Good day dear friends.
Yesterday we reached sermon number five in the series, "The Marks of a Disciple," which was a sermon on courage. We studied briefly probably the most obvious courage story, that of David and his battle with Goliath, but we also studied some very powerful verses in 1 Samuel 22:1-2, where we see after being anointed as King, David faces the hatred of King Saul as well as having to keep battling the enemies of Israel. At Adullam, he meets up with four hundred willing soldiers who are 1) stressed out, 2) in debt, and 3) discontented! We asked the question, which was the greater challenge? Facing a nine-foot giant or having to captain over an army made up of soldiers like you and me. We proposed that these three challenges can be the "giants" in our life and we talked about how God is our source of courage. We ended the sermon with the passage from Romans 8 that speaks of our being "more than conquerors."
Let's continue to study courage as we see the study guide for this morning:
Monday: For today read from the Old Testament book of Ruth 1:1-18. Here is a story of great courage and love. One of the characters, in fact, the namesake of the book, had to make a great decision for her life. She chooses what I believe very few of us would choose, and that is to do the unexpected. What would you have done?
1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. 3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
6 Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had considered his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back each of you to your mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband." Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. 10 They said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people." 11 But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, 13 would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me." 14 Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 So she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." 16 But Ruth said, "Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die, I will die— there will I be buried. May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!" 18 When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.
This is one of those Biblical stories where you just say wow. It is a very simple but powerful story. Famine drives a Jewish family out of Judah into Moab. This family is made up of the mother and father and two sons. They arrive in this land where the dad dies, the two sons take as wives two Moabite women. After ten years, the husbands die and the mother hears that God's favor is again upon Judah and starts to return. The two daughters-in-law follow her until she stops and has a very moving talk with them, urging them to return to their own homes and start life over. This is all Orpah needs to hear, though weeping, turns and goes back home. But it is Ruth who makes the famous declaration from verses 16 and 17: "Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die, I will die— there will I be buried."
This had to be one of those God-decisions; where it makes no sense right now, but later on, it becomes clear what God had in mind. This is obedience, but it is also a decision of courage. God had become real for Ruth and in trusting how she had seen God alive in Naomi, she had chosen to stay with her. Would you have chosen the same? What becomes of Ruth? Do we ever hear from her again?
In the very first book of the New Testament, in the very first chapter, fifth verse, we find her listed in the genealogy of Jesus. She is one of very few women mentioned in a Jewish lineage. She is a Moabite and she is greatgrandmother to King David, and later, to Jesus.
Does God have a plan and purpose for your life? Yes. Do you have the courage to answer and trust God? Great and wonderful things are in store for you as you listen for God's leading and trusting God, you can say, "here I am, I will follow."
From our sermon notes yesterday, here was our definition of courage: "Courage is that positive attitude of hope that allows one to face danger, fear, or challenges with confidence. Courage is facing scary things regardless of the outcome."
PRAYER: Lord, grant to me that which is from You, the courage to listen and trust You as I make my decisions for life. Let me not be afraid, but to walk humbly but boldly in Your presence. Lead me to faithfulness. I pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
