Bible League: Living His Word So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.— Ruth 2:3 NLT Ruth was a righteous woman. She refused to stay in Moab with her pagan Moabite family when her Jewish father-in-law and her husband died. Instead, she decided to go with Naomi, her Jewish mother-in-law, back to Israel. She decided to put her future into the hands of the Lord. When Naomi urged her to return to her people, she said: "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!" (Ruth 1:16-17). Upon their arrival in Israel, Ruth and Naomi were very poor. In order to make ends meet, Ruth decided to go out to the harvest fields of the Israelites and, as she put it, "pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it." (Ruth 2:2). "And as it happened," says our verse for today, "she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech." This seemingly chance occurrence eventually led to her marriage to Boaz, improving her fortunes and the fortunes of Naomi. More importantly, it led to her becoming one of the "grandmothers" of the Messiah (Matthew 1:5). Perhaps like Ruth, you've seen some hard times. Nevertheless, like her, you've stayed in the will of the Lord and relied upon Him despite everything. Although you probably haven't had to pick up stalks in the harvest fields, you may have done some things that were just as hard. Isn't it comforting to know that the Lord is superintending every move you make? God is good to those who love Him. When we are going forward, we can't see how it will all come together, but God can. And when we look back, we can praise Him for His providential care. In hindsight, our "chance" occurrences lay end to end like puzzle pieces that were cut to fit together—because they were. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingGenesis 38, 39, 40 Genesis 38 -- Judah and Tamar NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Genesis 39 -- Joseph's Success; Potiphar's Wife; Joseph Imprisoned NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Genesis 40 -- Joseph Interprets the Cupbearer and the Baker's Dreams NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 12:22-50 Matthew 12 -- The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath; By Their Fruit; Sign of Jonah; Who are my Mother and Brothers? NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion You must set aside a tithe of your crops—one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship—the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored—and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. Doing this will teach you always to fear the LORD your God. Insight The Bible makes the purpose of tithing very clear: It teaches us to fear the Lord and put him first in our lives. We are to give God the first and best of what we earn. For example, what we do first with our money shows what we value most. Giving the first part of our paycheck to God immediately focuses our attention on him. It also reminds us that all we have belongs to him. Challenge A habit of regular tithing can keep God at the top of our priority list and give us a proper perspective on everything else we have. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Daniel 9:26 The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself.Blessed be his name, there was no cause of death in him. Neither original nor actual sin had defiled him, and therefore death had no claim upon him. No man could have taken his life from him justly, for he had done no man wrong, and no man could even have lain him by force unless he had been pleased to yield himself to die. But lo, one sins and another suffers. Justice was offended by us, but found its satisfaction in him. Rivers of tears, mountains of offerings, seas of the blood of bullocks, and hills of frankincense, could not have availed for the removal of sin; but Jesus was cut off for us, and the cause of wrath was cut off at once, for sin was put away forever. Herein is wisdom, whereby substitution, the sure and speedy way of atonement, was devised! Herein is condescension, which brought Messiah, the Prince, to wear a crown of thorns, and die upon the cross! Herein is love, which led the Redeemer to lay down his life for his enemies! It is not enough, however, to admire the spectacle of the innocent bleeding for the guilty, we must make sure of our interest therein. The special object of the Messiah's death was the salvation of his church; have we a part and a lot among those for whom he gave his life a ransom? Did the Lord Jesus stand as our representative? Are we healed by his stripes? It will be a terrible thing indeed if we should come short of a portion in his sacrifice; it were better for us that we had never been born. Solemn as the question is, it is a joyful circumstance that it is one which may be answered clearly and without mistake. To all who believe on him the Lord Jesus is a present Saviour, and upon them all the blood of reconciliation has been sprinkled. Let all who trust in the merit of Messiah's death be joyful at every remembrance of him, and let their holy gratitude lead them to the fullest consecration to his cause. Daily Light on the Daily Path Revelation 1:19 "Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.2 Peter 1:21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 1 John 1:3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. Luke 24:39,40 "See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." • And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. John 19:35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 1 Corinthians 2:5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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