Hi how are you all today? I am good. It is Sunday and this morning was church. Worship was good and the panel we had on how people pursue God differently was great to. I am very organised so reading the Bible needs to be an organised plan whereas praying is different. I can’t have a dedicated quiet time as that doesn’t work for me. Worshipping and talking to God throughout the day is better. How about you? How are you pursuing God?
This week I want to look at how our decisions affect our release from or our release into. When God created us, He gave us a free will which means we get to choose. God told the Israelites this in Deuteronomy 28. He told them you choose – life or death but whichever road you take will lead to consequences. The consequences of life is blessing and of death is curses. But the Israelites had to choose.
We can also choose to follow God when He releases us into something or disobey. We can also choose to be released from something or not. It is up to each of us.
For our story today, we are going to look at Ruth and Orpah in the book of Ruth chapter 1. Let’s look at Orpah first and then Ruth.
But a bit of background first. Naomi and her husband and two sons went to live in Moab as there was a famine in Israel. Whilst there her sons married Ruth and Orpah, Moabitess women. Then all the men died and Naomi heard that there was an abundance again in Israel. So we pick up their story here when Naomi was telling the women to go back home.
Naomi was in essence releasing them back into their culture and families that they had always known. All she could offer them was a new land, new culture and new language. Both Orpah and Ruth had a decision to make. Did they want to be released back into the culture they came from and be free to marry again. Alternatively, did they want to be released into a culture they had never known but where God was.
All of us have had this decision to make? Do we go back into the life we already knew or are we ready to make a decision to change and be released into our future? This is the salvation message. Backward is the Kingdom of darkness and forward is the Kingdom of God. Remember there are consequences to our decisions.
So what happened in our story? Orpah said she wanted to go forward but after pressure from Naomi, she turned and went back to what she knew. How did her story end? We don’t know as the Bible never mentions her again.
What did Ruth do? Naomi put the same pressure on her. But Ruth decided that she wanted to stay with Naomi and be released into her future. How did her story end? She married Boaz and was King Davids great grandmother. She is also in the linage of Jesus.
God wants us all to be released into our future and not look back at our past. He has great things ahead for us. The future only feels uncertain because we haven’t been there before. But that’s when faith and trust come in. We need to follow God , Who only moves forward and trust Him.
So which decision are you making? Are you going to be released back in your past or released into your future? The choice is up to each of us.
Have a great week and keep living the life God intended for you.
Bless you
Karen
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