Thursday, April 7, 2011

Under whose Wings?


I picked up God's Word knowing that I would receive a special message today! I did! The story of Ruth with all of it's wisdom from a young girl that left all she knew to travel to a land that was so foreign to her, but she had hope!

I want you to think this morning about answering your phone and the most terrible news is on the other end. You have lost all your family and all that is left is your mother-in-law and sister-in-law no blood relatives, nothing familiar only your in-laws. You ponder awhile and decide that you are going with them to a foreign land that you know nothing about only what they have shared from stories. It would be like your packing up and moving to Russia or Africa. Very different language, food, people, and religion. You don't understand any of it.

In your heart you know that you want to be with your mother-in-law even though she tries to tell you stay. I loved Ruth's reply to her Naomi, "your people will be my people and your God will be my God." Wow, a God she had only heard about she was going to accept and claim. She knew Naomi's God was a real God, not some idol on a shelf, but real! ONLY from stories, she felt it in her heart...

A relative of Naomi's husband had a field of grain and Ruth decided to work behind the harvesters and gather what she could for them. One day Boaz greeter the workers and he was so friendly to his workers. He cared about them. He noticed them. He noticed Ruth. He went to her and gave her instructions about staying in his field and he warned the people to stay away from her.

Ruth didn't understand how she was deserving of such kindness, but she was thankful. He replied that he had heard about her leaving all that she knew to live among complete strangers and gave her the most beautiful blessing at this point...Ruth 2:12
May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done."style="font-style:italic;">

Imagine, this young foreign girl trusting so very much in the God of Israel! She had flown into this foreign land for protection, hope, and chacah (original word in Hebrew for refuge,safety). It was the image of birds realizing that a bird of prey was after them and they would fly to their mothers and find safety under her wings. Ruth flew to be under the Wings of Our Savior!

Are we telling God's stories about His amazing grace and power, so that others will run to His Wings? Share His stories today and be reminded that indeed He is Our Refuge!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

1 comment:

Frankie said...

In this story today, I thought about the long walk back to Judah that Naomi and Ruth would have. Seems as though that would have been very dangerous for two women alone. I am sure they must have been in a desperate situation but they also showed such bravery to set out by themselves.