Ruth

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Ruth 4:14 Not Left Without A Redeemer

The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!” Ruth 4:14

In stores people are always desiring to redeem some of their money. They want the sales or coupons to be such that they are saved from spending as much as possible.

Finding those sales or the needed coupons takes work and are not always available, thus redemption of the money is not there. If one does not have enough money, then the item cannot be purchased.

After Boaz saved Ruth and Naomi from destruction, the women of the area praised God for He had provided a guardian-redeemer for her.

While saving money is something that most people need when purchasing something, there is a price on something else that is greater than any person can ever pay. Life has greater value than anything that one may purchase or desire to purchase, and it cannot be bought with money.

Even though a person has some life when born, it becomes only temporary the moment the person sins against God. Death is the price to be paid for sin. No person can pay the price of death for sin and survive.

The good news, as with Naomi and Ruth, God does not leave people stranded without possibility of redemption. There is a redeemer for those who are willing to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus. Jesus is willing to become the guardian-redeemer for every person who desires Him.

God is willing to provide abundantly for all that one may ever need. More than just a temporary provision of food, shelter and clothing, but to give life that will last for eternity. He is to receive praise for not leaving people without a redeemer.

There is a price tag on your head that has the price of death for the sins you have committed against God. No one in this world can redeem your life for you. Only Jesus can provide the needed redemption.

Take a moment to repent of your sins and believe in the saving work of Jesus upon the cross and His resurrection. Allow Jesus to become your guardian-redeemer and live a full life that will extend into all eternity with more than you can ever imagine or desire.

Give God praise for providing you a redeemer for your life.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will allow Jesus to be your redeemer; that you will know the forgiveness Jesus provides; that you will know all that God has made available to you; and that you will give God praise for what He has done for you.

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Ruth 3:11 What Are You Known For?

And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. Ruth 3:11

Every person is known for something. Famous people are often known by what they can do or what they had done. Singers are known for their voice and songs, actors for their movies, sportsmen for their championships or wins. Others are known for their extreme wealth or discoveries in the science or medical fields.

While these things may be good, they are all surface and temporary and do not reveal who the person really is.

Boaz told Ruth that in his town all the people knew her as a woman of noble character and so he was willing to do what she asked of him.

Even though many people are known for doing some amazing things, very few are known for their character as being noble. It is common for famous people to do great things but have very poor character. They are then known for getting drunk, doing drugs, getting into fights, abusiveness, foul language and much more, despite all their famous abilities.

Although believers should be known for a noble character, many have the same character as those in the world. Lying, cheating, stealing, abusiveness, drunkenness, greediness and more are known characteristics of many in the church, and often without regret or sorrow.

Believers are to be set apart as different. Their character should shine before their world as one of noble character, that of God. As Jesus, the believer should live his life above reproach and of a different character than the world.

People should know the believer as one of noble character that can be trusted to do what is right no matter how difficult it is.

Regardless of where you live, there are people who live around you who are watching you, know you and make judgements on your character. Some of these people will see you in the best of your times and in the worst of your times.

How you act and react to situations will show your true character, whether noble or corrupt. Everything that you say or do should reflect God’s Holy Spirit in your life. A noble character should be the description of your life.

How would people around you, both known and unknown, close or distant, describe your character?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will be known for a Godly and noble character; that all of your words and actions will reflect God’s character; and that God will give you strength to always do what is right.

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Ruth 2:11 What Will You Leave Behind?

Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband–how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know.” Ruth 2:11

Stepping out into the unknown is very difficult for many people. It not only requires a step of faith, but also a step away from the familiar and safe and known place.

Sometimes it will require leaving family and friends behind to go to the new place or to a new level. Doing this can be painful and difficult.

Boaz had heard of how Ruth had left her family and land to follow Naomi into a new land after her husband had died.

Every person has various points in their life in which they have to take a step into something unknown or new to them. It begins as a child moving up into new class levels in school and continues through adulthood with new jobs or locations to live.

Any time a person becomes a new believer, he must take a step into something new, something unknown. There is a change of the way of thinking and doing things. In this process one must be willing to leave behind things and people.

The new believer has a new life and is a new creation in Christ Jesus with a new family and a new way of living. It is a new culture that is drastically different from the past. The past is behind, and all things are new.

Taking a step like this requires complete faith in God and His boldness to step away from the past. It is trusting that God knows what is best and has something better in store.

As a believer there are some things that you have had to leave behind. There may be more things or people that God wants you to leave behind because they only distract you from Him and pull you down.

Keep your eyes focused on God and follow Him all the way. Do not allow people or things in your life to pull you away from God and what He has for you.

What God has in store for you is much greater than anything or anyone you must leave behind. Are you holding on to your past? Or are you leaving all behind and moving forward in Jesus?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know what God wants you to leave behind; that God will give you strength to leave behind what will harm or distract you; and that you will follow God with all of your heart and life.

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Ruth 1:16 No Going Back

But Ruth replied, “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.” Ruth 1:16

During extremely difficult times, many people like to return to where they were before the difficult times. No matter how good or bad the past was, people desire to go back to it rather than face major problems in life.

Staying on the path forward through extreme difficulties is hard for most people. Going back is easier.

During extreme famine and many difficulties, Naomi urged her daughter in laws to go back to their homelands and their former gods. Ruth, one of her daughters, stated she would not go back and would stay with her and her God.

Looking at a difficult road ahead can always make it seem easier and better to go back to the place one was. The life of a believer is often filled with difficulties because the world is against the believer and wants to destroy the believer.

Sadly, many believers will see the difficult times and blame God and then go back to the worldly way of living. It appears easier to live a life in sin, rather than go through the temporary trials as a believer. Living the life of the world may give a moment of pleasure, but in the end, it is death and suffering for eternity.

No matter how difficult life is right now, there is hope for the believer. In the end there is eternal life with no more problems, sickness, pain or suffering. Once one has begun the road to follow Jesus, he must not turn back to the world, no matter the challenges, but keep going forward.

As a believer the world is going to be against you and work to destroy your faith in God. Because there is sin in the world, it will not always be easy to walk with God.

Do not allow yourself to be deceived into thinking that the old ways of sin and the world is easier and better. Put all of your focus and trust in God and His ways of living.

All the pain and suffering you may be going through now will appear light and worth it all when you step into heaven with God for all eternity.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will trust God’s plan for you; that God will give you strength to walk the path He has you on; and that you will never turn away from God for the rest of your life.

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Ruth 4:14 The Guardian-Redeemer

Dove above a well

The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!” Ruth 4:14 

Sometimes in life people go through some tough times and feel as if there is no hope left. No matter where they look, all they see is trouble. No matter what they do, all they get is trouble.

It is at this point that many turn to drugs, false gods, other spirits, things, people, or even death. They want to give up and quit. In their eyes there is no hope available, there is no reason to keep fighting to move forward.

Yet, there is a hope.

Naomi and her two daughters-in-law were without husbands. Each husband had died. Then came a severe famine in their land. There was nothing left. However, when they returned to Israel, to Bethlehem, God had a plan in place for them.

It was there that Ruth met Boaz. After a time, he chooses to take care of Naomi and marries Ruth. The women of the town quickly began to say that he is their guardian-redeemer, the one who is to take care of them. Later Ruth has a child, Obed, who is the father of Jesse, who is the father of David. A thousand years later, a grandchild is born of David–Jesus.

Jesus is the one who became the guardian-redeemer of all people who believe in Him and follow God.

As time went along, Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David and Jesus all died, however, only Jesus arose from the dead to be the eternal Guardian-Redeemer. He bought back all the people of God from the world and Satan. He provides everything that a person needs, including the most precious thing–life.

You may be going through tough times right now. It may look as though there is no hope, but only death to end it all. It may look as though God is against you and forgotten you.

However, Jesus and the Father will never forget you. You are written in the palm of His hand. It was for you that Jesus shed His blood on the cross. You have a hope that will last for all eternity.

Believing in and following Jesus will be an eternal hope. He will be your Guardian-Redeemer, Savior forever. You have a hope that the world does not know about.

Don’t give up now. You have a Guardian-Redeemer!

I pray today that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will know God is for you; that you will know Jesus paid for your life and will keep it; and that you will know the hope you have of eternity with God in heaven some day.