It's quite hard for someone
of my generation and who has been a believer for so long to single out just
a few favourite verses from the Bible when there are so many wonderful ones
from which to choose. In fact it all depends on the situation in which I find
myself and how much encouragement and uplift I need at that time. Here, however,
are two verses which have been a great support to me throughout the years from
Ruth 1 : 16-17.
"Intreat
me not to leave thee or to return from following after thee; for whither thou
goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be
my people, and thy God my God. Where thou diest, will I die and there will I
be buried; the Lord do so to me and more also if aught but death part thee and
me."
( I have chosen the Authorised version of these verses because I first learned
and memorised them from this edition of the Bible.)
"Don't
urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where
you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where
you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be
it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."
(NIV version)
These simple verses from Ruth, written so long ago, still have important lessons for me today. The first one is of loyalty - Ruth's loyalty to Naomi is unquestionable and as a Christian so should mine be to my Bible, prayer, Christian witness, my promises, my friends - the list is endless - ' so that my light would shine out.' ( Matt. 5:14)
Another lesson is that Ruth's care for Naomi's wellbeing is lasting, nothing transient about it, and this should remind me of the promise that my greatest Friend made in Matthew 28:20 ' and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'
Trust is yet another lesson for me. Naomi learned to place her trust in Ruth's support as she proved to be that special person in her life. There is a special person in my life too but do I always put my trust in Him? He has never let me down but He must have lost count of the many times I have disappointed Him. I need to learn and obey ' not my will but yours be done.' ( Luke 22:42)
The final lesson I shall mention, though there are lots more, is one of hope. Just when Naomi must have felt her life was in ruins with the deaths of her husband and her sons she finds hope for the future when she discovered that her daughter in law was willing to sacrifice her life with her own family and her homeland to care for her! Surely this was above and beyond the call of duty!
There is no doubt in my
mind that when Ruth finally took her place with our heavenly Father, He welcomed
her with outstretched arms and with these well known words:
'Well done good and faithful servant.' ( Matthew 25:21).
How many of us are sure of a similar welcome from Him? I'm not at all confident. Are you?
Comment by Chrissie Miller.