A short synopsis of Ruth found on biblehub.com:
The book of Ruth is the Narrative of a love story, yet also has some important Genealogy. The timeline of this book is intertwined during the period of the Judges. The author was anonymous but some believe it was perhaps written by Samuel the prophet; however, it is unlikely that he was alive when this book was written. It was written about 1046-1035 B.C. Key personalities include Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz.
Its purpose was to demonstrate the kind of love, and faithfulness that God desires for us. It shows the difference between what happens when a nation does not follow in obedience to the covenant of God (Judges), and when God’s people follow in faithfulness within the covenant (Ruth).
-------The story of Ruth is one that each of us should dwell upon in relation to our own lives-------
Last week we learned about the importance of breaking our Alabaster Box at Jesus feet and this week we will look at the life of a woman (Ruth) who did just that. Therefore, in order to study Ruth's life of reckless abandonment we will look at three areas of her life in relation to her amazing story:
- New Friends
- New Surroundings
- New Faith
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Ruth was a Moabite (a highly pagan people) who had married one of Naomi's sons. However, after the death of her husband Ruth was faced with a decision of where she would turn next! God had worked mightily in Ruth's life so far, so much so that she realized how false her old religion was and came to know the True God as her Lord and Savior. Because of her new found Faith in God she was on fire for following him....even if it meant following Him into the unknown. Upon the death of her husband Ruth's mother in law Naomi begged Ruth and Orpah (her two daughter in laws) to return to their home country in order that they might find new husbands. However, because of Ruth's new found faith and her dedication and love for her Mother in Law Naomi Ruth said :
"Don't urge me to leave you or 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)
#1- New Friends: Ruth left her home country, all that she knew, and the prospects of a husband behind her as she chose to stay with her mother in law and follow her into the new and unknown. In Ruth's choice to stay with Naomi she left behind her old life and her old friends for the precise purpose of seeking the True God in her new faith.
Ruth knew that staying in Moab would only undermine her growth in God and thus she chose to pick up and move to a place that would be beneficial to her growth, surrounding herself with people who believe in the same God as she did.
Ruth knew that staying in Moab would only undermine her growth in God and thus she chose to pick up and move to a place that would be beneficial to her growth, surrounding herself with people who believe in the same God as she did.
- This is true for us in our own lives!
- How many times have you looked around and realized that your friends were not on the same path as you? That they had chosen a different life with different choices and a different goal?
- It is important for us to look around us and ask ourselves the question: "Are the people I am surrounding myself with causing me to grow closer to God or fall farther away from Him?
"Do not be deceived: 'Bad company corrupts good morals.'" (1 Cor. 15:33)
- When we choose to live a life of deeper commitment to our Heavenly Father we will often face ridicule and questions from those closest to us! Just like in the story of the woman who broke her Alabaster box, the disciples questioned "Why this waste" (Matt. 26:8).
- Realize how much those you surround yourself with in life effect how you live your life! Are they pointing you towards God or pulling you away?
You should surround yourself with friends who do as Hebrews 10:24 encourages:
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds."
#2- New Surroundings: In the story of Ruth, Ruth relocated and moved to a different place in order that she could freely grow spiritually!
- Many young women choose to relocate themselves to different jobs, different social circles, and even different churches all for the sake of being "spiritually fed" instead of always coming up "hungry."
- How about you in your life? Are you in a place in which you are being fed spiritually or do you still find that you hunger for more?
- It might take a leap of faith and you might be faced with judgement from others but always be open to change that is beneficial for your spiritual growth.
----Like Ruth choose to be in a place that stimulates your growth in God instead of hindering it----
The sad truth is that Young women who choose to follow a path and change in order that they can grow spiritually are persecuted (persay) not only by non-Christians who do not understand the reasoning for their decisions, but they are also persecuted by their own kind....Christians!
"Unfortunately, our self-centered culture in the United States [and throughout the world] has penetrated the Church so much that a young woman not only has to choose against the American culture, but sometimes against the more subtle, worldly Christian subculture tainting the Body of Christ (NLIW)."
----Ruth had to Forsake the Familiar and comfortable in order to receive God's best for her life----
It is important for us never to forget that "part of reckless abandonment is realizing how much our culture has affected out behavior patterns (p.25)." You want to be filled with Christ but your life is a reflection of those very people around you who do not follow God but follow the world. Where has the dividing line between those of the world and those of God????? It has vanished!!!! Let us put it back in place!
#3 - New Faith: "Ruth moved from a false religion into the only true and eternal relationship (NLIW)." So many young women of today's society are involved in worship but are at a stand still in their growth with God. Is your Faith alive and growing or is it a lifeless monotonous tradition you participate in on Sundays?
- Instead of seeing your faith as a "lifeless ritual" why not re-evaluate your faith in these free years as a single lady and take the time to really focus on your Heavenly Father and allow your faith to grow to unseen heights!
- Let us choose right now to put mediocrity aside, refocus our life of faith and FALL IN LOVE WITH JESUS!!!
In the book The New Lady In Waiting one woman described her desired relationship with Jesus to be something like this:
"I desire that my relationship with the Lord be an adventure. One where I would find out what pleased Him and then do it, devoting as much energy to Jesus as I would in a relationship with a boyfriend. I am falling more in live with Jesus every day (p.26)."
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???WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE???
Will you choose to follow Ruth's example and step upon the path of "Reckless Abandonment" or will you choose mediocrity and fade into those of the world? Sometimes it takes us making the hard decisions in order that we might receive God's best for our lives. We will most certainly face trials, judgement, uncertainty, and persecution but the bumps in the road are worth the ETERNAL PRIZE!
Our world is falling apart. Not only are the people of the world broken and blind, but in today's society so many Christians have been blinded and brainwashed by what the world has to say and do not wish to forsake the pleasures of the flesh to feed the spirit!
A.W. Tozer profoundly states:
"A whole new generation of Christians has come up believing that it is possible to 'accept' Christ without forsaking the world."
God calls us to be "set apart" and to "forsake the world" but we have become a people who do the opposite. A people who are so selfish and focused on our own wants and desires that we disregard all that God wants for us in our lives. Where have the followers of God gone???
Are you one of the Christians who has decided that they can follow God without forsaking the world? If so stop right now and re-evaluate your life!!! You deserve more than what the world has to offer and God deserves more than what you are offering Him.
Take up your Alabaster Box and break it at His feet! Say NO to the world and the sinful desires of the flesh! Take your life of new found Reckless Abandonment and follow in the footsteps of Ruth, in her life of Faith and Surrender to the One True God!!!
Through Ruth's Faith in God and her abandonment to His will and His plan she was blessed beyond comprehension. If you have read the story of Ruth you know that she married Boaz. Through her obedience to God and her marriage to her kinsman redeemer Ruth was part of the family line of Jesus! How AMAZING is that!! Just goes to show how one big or small act of obedience to God and Reckless Abandonment to His will and plan for your life can pour upon you blessings unimaginable.
Through Ruth's Faith in God and her abandonment to His will and His plan she was blessed beyond comprehension. If you have read the story of Ruth you know that she married Boaz. Through her obedience to God and her marriage to her kinsman redeemer Ruth was part of the family line of Jesus! How AMAZING is that!! Just goes to show how one big or small act of obedience to God and Reckless Abandonment to His will and plan for your life can pour upon you blessings unimaginable.
This is your time !!!
Now is your Call to Action !!!
Let us not be young women who shrink under the pressures of society but young women that rise above the clouds of smoke on the battlefield and come out victorious in Christ!
This is your time to change the world.....
STAND UP
STANDOUT
BE DIFFERENT
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