Brown's Daily Word 10/22/15

The Lord blessed us with a wonderful Wednesday evening gathering that was held in the church.  The church served a special meal with joy and, best of all, with a smile.  So many came ranging from the babies in their mothers' arms, to senior saints in the 80's.  Some came with their families.  Some came with their friends.  They shared the meal and lingered around the table to swap stories and to listen.  I had opportunity to listen to some people tell their stories how the Lord has been at work in their lives in joys, in sorrows, in trials, and in triumphs.  Many were telling  stories full of holy humor.  Praise the Lord for the church.  The church building is a welcoming place for neighbors and friends, where everybody is somebody and Jesus is Lord,

    Praise the Lord, for the Lord has filled the Bible with so many wonderful stories of redemption, love, faithfulness, and kindness.  The Bible is full of so many inspiring and transforming short stories that depict and demonstrate the character and nature of our God, which can be transmitted to His people who are called by His name and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.  These stories of the people of God and their redemption story have been told throughout history.  They have been told by parents, grandparents, teachers, preachers, evangelists, and missionaries through  the ages.  I love the Book of Ruth.  It is the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz.  It is a romance.  It is a love story.  It is a story of deep love  between people.  This story is woven together in a seamless, beautiful whole.  It is one of the most beautiful short stories in the whole of the Old Testament.  It is a love story between an older woman and a younger woman, more specifically  between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law.  It is also a love story between an older man by the name of Boaz and a young widow by the name of Ruth.  Above all, it is a love story between God and his people who are going through all these disasters. 

    Many disasters happen in the book of Ruth, and as these disasters happen the question is not, “What is the meaning of suffering?" or, "What is the meaning of all this suffering which is happening to so many people?”  That is what the book of Job is about.  That is NOT the question here.  Rather, the question here is, “What is the meaning of love and loyalty in the midst of all the disasters of life?”

    Today, we don't have to stretch our memories very far to think of disasters.  We hear of not just one disaster, but three or four or five disasters happening in a row. it is one of those situations in which there is disaster after disaster, all in the same year.  So it is in the book of Ruth.  Then comes the best part of the story.  “So Boaz took Ruth home as his wife.  And the Lord blessed them.  Ruth became pregnant and had a son.  And the women said to Naomi, 'Praise the Lord.  The Lord has given you a grandson today to take care of you.  May the boy become famous in Israel.  Your daughter-in-law loves you and has done more for you than seven sons.  And now she has given you a grandson who will bring new life to you and give you security in your old age.'  Naomi took the child, held him close and took care of him.  And the women of the neighborhood named the boy, Obed, and they told everyone a son has been born to Naomi.  Now Obed became the father of Jesse and Jesse became the father of (King) David", and in the New Testament, King David was in the family tree of Jesus our Lord and Savior. 

    The  story of Ruth is a great story.  The greatest line in the story is this, I beg you not to leave me.  For where you will go, I will go.  Where you will live, I will live.  Your people will be my people.  Your God will be my God.  Where you will be buried, I will be buried.”  This encapsulates the faithfulness and grace of our Lord .

 His Faithfulness never ends.

  In Him,

  Brown

https://youtu.be/FBJJJkiRukY