Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Servant

So I finished reading Ruth and let me tell you if you haven't read it you definitely should! It's a short and beautiful illustration of mercy, kindness, selflessness, and servitude. Let me just share with you a quote from Ruth that pretty much encompasses what selflessness is. Ruth says to Naomi (her mother-in-law who has recently lost her sons and husband) "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay." Knowing that Naomi didn't have anyone Ruth did not return to her family to be with them or be remarried, instead, she faithfully stayed with her-mother-in-law and not only took care of her but also went out in the fields every day diligently in order to make money and feed both of them. 

She did not morn, she did not complain, she did not question, instead she faithfully served and nurtured. She is not seeking anything she is just faithfully serving and out of nowhere comes Boaz (who in my mind is a wonderful wonderful Godly man). Boaz didn't have a clue who she was yet he offered her food and something to drink as well as protected her by telling his men "Even if she gathers among the sheaves, don't embarrass her. Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don't rebuke her." Eventually they go on to get married but I think it is such a beautiful picture of a couple of things.

1) The Lord provides when we least expect it. Ruth wasn't expecting to find a man who would treat her with shear and genuine kindness as well as protect her. But while she was doing her work, being a servant, and seeking the Lord, He provided. I say all of this trying to say that I'm not sure if  Ruth was even looking for a husband or wanted a husband but for any girl who is trying to find a boyfriend/finance/husband whatever, I think that it truly won't happen until you seek the Lord fully and serve Him as well as those around you with excellence. That is all Ruth did she was selfless, she genuinely wanted to serve and provide, and she wanted to find favor in the Lord. So, needless to say I think we should strive to be better servants because the Lord provides when you least expect it.
2) I think God is portrayed through Boaz.  The way that Boaz provides, pursues, protects, and admires Ruth, I think is how God treats us. He provides us with what we need and promises us that He will always provide (Mt 8:25-33), pursues us (basically read anywhere in the Bible and you'll see how we constantly turn away yet he is always there and always loves), protects us (Psalm 32:7), and we are his children so he loves us immensely and the fact that he created us and we are created in his image I'm sure he sits back and admires the work he has done.

My little thing I will leave you with is that I hope and pray we can all be better servants. I pray that we seek Him through everything and strive to only serve Him and others around us, rather than ourselves. The Lord does that  for us and he provides when we least expect it; So this week be a servant:)

With all my love- Cam

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