THE IMPACT OF FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD

THE IMPACT OF FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. —Ruth 1;16-18

“The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” —Ruth 2:12

Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the LORD will give you by this young woman.” —Ruth 4:11-13

And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David. —Ruth 4:17-22

            Oh, there is such pain in our world.  A husband dies, then the only sons die leaving 3 widows to fend for themselves.  When Naomi encouraged her daughters-in-law to return to their parents’ homes, Ruth refused to do so.  She was committed to her mother-in-law and Ruth would go where she went, Ruth would stay where Naomi stayed, Ruth would have Naomi’s people as her people, Ruth would have Naomi’s God as her God, where Naomi died, Ruth would die and where Naomi was buried, Ruth would be buried.  Yes, Ruth was committed to walk through life with Naomi having no idea what the future held.  But she knew that Naomi’s God held the future.

            How wonderful to have someone, or many, walking with you that are committed to God and you.  Boaz had heard about Ruth and desired her to be blessed by the Lord “under whose wings (she had) come to take refuge!”  Committed people to the Lord and His people are a blessing and bring blessing.  Oh, that we would be that type of committed person to our Lord and to His people that we would be blessed and be a blessing.

            Turned out that Boaz was a kinsman redeemer who would marry Ruth and the child born to them, Obed, would be the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.  The impact of a faithful follower of our Lord God Almighty has a far reaching impact.  Only our Lord knows who will be impacted through our faithfulness in the generations to come.  So let us be faithful now and trust Him to work through us to have far reaching impact.  Yes, Dear Father, may this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus.  So may it be!  All for Your honor and glory! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Sx_U0Ztr8