February 17, 2023
6:00 am
Thank you for your miracles.
2 Corinthians 4:16 – That is why we are not discouraged. Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are renewed day by day.
“Don’t give up on telling people what God is doing in your life, or even talking about your own journey through the dark and difficult times…even being honest about doubt.”
I just read this in a devotional and I really appreciate it. Why? Because as much as I love the “Hallelujah” stories where people saw the response of Yahweh immediately, supernaturally, it’s (almost) even more encouraging to hear the stories of when Yahweh seemed delayed. When nothing seemed to be going right. When they actually lost the house, but they still prayed through the tears.
These encourage me the most, because the story of my life has been more Ruth than Esther. Meaning Ruth went through a lot before she saw any of the “positives.” Esther didn’t have that experience. They are both amazing, miraculous, encouraging stories, but they are different from each other. Thank you Yahweh for the many ways you save. The ways that you work that seem monumentally heart-breaking in the season (however long that season lasts), but is the foundation for what you desire our lives to be.
Thank you for these hard seasons. Thank you for having plans for me. Help me to walk in your will. To reach others. To trust you in all things. To honour you in all things.
Yesterday a weird thing happened. I did not lie, but I did not speak the truth. A cousin called asking for someone. The name they asked for wasn’t even vaguely familiar. Wasn’t familiar to Dad either, but after a bunch of questions I sorta deduced who they were possibly looking for. I told them that I would call them back. I called the person who I thought it was. Turned out it was them and as I listened to what was going on, I literally thought, I don’t want to be involved in this. It’s not a bad situation, but uncomfortable. I did call back the person who called and said that the name isn’t known to me. Truthfully no one knows the name here.
What is disturbing though is…the person that called is someone who doesn’t really talk to me even though we are related. Which is also why I did not want to get involved. But for now? I’m going to read Ruth. Because her story is closer to my story and I need the encouragement.
Now as a side note, I have a problem with how Orpah is often portrayed as a shrill, loud-mouth hussy. And it bothers me. Just because she chose to go back doesn’t mean she was a bad person, but here’s the other thing that to me shows that she wasn’t a “bad” person. Naomi said,
Ruth 1:8 – …May the Lord be as kind to you as you were to me and our loved ones who have died.
This actually shows that she was kind. That she, Ruth and Naomi had a great relationship. Yes, she chose to go back home, but that was also the custom in a situation like this. It was unusual to stay with the mother-in-law and doing so even for a while says a lot.
