May 5

Judges 21:1-25, Ruth 1:1-22. John 4:4-42, Psalms 105:1-5, Proverbs 15:25

Pray: Today, Father, I want to celebrate You… because without You, there is no good that could or would come out of my life. It is because of You, Your life, Your death, and Your resurrection that I am able to be a son/daughter of the most high God! Thank You for a love that goes beyond what I could possibly comprehend and grace that covers my every sin. Thank You Father for being a loving and kind God when necessary and a God of justice when the time calls for it. To You be all of the glory! Amen.

Read: As we enter the book of Ruth, we see an amazing example of loyalty play out as Ruth makes the decision to stay with her mother-in-law after the death of her husband in spite of being able to legally return to her father’s home. Powerful words come in verse 16 when Ruth tells Naomi, “I will go wherever you go and I will live wherever you live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” In John 4 we meet Jesus talking to the woman at the well and offering her living water; water that will quench her thirst, water that is full of life. This is followed by her becoming the first female evangelist in Scripture as she goes and tells “everyone” about this man who knew everything that she had ever done. 

Edify: The demonstration of loyalty from Ruth is inspiring. In the midst of her grief, with an opportunity to return to the comfort of her home and her family, Ruth decides to stay and be with her mother-in-law who is also without a husband. This bond between the women is powerful and meaningful. It would have been easy for Ruth to run away and bury herself in her own self-pity but instead she saw that this woman before her had not only lost her husband but has now lost her son and they share in that loss. There was almost nothing worse than being a widow in the ancient world, so now that they were both widows, they knew that they were going to have to be strong together. But, even in these desperate times, Naomi was selfless and encouraged her daughter-in-law to go and start her life over. Rather, as Naomi discovered, when you act selflessly, others are encouraged to act selflessly too.

Practice: Today, I want to challenge you to read Psalm 105:1-5 and allow it to be the essence of who you are today. May you give thanks and proclaim the greatness of the Lord. These five verses, if lived out each day, could transform the most dark of souls and bring life to the dead. Something incredible happens when we give praise to someone beyond ourselves… we feel invigorated. Have you ever offered a compliment to someone out of the blue and seen their face light up in surprise and thanks? You make them feel good about themselves, which makes you feel good about yourself. The same thing happens when we give praises to God. God is pleased with our praise and as a result our bodies react in such a way that we feel a new life spring forth from within us… giving us new energy and drive to accomplish things. Make this your mission today!