Be the Good in the Crazy

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Ruth 1:1 “In the days when the judges ruled…”

If you’re reading along with this Bible plan and read yesterday’s blog, you might expect to read more about people “doing as he/she saw fit” as you read the introduction to Ruth.
Thankfully, this book of the Bible is nothing like Judges. We read about individuals who are faithful, loyal, hardworking and honorable.
If you’re paying attention to the news lately you’ll hear a mixture of very sad statistics right alongside stories of people doing good. And that’s one of the things that I appreciate about the book of Ruth: while all sorts of people are ignoring God’s Law, there are still righteous people, like Boaz, doing the right thing.
So while you are quarantined to your homes, what good and right thing can you do? It starts with how you treat and speak to those with whom you share a living space with. Do you find yourself with spare time on your hands these days? Instead of increasing your screen time, what good and right thing can you do for your neighbors (while maintaining your social distance, of course)? Maybe because your social calendar is empty, you actually have some spare change in your pocket. What good and right thing could you do for your church and/or community with that extra cash?
So while we are living in extraordinary times, you have the prime opportunity to do something special. Be faithful. Be loyal. Be hardworking. Be honorable. Be Christlike.
Bethany Ligon
Today’s Bible reading is the Book of Ruth (just 4 short chapters worth the read).  You can read or listen to it at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth+1-4&version=NIV
Tomorrow we begin the book of 1st Samuel (chapters 1-3) as we continue on the 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan .  Or, there is no time like today to start!  

Ruth: Faithfulness and Devotion Rewarded (Ruth)

Friday, October 7

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Shelby Upton

It is almost impossible for me to write this devotion on Ruth. There are so many valuable lessons and principles to glean from this 4 Chapter book and it is one of my favorite books of the Bible! For the sake of brevity I want to focus on Ruth’s example of faithfulness and devotion.

Ruth suffered losing her husband and had the chance to start over with a new family. Naomi even speaks of the faithful love that Ruth had shown to the family already. She chose however to stay with the faith of her family that she married into and help take care of Naomi and I believe God blessed her for that faithfulness.

Ruth went to work gleaning in the fields behind the harvesters behind in Boazs’ field and he took notice of her! To prove my point I think Boaz sums it up perfectly in Ruth 2:11-12 “Boaz answered her, “Everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death has been fully reported to me: how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and how you came to a people you didn’t previously know. May the Lord reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

 

Her future with Boaz and Naomi’s family was that reward for her faithfulness and devotion. 💗