Tuesday, June 29, 2010

DIVINE APPOINTMENT IN TURNING, RETURNING AND FOLLOWING

TURNING AROUND: Have you ever been driving along merrily thinking all was well and that you were following the right road only to realize that you were lost? I think most of us can relate to that situation. How we handle it may be a little different in each case. For example, I am prone to immediately turn around and follow the exact path back until I recognize where I went wrong. My husband on the other hand seems to enjoy the adventure and will simply take another turn winding his way discovering new things along the way but somehow miraculously finding his way to the appointed place.

One of the things we discovered about Naomi was that she realized she was in the wrong place. Somewhere she and her family had taken a wrong turn in the will of God and she realizes that she must return or go back in order to enjoy the promised blessings of God.

This was not uncommon for the people of God in the Bible. In fact one of the reasons God sent his prophets was to turn the people back to him when they had turned away. The book of Hosea plus many of the other prophets are filled with pleadings to return to the LORD. "Come, and let us return unto the LORD; for He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us, He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day. (Hosea 6:1-2) Also, in Hosea 14:1, he pleads with them, "Return, O Israel to the LORD your God...take with you words and turn to the LORD". The LORD'S promise for their returning was that of revival and blessing. Naomi in Ruth chapter one has realized that her first step was to return to the LORD and to the land of His promises. Where are you today? Are you on the wrong road perhaps merrily driving along thinking all is well only to realize that somewhere, you have taken a wrong turn and you are lost? If that is the case with you, you have only one turn to make. That turn is toward the LORD. He will lead you to the place He wants you to be.

Having made the decision to return, Naomi finds a companion in Ruth who has also made a decision. Ruth's decision was not to return but to turn in the first place. She had never know the true God of Israel nor the blessings He had promised His people. Hers was a first step of turning toward God. But, in order to do that, she realized that she also had to turn from something. In First Thessalonians the Apostle Paul comments concerning the Thessalonians when he had preached to them the Gospel that they had turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." (I Thess. 1:9) Ruth must not only turn to God but she must turn from her gods, her idols.

When Naomi was instructing both Ruth and Orpah concerning their following her, she told them to return to their home and their family. Orpah did turn back and we are told that she turned back to her people and her gods. This was the true test for both of the daughters-in-law. To what God and to what people will they now turn.

Ruth's reply is astonishing and heroic for she said, "do not urge me to leave you or to turn back 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!" Her response to Naomi is a revelation of her true conversion. She now casts her lot in with the people of God and worships the true God of Israel. She turned from idols to serve the true and living God.

It was however, not enough for her to turn, she must also follow. In those verses from Hosea chapter six, after urging them to return, Hosea goes on to say in verse three, "then shall we know, if we FOLLOW on to know the LORD.." (KJV). The (NASB) translates it, "So, let us know, let us press on to know the LORD." This was the constant cry of the LORD Jesus after winning his disciples, "FOLLOW ME", "LEARN FROM ME". It is not enough to turn from idols, not enough to just turn to the true God, we must follow on to know the LORD. How is it with you? Even if you have realized that you must return to the LORD or perhaps you have realized that you must turn in the first place from your idols to serve the true and living God, have you also "followed on" to know Him? We cannot serve Him rightly if we do not know Him correctly.

Ruth followed on with Naomi to learn more of the true and living God, not expecting anything but suffering and sorrow. But, she was willing to take up that cross and follow on to know Him better. What would be her outcome? Would she experience the same thing that the LORD Jesus told his disciples when He said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for MY SAKE, and for the GOSPEL'S sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life". It will be exciting to see how the LORD repaid Ruth's decision to "lose all for His sake" and to follow on to know Him.

It seems we have three decisions to choose from, to return, to turn and to follow on to know HIM better. Turn to Him if you have never truly placed your faith in Him. This means you must turn from your own idols to serve Him. You may even have to leave the companionship of many whom you love, perhaps houses, lands or friends, only to receive a hundred fold now and eventually, eternal life".

Perhaps you need to return to Him after following a wrong path. As Hosea said, "take with you words, say to Him, "Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously...", (Hosea 14:2). His promise is that, "I will heal their apostasy, I will love them FREELY" (Hosea 14:4).

And, the third choice is to follow on to know the LORD. What are you doing today to know HIM better? There is only one way to know Him, that is through His revelation of Himself through His Word by His Holy Spirit. Are you looking there? Are you following Him in His Word and coming to know Him better? Turn, return and follow on to know HIM!!! For, "those who live in His shadow will again raise grain, and they will blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon. O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? It is I (the LORD) who answer and look after you. I am like a luxuriant cypress; From ME comes your FRUIT. " (Hosea 14:8). Will Naomi and Ruth once again be fruitful in the land? We will see as the weeks go by but for now, may you be fruitful in the knowledge of Him as you turn, return and follow Him today.

Your way, not mine, O Lord, however dark it be!
Lead me by your own hand, choose out the path for me;
Smooth let it be or rough, it will be still the best;
Winding or straight, it leads right onward to your rest.

Friday, June 18, 2010

DIVINE APPOINTMENT IN FAITH,LOVE AND REASON

FAITH & LOVE VS REASON: Have you ever done anything that seemed unreasonable? You tried to weigh all the options for a wise and logical decision but faith and love led in an opposite direction. Are faith and love logical? While God gives us wisdom to make the best decisions possible based upon the information before us, sometimes decisions are made that just don't make sense. On a recent radio program of Discover the Word, Haddon Robinson made the point concerning Ruth's decision to follow Naomi that she acted in an unreasonable or illogical way. The quote was given by Pascal that, "Love has reasons that reason cannot reason". Some have said that the quote is really stated, "Love has reasons that reason cannot understand". Either way, love and reason seem to sometimes be in conflict.

I remember when my daughter first met her husband and how she assessed every logical reason why she should not date him and then later why she should not marry him, but love won the day and all reason was left behind. Now after almost six years of marriage and two beautiful daughters, she confesses that marrying him was the best decision she ever made!

Scripture actually gives us examples of actions that appeared unreasonable or illogical. Mary breaking the alabaster jar of precious ointment worth a year's wages just to pour on the feet of Jesus (Matthew 26:7) to some seemed unreasonable. The woman who was a sinner coming to Jesus and letting her hair down to wipe his feet in front of others (Luke 7:44) seemed unreasonable. Fishermen leaving their livelihoods to follow an itinerant preacher (Matthew 4:20-22) seemed unreasonable. A widow giving all that she had to a collection plate (Mark 12:41-44) seemed unreasonable. What would make these people act in such an illogical or unreasonable way?



It appeared unreasonable for Ruth to follow Naomi after Naomi's instruction to her and her sister-in-law in Ruth 1: 8-15. Naomi instructed them both to return to their own home for she could neither care for them nor provide them with any more husbands. Following Naomi was uncertain, dangerous and meant, more than likely, a life of loneliness, suffering and poverty.


In the last post I noted that Naomi's decision to return was based upon her remembrance of home, and the goodness of her God in restoring to the land the bread that was needed in ending the famine. Naomi knew the true God of Israel and she knew the blessings that He had promised His people in the land He had given them. In spite of Naomi's failures and probable disobedience in leaving the land, she was willing to make the long journey back and return to her God and the place of blessing.


Ruth however, was not from Bethlehem and her decision to follow Naomi would truly seem unreasonable. After watching her sister-in-law, Orpah make the decision to turn back based upon what seemed like good reasons from Naomi, what would Ruth do? Orpah's decision was based upon logic and reason and it made good sense based upon the information she was given. But, Ruth decided differently. When we look at Ruth's decision to follow Naomi we have to conclude that her decision was based upon two things, faith and love; faith in the true God of Israel and love to Naomi, her mother-in-law. These are of course two great principles of Christianity, faith in God and love to all His children.

We don't know from the human standpoint what it was that led Ruth to make a different decision. Was it the kindness of her husband and his witness in the short time they had been married? Was it the faith, love and kindness of Naomi to her and Orpah? Did Ruth see something in this family and in Naomi herself that made her want to discover the true God of Israel? We are not told the specifics but we can conclude from Scripture itself that God was working in her heart to bring her to faith in Him and to love for His people. To leave one's homeland, one's god and family was no easy thing and it was especially hard for a young widow with no promise of a future in the land she had chosen to go. But, there was something about this "goodness of God" that Naomi witnessed to that drew Ruth to Him and to His people. She was brought to faith and love by the grace of God.

What would be the outcome of her belief in the true God of Israel and love to God's people? We will see in the next few posts how God "repaid her kindness" and if she did truly enter into the blessings of Abraham. But for now, how about you? Have you come to believe in the God of Naomi, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? Have you heard Jesus' call that he gave to his disciples when he said, "Come, follow me"? Are you trying to reason why you should not follow him? Are you being called to a ministry that from the human standpoint, just makes no sense logically? Is faith and love leading you opposite of sense and reason? We do need to be careful here that we are not reasoning as far as sin is concerned. Genuine faith never leads to sin but away from it. Are you being led to follow Jesus and are you willing to allow it to cost you everything? Ruth was willing to make that seemingly blind choice to get to know the true God of Israel and His goodness to his people, for after all, "love has reasons that reason cannot understand". Do you love the Lord Jesus with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and all your strength? If so, then follow him where ever he leads even if it seems unreasonable!

"He always wins who sides with God-to him no chance is lost;
God's will is sweetest to him, when it triumphs at his cost.
Ill that He blesses is our good, and unblest good our ill;
And all is right that seems most wrong, if it be His sweet will."
F.W. Faber


Sunday, June 6, 2010

HOMESICK, HOMECOMING AND DIVINE APPOINTMENT

HOMESICK & HOMECOMING: Have you ever been really homesick? I can remember several times especially in my youth longing for my home after being away for only a few days. It is a feeling that can literally make you sick.

We can't help but wonder if Naomi had this feeling during the long years she spent in Moab. Her homesickness must have been magnified after the deaths of her husband and sons. True, she had her daughters-in-law, but how much did they really share in her beliefs and manner of life? And, would they continue to remain faithful to her now that she tells them that she has nothing to offer them but poverty and disappointment? (Ruth 1:11-13)

The longing for home begins with the memory. It was so with the prodigal in Luke chapter 15. When he remembered the goodness of his father and had come to the end of himself, he longed to return and then decided to do so. We can't help but wonder what memories must have stirred in Naomi for her to begin the process of deciding to return to Bethlehem. Perhaps in the previous years while in Moab, the care of her home, husband and children had masked the memory of her homeland, God, and family. But now she had heard that God had visited his people and had ended their famine, giving them bread in Bethlehem, the house of bread. We might say that she had been reminded of the goodness of her Heavenly Father.

When Jesus sent messages to the seven churches of Asia in the book of Revelation, he specifically tells the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-5, that they had left their first love and told them to remember, repent, and return and then do the first works. I can't help but think that this is somewhat the process that Naomi went through. We don't know if Naomi was complicit with her husband in leaving Bethlehem or was obedient to him in following him, but now finding herself alone and in need, she remembers her homeland and she hears of the goodness of her God in giving them Bread and she longs for home.

Longing for home, however, and deciding to make the long journey back alone are two different things. Perhaps her mind was filled with the wonder of what kind of reception she would receive from her family and friends. Perhaps she was embarrassed that she and her family had left to find food and comfort in another land while her family and friends had remained to bear the toil and trial of the famine that hit that country. Perhaps she was afraid of the ridicule they would give her now that she is older and lost so much in the land in which she had formerly gone to escape. But, these thoughts must give way to the one great thought that, "God had visited his people and given them bread". Naomi could make the decision to return home based upon one thing, the GOODNESS of her God in restoring to the land the blessings he had formerly removed.


How about you today? What memories need to be stirred in you and what decisions need to be be made in your life? Have you left your first love? Have you tried to escape the trials and testings of God by choosing a place of your own to live, to serve, or to work? Have you been unfaithful to a spouse, have you neglected a child or friend? Have you forgotten the goodness of God and the truth that He longs to bless His people. The blessings of God only come in the place of God's choosing and it was Bethlehem that God had chosen to be the House of Bread, not Moab and when God restored His blessing, he restored it in the place of His choice.

Do you need to make a decision to return to God and to the place of His blessing in your life? Does your decision to return involve the thoughts that others will ridicule, neglect and shun you? Are you looking at your own abilities thinking they have dwindled over the long years that you have been away from your Heavenly Father? You will never return to the House of Bread and the place of God's promised blessing looking at others or looking at yourself including your lost abilities, failures and lost time. You will only make that decision as you remember the Goodness of your Heavenly Father. Remember the food He has and to spare. Even His servants are fed with the best of His food. How much more does He long to have his children return and receive His BREAD and his BLESSINGS. Like the prodigal's father, God waits, longing and looking for the return of the one who has left.

Returning to God starts with remembering the Goodness of God but it does not end there. The actual decision must be made to return. Naomi has made that decision in her own life, not knowing what awaits her and for now assuming that journey will be made alone. But, once the decision has been made to return to the place of God's choice she will discover that the goodness of God was not limited to her in the land of Bethlehem but that He has a "Severe Mercy", as C.S. Lewis stated it, awaiting her. She will be "Surprised by Grace." Amidst the sorrow of the death of her whole family and the loss of all things, God is working in the heart of her daughters-in-law and will also bring them to a decision. What decision will they make? And, upon what will it be made. We will discuss those questions in the next posts but for this one, the application is obvious.

Are we homesick for God, for His blessings, for His people, for the things of God in general. Are we in a "far country", a place of our own choosing instead of God's. Have we left the place of the blessings of our Heavenly Father and do we need to make the decision to return. We will not make it looking at others and fearing what they will say or do. Nor will we make it looking at ourselves and how much we have lost in the years that we have wandered from God. We will only make that decision by remembering the Goodness of our Heavenly Father. Remember Him today and His goodness to you in the past. And look at His goodness to you in the present in bringing you up to this moment in life and to this moment of decision. If you cannot remember His goodness on your own, look in his Word and see His goodness portrayed on every page of Holy Scripture and know that He longs to show that same goodness to you personally. And, as you look at Him and look to His Word, it is my prayer that your feeling of being homesick will be turned into a decision of homecoming.

Softly and Tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me:
See on the portals He's waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.

Come HOME, Come HOME;
You who are weary, come HOME;
Earnestly, Tenderly, Jesus is Calling
Calling, Oh Sinner Come HOME!!