God is good.

 

Hope you guys have been enjoying the spring weather. Down here in Nashville we have had rain, rain, and more rain… but then… the sun came out and the world was green and fresh and vibrant with color.

One of the things I’ve been attempting to do this year is read my bible slowly (did I say sloooooooowly) from page one to the end. As you know, for you who’ve done this, it can sometimes be an arduous read. The new testament sounds like so much more fun… but there are treasures in the old testament… one of these is Ruth.

I have just finished Ruth…  I love Ruth. I love everything about this story.

 

I think it is interesting that in a time of judges when the land was ruled by the sword, by unreasonable leaders, thirsty for power that this is the story that hits you in the heart.

Ruth and Naomi and Orpah… three women left alone in a time when women were not exactly considered equal citizens. Without a way to support themselves, in a strange land with loss and tragedy at every turn.

Naomi sends them each back to their homeland. Orpah,(who I read somewhere is who Oprah was named after but got wrongly spelled on the birth certificate) anyway… Orpah reluctantly kisses her mother in-law and heads backs to her mom and dad. Ruth looks at her, maybe taking into account the new feeling of a spiritual connection that she has never felt before. A sense that this is where she belongs, being a daughter Naomi and of the one true God. Having a sense of purpose, perhaps Ruth takes Naomi’s face in her hands and says I’m not leaving. Where you go, I’ll go. When you cry, I’ll cry, we’re in this thing together. End of argument. You know Naomi must have been so happy and relieved to have a girl such as Ruth to walk alongside her.

Ruth and Naomi head back to Bethlehem and Ruth gets a job picking up left over grain. She catches the eye of Boaz the field owner and he has heard of Ruth’s faithfulness. They fall in love ( in an old testament kind of way)  get married, have a baby... Boaz is the father of Obed, Obed is the father of Jesse, Jesse is the father of David  King David, who is the great, great ( add a few more greats) grandfather of the messiah, Jesus Christ.

Isn’t it amazing, when we do what God has called us to do… to stick it out in a tough time. To trust him that everything is gonna be all right.

I love this story because it reminds me that even when there is nothing but rain, rain, and more rain, if we hang on through it, the sun is gonna shine again and the world will be more beautiful than ever before.

I pray that whatever path you’re on today that God would richly bless your life.

Keep on walking with God… that’s all we have to do.

God is Good.

Blessings,
Cindy

 TrackBack URI for this entry