Choices
- Orpha, Ruth and Namomi
We are, each of us, faced with choices.Some are the simple daily choices we make almost without thinking.Others have the potential to be life-changing.All of them, I think, need to be made prayerfully.
The story of Ruth in the Old Testament is the story of a young widow who made a choice that not only changed her life, but gave her a unique place in God’s plan for mankind.She chose to leave all that was familiar to her and follow her mother-in-law, Naomi, to a country she did not know.In making that choice she also pledged her loyalty to Naomi’s God. Her words have become familiar to most of us:
“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go, I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
Ruth 1: 16-17
The beautiful story unfolds in the book of Ruth. You may read it there. I want to focus on the choices Ruth made to serve both the Lord and Naomi. As she walked in obedience, the Lord was there working out all the details of Ruth’s extraordinary story. It was not by chance that Ruth went to the field of Boaz to glean. Nor was it coincidental that Boaz happened by while Ruth was working there and was drawn to her. How “lucky” that the nearer kinsman did not want to marry Ruth – leaving the way clear for Boaz to claim her as his bride.
Before long Ruth gave birth to a baby boy, and this is where the story takes on epic proportions. It ends with, of all things, a genealogy:
“Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse and Jesse the father of David.” Ruth 4: 21-22
The humble Ruth was to become the great-grandmother of Israel’s greatest king – David. She also became a part of the lineage of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We are no different than Ruth. If we could just catch a glimpse of what the Father is doing in our lives we would be astounded. We may not see great miracles on a daily basis, but He is there nonetheless working in and through the daily events of our lives. If you are His child, there are no coincidences in your life. He is working all things together for your good. Our part is to prayerfully make wise choices that will put us in the place of greatest blessing.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29: 11-13 (NIV)
I love the story of Ruth. Not only did she take care of her mother-in-law, but she followed God – the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Isn’t amazing how God will call all sorts of people to accomplish His plan…
Thank you so much for your encouraging words this morning. Be blessed today and always…
Thank you so much for this blog. My husband and I are going through a time where we are needing to trust our Lord even more as we walk down a new unexplored path.
Sheryl
Wonderful post Linda. You are so right, we would be astounded if we caught but a glimpse of what our Father is doing.
Choices …I just had to comment on this one because that’s what I blog about; Heart Choices.
The story of Ruth is such a good example of making the right choices. Ruth choose to follow the God of the Israelites. And He makes no mistakes. Even though you can’t always see Him working, He is …if you’re His child. How the Lord met their needs in ways I’m sure Ruth never imagined.
I want to remember this especially when those doubts come up. The Lord does care about the details of my life and is working in ways I may never imagine or think. After all, His ways are higher than mine.
Thanks for this post.
I love the verse you included from Jeremiah.
It always encourages me to think about how I can’t see the whole picture of why things happen in the order or way they do but God has a plan for it all.
It is quite important to give everything to our Lord in prayre. He is all knowing and ever watchful. At times we all forget and make decisions on our own. The great thing is that God can and still is using us. To turn to Him and trust in His guidance is a delightful thing.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and understandings on this topic.
Sincerely, -me- (Mommy of two little blessings)
I need to remember (because I do KNOW it) that all things work to gether for good. I am so upset that my 23 year old son didn’t make it into a job he was trying so hard to get. I know God has it all in his hands. Guess I just had to be a toddler and have a little foot stomping. Silly me.
Bless you sweetie.
Oh Linda,
We are no different than Ruth. If we could just catch a glimpse of what the Father is doing in our lives we would be astounded.
Wow… Thank you Amen… Amen.. Amen