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Archive for October 15th, 2012

Oct/12

15

Women of Significance Pt 10

RUTH (READ RUTH Ch’s1-4)

 Ruth is my favourite Bible character. A woman of great sacrifice, meekness, service and faithfulness.

 The book of Ruth is only 4 chapters long and can easily be read at one sitting, therefore I will not go much into it’s background but trust that you have familiarised yourself with it.

 Point 1Asking Nothing In return

                                 All Naomi’s family have died. Her husband and two sons. Ruth was married to one of these sons, therefore she was free to move on and find another husband. Instead she chooses to follow her mother in law who is returning to her native city of Bethlehem.In doing so she has chosen to give up her family, country (Ruth was a Moabite), her god, her hopes of future marriage and children. In short, she gave up everything.

 She said to Naomi: “Entreat me not to leave you,  Or to  turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people  shall be  my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If  anything but  death parts you and me.” (Ruth 1:16,17. NKJV)

This is the principle of, ‘Asking nothing in return’.

Asking nothing in return is also built into the foundation of grace. Grace, as we have often been taught is the unmerited favour of God. That is, God giving us what we don’t deserve, and giving without asking for anything in return.

 All the major religions of the world are built on the precept of pleasing their God/s. to find acceptance with them, to appease their judgement and anger.

To do so, the people offer sacrifices of animals, prayers, fasting, food, money, whatever their God requires.

Only in Christianity do we find a God who not only asks nothing in return but has done for us what we could not do for ourselves – He sent Jesus to be our substitute sacrifice for our wrongdoings that we might find forgiveness and build a relationship with Him of love, acceptance and intimacy.

 Ruth lives out this embodiment with her mother-in-law Naomi. Naomi deserved nothing. Her bitterness, anger and rebellion were a mask covering a deep hurt. But when Ruth gave Naomi, her all, asking nothing in return, it melted Naomi’s heart, transforming her into a woman of happiness and contentment.

The world says, “If I do something for you, you must do something for me. You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch your back. Do me a favour and I’ll owe you.”

 Ruth is a type or prophetic picture of the body of Christ, and God has put the Spirit of Christ within us so we can address the bitter, angry and rebellious people of today, God is calling His followers, those of us who are in Christ, to be Ruth’s to the world’s Naomi’s. To give, asking nothing in return.

Meditate on these scriptures:

 Rom 12:14. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. (NLT)

 Mat 5:44  Love your enemies.Do good to them that hate you. Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (KJV)

 You say, “But I can’t be Ruth to such people, I’ve tried and failed miserably.”

 No – ‘YOU’ can’t. But ‘JESUS’ can and will do it through you if you ask Him. He will change you inwardly so that outwardly you can express the character of Ruth.

But give Him time. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Trust your Naomi to Him and He will change you.

Ps 37:7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. (KJV)

 This is His grace working through you to give, asking nothing in return, and you’ll find what were once mountains, road-blocks and walls, removed, and problem people and circumstances turned around.

Meditation Point : Prayer – Lord Jesus, I give my Naomi (name the person – ………………..) to you and ask that you will work your grace in me so that I can love the unlovely and give without asking anything in return. Thank you Lord that you will turn my situation around.

 

 

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