Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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The Accepting Christ
Ruth 4:1-10
Vs 10 "Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife.."
The book of Ruth opens with a statement that the events took place in the days when judges ruled the land. There was a famine in Bethlehem. So Elimelech decided to take his wife Naomi and two sons, Kilion and Mahlon into the country of Moab. Their two sons married while they were in Moab. Tragically, Naomi lost her husband and two sons. After living in Moab for ten years, Naomi decided to move back to Bethlehem. Her daughter-in-law Ruth, (a Moabite woman) decided to come with Naomi to Bethlehem. This was a very difficult decision for Ruth, but she wanted to follow Naomi and her God of Israel.
While in Judah, God worked out a plan for a man named Boaz to take Ruth as his wife. They had a custom in those days that a relative of a man who dies should marry that man’s widow in order to keep his lineage (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). According to God’s plan, it turned out that Boaz was a relative to Ruth’s husband who passed away; so he was qualified to marry her and keep his lineage. Even in the midst of tragedy, in Naomi and Ruth’s life, God still had a plan for them. As we read the story of Ruth, we can learn the following very important lessons from this story.
  1. GOD DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE
    Even though, Ruth was a Moabite woman, God loves all people just the same.
  1. EVERYONE IS IMPORTANT IN GOD’S EYES
    We are all one in God’s eyes. He cares about men and women all the same. Ruth was a poor widow and she was living in a foreign land away from her family. But God saw her as important and His plan for her life to be a part of the lineage of Jesus.
  1. AMAZING PLAN OF GOD
    God planned events such as famine, Naomi’s relocation to Moab, their return back to Bethlehem, Boaz’s bloodline and many other events to make Ruth be a part of His plan. God does the same things in our lives also today.
  1. GOD IS THE REDEEMER, WHO CAN RESCUE US FROM OUR SIN 
  2. We are all sinners. We are all like Naomi. She lost everything and returned to Judah. Our sinful nature make us empty and desperate. But Jesus is willing to redeem us. He wants to rescue us from our sin. All we have to do is to call on Him and ask for His forgiveness.
PRAYER
Almighty Lord, please help us to stay with our decisions and accept you as our Redeemer.
 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Our God is an amazing God and everyone is important in God’s eyes.

T. A. Mathew, Trinity Mar Thoma Church, Houston, Texas
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church
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