Christian Living

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Making The Adjustment
Rather Good or Bad

Ruth 1:12-22
Psalms 42

The book of Ruth describes the provincial guidance of God in the life and adventures of an Israelites family. Naomi's husband and her two sons died in a foreign country. This placed Naomi and her two daughters in laws in a difficult position. They were in a foreign country and found themselves alone. What do we do? They were endangered with no head over them, or any interaction in the land. Again they asked, what are we going to do? Man's extremity is God's opportunity always.

Here you have Naomi who is an Israelite, Ruth a Moabite, and Oprah a Moabite.

Naomi was Oprah and Ruth's mother in law. They had all lost their husbands and were in a painful position of grief.

They were faced with making a decision. Naomi had come to Moab with her husband, Elimelech, and two sons. Their two sons names were Mahlon and Chilion. Elimelech their father died and the two sons were left to care for the family. They took wives of Moab and dwelled with them ten years before they too, also died.

In verse 6, Naomi arose with her daughters in laws that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread. She would return to Judah with her daughters in laws. She told them that they could both return to their mother's house, the Lord deal kindly with you.

Here is where a decision had to made. What position would they take? Where will their passion lie? Will their desire be to continue with Naomi or go back to their own mother? They had dwelled with Naomi and their husbands for ten years and their dream had been to abide there. Will they go, or will they stay? What is your position today? Will you stay in position or will you move out?

Position yourself. Now Naomi represented the way of the Lord. She represented God. These two women had a choice to make. Do I go back to what I was or do I stay with God? They had been introduced to God through marriage for the last ten years. It would be determined here where their passion lie, what their dreams and desires are. One would represent God and the other, the world. Will their passion (suffering, emotion, state or capacity of being acted upon by external agents or forces. Love, (a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity), emotion (the emotion as distinguished from reason, intense driving, or over mastering feeling or conviction), objects (desire or deep interest, an outbreak of anger or ardent affection).

Ruth had a passion for Naomi, her husband and God. Oprah had a passion for the world.
What is your position, will you be set, will you go or what? The question is being asked because when you make the decision to follow after Christ, there are sacrifices to be made, there are decisions to be made and there are commitments to honor.

When a runner gets ready to run a race, his first thing he knows what he has to do is get in position. Position is an act of placing or arranging in a proper order; point of view adopted and held, a commitment, relative place, situation or standing. He will stand, set, and then go.

Ruth and Oprah were positioned in this family through marriage. Some of us are married to Jesus through someone else other than ourselves, so we don't position our stand in Christ, and as soon as the opportunity come, just as Oprah did, we are gone on. Although she was placed in the position of holiness she never had a passion for it. It was never her desire to love anything other than her husband who just so happens to take a strong stand for what he believed in. She was in it to get all she could get, she loved just because, not in spite of. Now just as the spirit of the Lord don't move in the same way all the time in your life, you learn to suffer long, but do you have a passion for it, what are you willing to suffer for. Christ suffered from the time of the Last Supper and his death. What is your position?

Every Christians’ position should be as Ruth's was. She decided that she would stay on with her mother in law. Naomi did not have any more sons for her to husband, but she had something more that Ruth needed. Ruth realized that God had become her reason for living; her position, her passion, her desire, (to long or hope for, wish for, want, crave, covet, to have a longing, strong intensity for), and her dreams (thoughts, images or emotions). No matter how much Naomi tried to get her to turn away from her, and go back to her mother, she stood her position. Now Oprah on the other hand represents the way of the world. She wanted a man and what he could offer her.

Oprah kissed her mother in law goodbye but Ruth clave to her and Naomi said; thy sister in law is gone back to her people and her gods, return thou also after thy sister in law? Ruth said entreat me not to leave thee, for whither thou go, I will go and where thou lodge, I will lodge, thy people shall be my people and thy God, my God.

Ruth had come to know the goodness of mercy and grace. And what she had come to know, she fell in love with. She didn't want to abort her purpose, but build upon it. She wanted to hold fast to her dreams, she took the position of pain she found herself in and decided to endure it as a good soldier.

As Psalm 42:1 says as the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after God. Now the hart (the male of the red deer over five years old) was not just a rookie deer but also one of age, seasoned. He had been taught how to pant, breathe, and desire to fulfill his thirst. The older the deer got, the more water intake was needed. He had heat for that water. That water was like the air we breathe to him. He learned how to seek after diligently what it was he needed for survival. This analogy of the air we breathe should carry the weight with us as Christians as well, for our soul survival. With age should come more passion for the Word of God in our life as we mature in it? Ruth had been exposed, she fell in love with God, and She wanted more of God at whatever cost, thirsting for God the living God she stayed with God. She stayed in position, having a throbbing for more of God. Her dreams, her imagination, her whole appearance or being was to move with God. God was her very breath. She longed eagerly for God. She was in the gospel and wanted it desperately. She was desperate for her new found love with Christ. For God, she would live and for God she would die.

Ruth's position in God, her desire for him, her passion, and her dreams brought her to the blessings of God. She was a widower but she wasn't lazy. They came back to Bethlehem in the beginning of the barley season. Ruth desired to work, not wait on a handout. She went and gleaned corn. Here she would find her dream come true. As she worked, Boaz, Naomi's husband kinsman, a mighty man of wealth, saw Ruth and inquired of his reapers who Ruth was. Ruth was in position, working, not being lazy. She was promoted. Ruth 2:8, she did as she was commanded and stayed close to the maidens. Her honor was protected. He commanded the young men that they were not to touch Ruth. Not only was she promoted, but; she was favored, humble and submissive.

Now what made Boaz pay attention to Ruth? She was positioned, loved God, his people, teachable, learnable, and open to change. Your passion, desire, and you dreams will determine how well you will work in your position. Your heart has got to be in it.

Boaz commanded the young men not to touch her, molest her. Boaz had marked her as his bride, just as God marks us to be his bride. He don't want us touching tasting, feeling, seeing or hearing any thing that is not in his will. It takes us out of position, causes us to lose our desire for him, keeps God's best from us, and shatters our dreams. He then gave her instructions to follow. And when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels and drink of that which the young men had drawn. For the best results in an awkward position, follow instructions.

Then you must have a posture of humility. Ruth fell on the ground and bowed herself before him and asked him why had she found grace in his eyes. When God gives you favor, you automatically have the favor (kind regard, support) of man. Luke 2:52, Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. Proverbs 33:4, let not mercy and truth forsake thee, bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart. So shall thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man?

Ruth's passion, her desire, her dreams determined how well she used her position. Boaz saw her joy, commitment and her heart sold out to God.

The Devil came to mar her flesh. He lined things up in order that if she was not spiritual enough to see that it usually always come in threes, she would have turned away just like Oprah did. She was set up for a miracle because she stayed in position. He wanted her to miss her miracle. Set up to be blessed up is what she was. She knew how to be quiet. She was in control of the pink tornado inside of her mouth. The tongue cuts up more than just words. It cuts down all that tries to grow up in you. It mars you, makes you look stupid at on use. It will make you say things before you realize you have said something. We must learn that the commandments are broken with this little piece of fire called the tongue.

Now Ruth, when she spoke to Boaz, she showed reverence and respect. She noted him for who he was, his position and respect for his office. When Boaz replied to her question he profoundly recognized that her heart was panting after the God of her mother in law. He had observed her and noted her commitment to service, her willingness to give up all to follow Christ. She followed the orders of her mother in law how to entreat him as her next of kin. For in that time a widow could marry a brother or next of kin in her husband family. Boaz found her asleep at his feet and told her that there were someone before him in line for her hand, but he would talk to him. He did talk to him and he brought his rights for Ruth from him. They were married and bore the lineage of Jesus. Be encouraged today to take the pain of your position and run with the banner of Jesus Christ to receive your crown in glory.

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