Be like Ruth - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) July 5, 2022

It is so important for us to stay committed to the Lord and the tasks He gives. Sure, it's not easy, but God never said it would be. He did, however, promise to grant sufficient grace to get through the tough moments (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Think of Ruth. She was a widow left to struggle with her mother-in-law, Naomi, and her sister-in-law, Orpah. All three were widows in an age when having no husband meant certain suffering. Naomi decided to return to her home country and at first, both daughters-in-law agreed to go with her. However, Orpah eventually chose to return to her parents. Ruth, on the other hand, opted to stay with Naomi telling her in Ruth 1:16 - ...Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

What did Ruth get for this commitment to her late husband's mother? Naomi provided wisdom that set Ruth up to not only find her Boaz (and yes, he is the Boaz), but to go from working in the field one day to owning it the next. Even more importantly, by sticking with and applying Naomi's wisdom, Ruth became an ancestor to Jesus Christ and one of only five women listed in His genealogy. She became a really big deal!

And why is any of this important? Because we all need to maintain the position God placed us in that we open ourselves to reap the harvest. It is when we stay in service that we receive God's blessings. We can't abandon whatever responsibility the Lord has given us.

Ask yourself what responsibilities God gave you? Ruth lost her husband and could have left her mother-in-law to fend for herself, instead, she saw it as her duty to stay and care for the older woman. She saw Naomi as a responsibility, not a burden, and didn't abandon her. This also led to her being known as a woman of noble character by Naomi's people.

Each of us needs to look at the responsibilities the Lord gave us and we need to give them our very best effort. It could be the children you were blessed with or your spouse. It could also be some other assignment. Maybe he wants you to be a ray of His light at your job or in your friend-group. How about if He wants you to serve Him by just praying for the people around you?

Each of us has a responsibility to the Lord. What's yours? If you don't know, look at what you're trained to do. How can you use those skills to help someone in need for free? Find a way to serve the Lord by taking care of someone else with a joyful heart and the love of the Lord.

How can each of us be a Ruth - dedicated, loyal, and faithful? Someone who takes their responsibility to serve seriously? Even when to do so is painful? May the Lord grant us grace to be committed to Him and may we please Him in the process, IJMN, Amen.

See you at fellowship at Noon EST.