Hey Siestas!
How are you doing as you work through Session 3 & Session 4?
What are your thoughts on the lessons? Has any one particular day's reading stood out to you?
Please post any conments, questions or discussion here.
One thing that resonated with me was on pg. 69 where Kelly said "...looking to a person to solve my problems or give my life worth and meaning can be my first instinct. But, here, Boaz - among the most capable and resourced of men - knew his limitations; he knew that only God could truly redeem Ruth"
Profound!!
I was reading in Isaiah 56 today and the verses really jumped out at me as pertaining to Ruth, even though it was probably written much later than her time:
ReplyDelete6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him,
to love the name of the LORD,
and to worship him,
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
and who hold fast to my covenant-
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations."
I really believe that God honoured Ruth's choice to follow and serve Him. Little did she know that her choice would lead to her position in the lineage of Christ!!!
Ruth's trust and willingness to follow Naomi's instructions (however questionable they may be) truly stuck a cord. While we may not understand the plans the Lord has for us, our responsibility is to follow His instructions and let Him work out the details. Also, the picture of Ruth resting in the knowledge that Boaz would act on her behalf and how I need to rest in the knowledge that my own Redeemer is acting on my behalf was certainly convicting. I am so not one who is willing to wait patiently--I want to be doing! Often to my detriment.
ReplyDeleteOh Judi, as you focused in on the pg 69 comments that Kelly wrote, I went forward to the end of those thougts to the for discussion part. I never wrote a particular response to this, but just now something hit me that I had not thought about for many, many years....a time that I found refuge under the wings of GOD. In my early 20's I had not experienced any true hardships in life...my life had been very, very blessed to that point. I was engaged in the ministry of my dreams, I was engaged to the man I thought was the man of my dreams, and fixing to move to India, the land of my dreams (one of them). I thought. Then, one day, very unexpecantly, it all came crashing down around me (so I thought). My fiance was "counseled" to call off our wedding by church leadership. It was because they had concerns about us moving to the mission field so soon after marriage. And instead of a postponement, it was broken. Raised under strong covenant teaching, a broken engagement was to me, like a divorce. Not only was my relationship shattered into pieces, but the dream - the ministry - was at risk! I was devastated beyond anything that I ever knew before. I remember walking around in a daze. I left Nashville to return home w/my family in Texas for awhile to "regroup" and mourn. My fiance left for California to join his family & our ministry team there.
ReplyDeleteThis was the first time that I actually felt those huge "wings of GOD" literally wrap around me. I was engulfed in His cocoon of love. And He ministered to me in a way I had never experienced before.
I would love to say that I stayed there. But I stepped out from under them, as my flesh took over and I let emotion rule me for a season. However, I will never forget the sweetest time of my life with GOD to that point while I remained under His wings. There really is nothing like it! I was literally drawn into relationship with Jesus like never before.
The "rest of the story" involves several years of real struggle before I let go and let GOD again. But His blessing stays with us regardless of where we walk, if we let Him. I ended up in rebellion in my chosen lifestyle, married the "forgery" of the real instead, and literally got what I paid for. BUT, the lessons learned during those years, and the joys that I did experience, have been priceless, and provided a depth to my life that I have often wondered how on earth I would have obtained that training had I not lived through what I did live through?
It doesn't matter, really....life is good....really good!! And my life has been full and rich beyond measure.
Here's the very cool reality of ways that GOD works....I have been so passionate about various people groups around the world. Some of my favorite places are in Africa, Nigeria for one, and India. So now, living in Houston, I am surrounded by these nations ... the people who have come to America to live and bring their unique and so very beautiful cultures with them! I love them so!! And I love how GOD literally brings India or Nigeria to me!! Isn't He just the best???!!
Hugs!
Sharoni :)