Annie
Scripture: The Book of Ruth Jeremiah 29:11-14 James 4:8 Psalm 27
And you will seek Me and you will find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
I love the story of Ruth in the Old Testament, it is such a beautiful relating of how God has placed within us the ability to love the partner He chooses for us, no matter their history or lineage. Ruth was a Moabitess, not one of God’s chosen race, yet God adopted her into His family, just as He adopts all who choose to follow Him. When faced with the decision of remaining with her own nation, or placing her assurance in the God of the mother in law she so clearly loved and respected, she chose the God of Israel. When Boaz was faced with the decision to follow his heart and take Ruth as his wife, despite her race and history, he followed the prompting of his heart. He placed his trust in God that this was the woman who was to be his partner and love for the rest of his life. Wonderfully and gloriously, from this blessed union came the line of King David, and the Messiah who saved the whole world.
There is a constant thread running through the story of Ruth, all that both Ruth and Boaz did involved trust and obedience, and a strong desire to fulfil God’s will in all their ways. From this trust, the commitment to obey whatever the outcome, came the assurance that God had everything planned both for His Glory and for their good. Ruth had been married for 10 years to Mahlon, but no child was born to them, yet when Boaz took her for his wife, she bore a son, Obed. God’s amazing plan was being intricately and meticulously carried out His way.
God’s promises to all His children are sure and steadfast, yet so often come with admonitions that we tend to brush over in order to get to the wonder of the promise. Without taking note of these important words, we can tend to miss the impact of what the promises entail and how God wants us to understand His hand in our lives. In Jeremiah 29, we find the wonderful promise that it is always God’s desire that we know that His plan for us is to give us hope and a future, so we usually go straight to verse 11. This word that God gave Jeremiah was to those in captivity, those who had already rejected the yoke of wood and were now suffering under the yoke of iron because they had believed the false prophets. Before Jeremiah gives them the wonderful promise, he relayed God’s warning to them not to listen again to the false prophets, making it clear that they were not speaking God’s words. The plans that God had for them may not have seemed like a bed of roses, but, ultimately, they were to do them good. Then, in verse 13, there is the other amazing promise that when they seek God with their whole heart, they will certainly find Him.
These promises made to the children of God so many centuries ago, still apply to God’s children today, those adopted into the family of God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. When we fix our eyes upon Jesus, when we seek God with our whole heart, we will find Him, for this is His delight, His exuberant joy, to be found by us. But, the admonition still applies as much as the promise. Following after false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing, is a dangerous path to go down. Jesus warned us, the Old Testament tells us, the writers of the New Testament reiterate these warnings, life is so often not an easy path. We will walk through valleys of weeping, but they are not our home. Dig a well, be refreshed by the springs of living water and go through the valleys, with our Lord leading us by His gentle hand. Listen to His voice whispering in your ear and seek Him with every atom of your being. He is faithful and true, He will answer, He will guide, He will show you the path of life and you will find joy in His presence for evermore.
Prayer: Abba Father, may we always seek Your face, working to be in Your presence, trusting You completely that our assurance in You will never be scorned or rejected, when we seek You and You alone. Amen.
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