May 25

Ruth 2:12 (NIV)
12 May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

I LOVE this story! Naomi came back saying that God had dealt bitterly with her and she had NO faith and NO hope. Within weeks God had revealed a plan to restore her!

Ruth had decided correctly;

Ruth 1:16 (NIV)
16 But Ruth replied, “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.

Now Ruth was in God’s viewfinder and the picture that would last thousands of years would be taken. This foreigner would choose God and God would not only honor that, but would bring her more than she could have ever imagined. I suppose that one of the reasons she chose God was because of Naomi. There is a lesson in that. But rest assured, the Almighty was calling her and would use her to bring about a Kingly line and the lineage of the Messiah. Greatness awaited her!

Boaz pronounced quite a blessing on her and it turned out to be true! Imagine that! How powerful is the blessing of God! How powerful is the blessing of a godly man (or woman)! Ruth had taken refuge under God’s wings and she would be repaid hundreds fold! When it looks bad for you, when you are all but counted out, take refuge in His wings and watch God move on your behalf. He rewards those who seek Him – that is His nature! He loves to do it! It reveals His character and He loves His character revealed! He wants to use you to reveal Himself to those around you! He wants to use you as a magnet! May you be richly rewarded for giving up your life and following the Lord. May God’s blessing be on you today and may that blessing come quickly!