message of reconciliation to a world, which is going to be judged.

Motives to life: Our lives need to be controlled by the fear of the Lord. Judgement of God is real. Love is the compelling force in our lives. As an expression of His love for us, He had sent His Son to die for us. This love gives us the inner strength to face all hardships and endure all sufferings. Christ's death demands a deep and abiding response from us. He has not only died for us, but lives today to help us. Life has the deepest fulfilment when we respond to God's call.

Message to give: Christ's death has changed values of human beings drastically. So Paul doesn't want to measure any one against the standard fixed by the world. In Christ, even the worst sinner has the possibility becoming a new creation. World around us may not believe this message, but we believe it because we have experienced this life-changing power offered by Jesus Christ.

Respond: Lord, let Your love motivate me and Your power strengthen me today to live for You.

Courageous Christian

Prepare: Life on earth to be; seen in the context of our life in Heaven.
Read: 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10

Suffering is a part of life for all. Especially for Christians, it is allowed by God. Protection from hardship is never promised for us. Suffering teaches important lessons in Christian life. Suffering was a constant companion to Paul. He learnt to live by looking at the future through the window of suffering.

Suffering is momentary: Suffering is not pleasing and often it affects our external body and also our mind. We groan under pressure and sigh in anxiety. We tend to think in those circumstances that suffering is going to continue forever and ever. We are tempted to give up. But the eternal glory is a gift we are going to receive after this earthly life.

Glory is eternal: Christian life is not just a life of suffering. The present suffering is a passing experience. We must learn to live in the knowledge of the reality of the future glory. The key is to learn to live by faith and not to be disturbed by what we see and experience at present. At the time of suffering, we are not to curse-either the circumstances or the people that might have caused it. We have to learn through the help of the Holy Spirit to please God who is working in us to change the mortal body into the likeness of the Son.

Respond: Holy Spirit of God, I thank You for Your indwelling presence in my earthly (mortal) body.