This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book of Ruth (Ru 1:1-22; 4:13-17)

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. But because God is Love, as His children, we learn how to love God and people. The description of love appears in 1 Corinthians 13. These are the basic attributes of agape love: It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. It is the Spirit filled lives of the Christians, their love for God and for one another that is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was like that in the early church, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend [who corrects out of love and concern], But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful [because they serve his hidden agenda]” (PV 27:6; AMP). There is something called ‘tough love’. Love is not always sweet words. Trust a friend to correct you in love! Do not trust a man (woman) who always flatters you, even when you make mistakes. Speak the truth in love even if it hurts.

Love never fails (1 Cor 13:8). Failure is defined as lack of success or inability to meet an expectation. Failure is setting a goal and not achieving it. Something stopped working or is not working as it should (ex. Heart failure, kidney failure…). In other words, Agape Love is a champion. It is always successful, never disappointed, it perseveres and never stops working until it achieves its desires. Glory to God!

LONELINESS

“A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads the prisoners into prosperity, Only the stubborn and rebellious dwell in a parched land” (Ps 68:5, 6; AMP). “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother… The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin, But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother” (PV 18:24; NKJ; AMP). “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity” (PV 17:17).

Loneliness is an unpleasant emotion, unhappiness felt by someone because he (she) does not have any friends or does not have anyone to talk to. It is described as a social pain, an intense feeling of isolation, because of lack of close connection with people. There is a difference between being alone and feeling lonely. A man can feel lonely even in the midst of a crowd. Even people who are happily married or have successful careers can feel lonely sometimes. The causes of loneliness are varied: genetic, the loss of a spouse or close friend, spending too much time on the internet, or building a selfish mindset. All people experience loneliness in this life. It can be for a short or a longer time. Transient loneliness can be good. It helps you to appreciate and improve your relationships with friends. Chronic loneliness has negative effects: depression, obesity, drug abuse, High blood pressure, and suicidal thoughts. Medical treatment for loneliness includes taking antidepressants. Social therapy includes putting more effort to connect with people in your community or attending a place of worship. Some use pets to combat loneliness.

Some groups of people experience loneliness more than others. The poor, the unemployed, foreign students, or the immigrants feel more lonely. Western culture places too much importance on the individual, and too little on the community. That is why immigrants from Asia, Africa, feel lonely in the western countries, especially if their families are not with them.

Loneliness is like a virus, like a demon. It spreads through social groups like a epidemic. For example, if a man loses his friend, for whatever reason, because of emotional pain he shuts his heart from others. He becomes afraid of more pain. He becomes suspicious on others. He will withdraw emotionally from his remaining friends. His friends will also withdraw from their own friends. It is ‘a ripple effect’. This is how the group breaks down and loneliness increases. The COVID lockdown has destroyed many relationships and increased loneliness. Studies in the US see loneliness as an emotional plague. Studies proved that attending a place of worship reduces the risk of loneliness, especially for the elderly.

Social anxiety is timidity, a form of fear that manifests when interacting with others. Those having this anxiety tend to avoid people, talk less when in public, talk even less when among strangers, lower their eyes when talking, and they feel shy. Generally, Anxiety is the most common mental disorder in the US. It manifests as trembling, panic attacks, stammering, palpitations, dizziness, or nausea. Some people take drugs or alcohol to fight this social anxiety. That may lead to alcoholism and drug addiction. Social anxiety starts during the teenage years and may last for a lifetime. It affects people. It leads to loneliness. Social anxiety is the main reason why people find it hard to marry or have close friends. These people are oversensitive to the negative signals they see in others. For example, they feel that others look fake, or dangerous. That is why they avoid them. To avoid possible rejection, they tend to focus on themselves and their little circle around them where they feel safe. They do not take the risk of having more friends. Loneliness is seen as a positive thing, an acceptable price to pay to stay happy in this difficult world.

For Christians, prayer, and attending church regularly (that includes the weekly activities) is the best way to defeat the demon of loneliness. Also, pray! Make a greater effort to become friendly to others. Like attracts like. Making friends among the brethren in the local church is risky work. But it has a great reward. So many people tell me that they tried to make friends with the pastors or with other brethren, but they have been disappointed. The greatest fear is rejection. In my experience, you have to accept the risk of rejection, the possibility of betrayal and pain, and still move on to make friends. Rejection leads to defeat, isolation, and bitterness. God’s Word says: “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” (Rom 12:21). “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]” (2Tim 1:7;AMP).

What is the solution? Be like Jesus! Jesus welcomed all people. He talked to them. He prayed for them. He helped them. He balanced His social life with a necessary solitude. He often went on His own to pray to God the Father. This balance of spirituality and community life is true health. Jesus was proactive in selecting His disciples (His friends). He was the One who called them. They had a holy and healthy fellowship. For example, when they were all hungry, though Jesus could have done a miracle to provide bread for them, He did not. The disciples went to buy food. During this time, Jesus rested at the well of Jacob. He had a wonderful conversation with a Samaritan woman (John 4). Martha. Mary and Lazarus were true friends to Jesus. Before the Cross, Jesus told His disciples: “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (Jn 15:15). Jesus is the ‘Friend who sticks closer than a brother’. Pray that He may send His friends to you! They will become your friends too!!!

IMPOSTOR SYNDROME

Imposter syndrome, also called perceived fraudulence, involves feelings of self-doubt and personal incompetence that persist despite your education, experience, and accomplishments. Imposter feelings represent a conflict between your own self-perception and the way others perceive you. Even as others praise your talents, you always think that it is just good luck. You don’t believe you earned them on your own merits, and you fear others will eventually realize that you are a fake person.

Initially, it was believed that successful career women (especially the black women) are affected more by this mental state. But now, research has proven that men and women are equally affected by it. Generally, those who tend to be affected by this syndrome are very intelligent and ambitious people, perfectionists, superheroes, and leaders. To prove that they are not failures or fake, these people work even harder to become successful. This anxious work without rest leads to disconnect from other people, to depression, and to chronic loneliness. These people have difficulty in getting married or staying married.

These are some causes: growing up in a home where love was not manifested. The atmosphere in the home was one of competition and desiring success. The parents were over-protective and demanding. They sharply criticize the mistakes of their children. They expect too much from their children or compare the siblings in achievements. The children may do well in primary and secondary school. But when they go to university, far away from the pressure of home, living among strangers, they start to doubt their worth and identity. They feel fake.

What is the cure? Pray! Study God’s Word! Then, confess your problem to your pastor, a friend or counselor. It takes humility to acknowledge your need for help. Do spiritual warfare! Challenge your self-doubts! Reject them! Fight them until you have the victory! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Believe God’s Word: “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well” (Ps 139:13, 14). Learn to give God all the glory for all your success in life! Serve God! I declare that it is well with you! In Jesus’ name, amen!

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS!

“You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you” (Jn 15:14; AMP). Because of the internet, more and more people become isolated. Friendships are rare these days. Men are affected more than the women. Only 10% of men have real friends. God declared from the beginning of time: “It is not good that man should be alone” (Gen 2:18). God invented marriage. That is a wonderful blessing. God also created us to live among brethren and to have quality relationships called friendships. That is why God invented the local church. Jesus died so that His Bride, the Church, can exist. In the local assembly we hear God’s Word and learn to put it into practice. We learn to love God and people. Godly friendships are God’s gift to all believers. None should be lonely! Selah!

Who is a friend? A friend is someone who is close to you, who knows you well, with whom you have a bond of mutual affection and respect. This person is not a family member. The relationship is not sexual. Other words for ‘friend’ are confidant, classmate, associate, or advocate. The opposite of ‘friend’ is ‘foe or enemy’. A friend is faithful to you. You trust him. He gives good advice, help and support when you are in need.

A relationship is called ‘friendship’ if it has three qualities: 1- It is a long-lasting, stable emotional bond; 2-It is positive, encouraging, 3-It brings the best in each other; it is helpful to both. All true friendships bring glory to God! A true friendship is free from sexual manipulation. That includes marriages too. Sex is God’s gift to the married couples only. But even sex in marriage should not be used as a weapon. If you give access to the devil, he will use money and sex to destroy marriages and friendships. Let the Holy Spirit purify your hearts and trust Him for all your relationships. No relationship can survive without deep mutual respect and true love that desires the best in others. You can have a close by neighbor as a friend, or one who is far away. Your friend can in person or online. True friendship stands the test of time and of distance.

An acquaintance is someone you like, and you meet at a party. The relationship is not deep. When you are in trouble and need help, you do not call an acquaintance. You call your friend, trusting that he will help you. A good friend is not a hireling. He does not avoid you when you are in trouble. You can be open and vulnerable with your friend. You can tell him the truth and not be afraid of betrayal. You are not afraid that he will judge you. He gives you space to express your feelings. He has sympathy for you. He cares for you. He listens to you and gives you good advice. Good friends are ready to apologize and forgive when there is a mistake, then move on with the friendship. 

Bad friends, or ‘fair-weather friends’ are like hirelings. They run away and avoid you when you are in trouble. They speak negatively about people. They tend to gossip about you to others. Good friends know that we are all different and accept you as you are. Bad friends judge you and force you to be like them. Bad friends are manipulative and pushy. Bad friends are not stable. They disappoint often. A good friendship grows with time and becomes a blessing to many. Good friends are comfortable. A good friend is a child of God who prays for you!

Experience has proven that any friendship that has Christ at the center is blessed. It has a higher quality than even the best secular friendships. It is the most stable of all relationships. Christ is indeed the best ‘glue’ that keeps relationships. It applies to the marriage bond and to other friendships. A good friendship is basically a spiritual partnership. These high-quality agape love relationships are quite rare these days. Because people hear of so many sexual (homosexual) stories, it is hard to find good, spiritual, Christ honoring friendships among brethren. “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom 5:20). These last days sin increases. But grace does not only ‘increase’. It overflows in its increase. Grace is always much more powerful and effective than all sin combined. It is true that many marriages and friendships are breaking down because of sin. But all the sin the world cannot nullify the sovereign reign of King Grace, our Lord Jesus Christ. If Christ is the foundation and the pillar of your marriage or friendships with others, the gates of hell cannot destroy them. Grace always leads to glory!

RUTH – FRIEND FOR LIFE

For the ancient people of Israel, friendships were very deep. They were like a covenant of marriage. Betrayal was considered the greatest crime. Faithfulness and commitment to a covenant friend was highly appreciated and rewarded. The story of Ruth is a beautiful romantic story that started as a family tragedy. The meaning of the name Ruth is ‘Friend’. Like Ittai the Gittite, who was a faithful friend unto death to King David, so Ruth proved to be a true friend for life to Naomi. Naomi means ‘sweetness’. Ruth was “one of the women of Moab” (Ru 1:4) who got converted to Jehovah. Two times she got married to Jewish farmers from Bethlehem. Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David and the daughter-in-law of Naomi. Ruth is one of the four Gentile women chosen by God to be in the lineage of Jesus Christ (Matt 1:5). Ruth’s position as a Gentile in the ancestry of David (and of Christ) signifies that all nations will be represented in the Kingdom of God.

Ruth was a Moabite. The Moabites were distant relatives to the Jews. They descended from Lot, the nephew of Abraham. Lot was the father of Moab and Amnon, both sons of incest (Gen 19:30-38). These two tribes were enemies to Israel. Ruth got married to Mahlon, the son of an Israelite family while they were living in Moab. Later, her father-in-law, husband, and husband’s only brother all died in Moab. Naomi is now a widow, and both her sons are dead. She has no grandchildren. She hears that God has been good to Judah, her home country. They now have food. Having no reason to stay in Moab anymore, she decides to go back home.  Her two daughters in law, Ruth and Orpah decided to follow her to Judah, to a place they have neve been. Three widows go slowly on the road to Bethlehem. At one point, Naomi speaks to her daughters in law to go back to their parents. She tells them that she and them have no hope in Judah. She left Judah some years ago because there was no food there. She herself did not love Judah too much. She tells the young women that they cannot marry in Judah. They should go back and marry in Moab. Orpah weeps, kisses Naomi, and goes back. She took ‘the safest’ road. She did not see what she had lost. She will never know Jehovah, the God of Israel. We do not hear anything about Orpah again. But Ruth…

Ruth adored her mother-in-law and had great compassion for her, witnessing her pain when she lost her husband and both of her sons. Ruth could not endure to separate from Naomi or from Naomi’s God that she had come to know. Ruth and Naomi make the voyage back to Judah to the city of Bethlehem. Ruth’s testimony of faithfulness to Naomi and Jehovah God spreads all around. Boaz hears of her faith and speaks kindly to her. Like the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28, Ruth acknowledges that she does not deserve Boaz’s kindness because she is a stranger. Like Christ, Boaz blesses her with his favor, provision, and protection. Ruth is rewarded for her dedication by an invitation to eat with Boaz. Later, she marries Boaz. Here you see the manifestation of God’s grace, His unmerited favor given to all who believe, be them Jew, or Gentile.

The greatest theme in the Book of Ruth is that of Redemption. The word ‘redemption, redeemer’ occurs 23 times in the book of Ruth. Ruth believed that God is her Redeemer. A redeemer is one who is willing and able to pay a ransom, restoring the rights of another and avenging his wrongs. In the Old Testament, redemption was a moral law. If one of your relatives becomes poor, if you are willing and able, you are to help the poor relative and buy the land he sold to a stranger. “If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold” (Lev 25:25). This law was given so that the land and the people remain in the family under the protection of Jehovah God. Coming back, Naomi decided to sell the land that belonged to her late husband, Elimelech. Any of Elimelech’s family members can buy the land. Attached to the land was the condition that the buyer marries Ruth. Her first son will be counted as the son of her late husband, Mahlon, and the grandson of Naomi. The closest relative did not want to buy the land because he did not want to marry a Moabite woman. He gave his right to Boaz (Ruth 4:6). Boaz bought the land of Elimelech and married Ruth at the same time. Their first son Obed was now known as the son of Mahlon (Ruth’s first husband) and of Elimelech (Naomi’s husband). In Hebrew, the name Obed means ‘worshipper or servant of God’. He is the true grandson of Naomi. Because of Ruth’s faith in Jehovah God, the Redemer of Israel, the power of resurrection is manifested. Naomi’s dead dreams to be a mother and a grandmother have come to life. In this way, the family lineage of Elimelech did not die with his death. This is the power of redemption, of resurrection, and of Grace. Selah!

Boaz is called a “kinsman-redeemer”. Boaz means ‘strength’. The closest kinsman redeemer who refused to marry Ruth represents the Law. Boaz represents Grace.  Boaz is symbolic of the mediating work of Christ. In Moab, Ruth worshipped Chemosh, the supreme deity of Moab. His name means ‘destroyer’. He was a god of war without any mercy. When Moab defeated another country, all the prisoners of war were sacrificed to Chemosh. The Bible calls Chemosh ‘the abomination of Moab’ (1Kings 11:7). King Solomon married Moabite wives and worshipped Chemosh alongside Jehovah. That made God angry. King Josiah destroyed the false religion of Baal and Chemosh in Israel. Ruth comes to discover that Jehovah God is not like Chemosh. Jehovah is a God of truth, justice, and also of mercy. He has compassion on the poor, widows, orphans, and the foreigners. He is the Redeemer of Israel. Her faith in Jehovah made her to sacrifice her natural family and a life in Moab. Like Abraham, her faith gave her the courage to follow Naomi to a land where she did not know. Ruth believed God’s Word. “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God” (Is 44:6). No other deity or god saves or redeems. Like Job, Ruth can confidently say: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, 27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another” (Job 19:25-27). Christ is our Redeemer who “has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:13, 14). Redemption is found in Christ alone who paid with His blood for our freedom from sin. Salvation means translating from the power of darkness into the Kingdom of light and love. Faith in The Redeemer of Israel gave Ruth the courage to be a true friend to Naomi. She believed that her future is better than her past, that she will be a mother of children, that her children will be thought by God Himself and will experience great peace on earth. Her faith in God helped her to believe that no weapon formed or fashioned by Chemosh, or any other idol can kill her or her descendants (Isaiah 54). Selah!

Ruth has excellent qualities as a servant of God and a true friend to Naomi: Love, faith, and perseverance! Ruth has great faith in God and true love for Naomi. She believed that Jehovah God is who He says He is. She believed that for God, nothing is impossible. She believed that there is always hope with God. It was her faith in God that carried Naomi on, especially when Naomi was backsliding. Because of the loss of her husband and sons, without any grandchildren, Naomi becomes bitter. She calls herself ‘Mara’ meaning ‘bitter’. Ruth was a young believer. Naomi was an old believer. Here we see the power of love in Ruth’s heart, that gave her the courage to follow the bitter Naomi, and to help her even when she lost all hope for a brighter future. Ruth interceded for Naomi and loved her during the time she needed help the most. This is Love! This is true friendship!

Ruth was not forced to love and follow Naomi. It was Love that made her do that. “Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God” (Rom 7:1-4). Apostle Paul says that ‘the law has dominion over a man only as long as he lives’. Once a man dies, he is free from God’s law. God gave His law to tell us who He is, what He likes and what He hates. He also gave us His Law so that we know what sin is and how terrible sin is. God did not give us the Law to save us from sin. For no natural man can be saved by obeying the Law. The only way to be saved is by Grace and through faith. Justification is always by faith in Jesus Christ. We need to go a step further. Sanctification is also by faith, and not by obeying the Law. Many Christians are saved by faith but later, they try to be sanctified by obeying God’s Law. That is wrong. God must take His glory for both justification and sanctification. The Holy Spirit uses the Law to give the believer the power to obey it, one step at a time. The believer cannot obey the Law himself, but the Holy Spirit gives him the power to do so.

Like the wife submits to her husband, all the unbelievers are ‘under the Law’. The Law has dominion over a man for as long as his lives. The only thing that stops this ‘dominion’ is death. For example, once a man dies, you cannot take him to court for breaking the traffic law. He is free from the law. Death has set him free. As the husband dies, the wife is free from the law that bound her to him. She is free to remarry. Once the sinner repents, he dies to the Law, and to sin. He is now free to marry another husband, who is Christ. What is the purpose? To bear fruit to God. The Law cannot produce fruit acceptable to God. But as the Bride of Christ, we produce fruit pleasing to God. Both justification and sanctification are by Grace and through faith. This is a practical example: you need God’s grace and faith in Him to find a wife and to get married. After the wedding day, you also need God’s Grace and faith in Him to make your marriage happy and successful. Thru Christ, our Redeemer, we have forgiveness of sins and the hope of glory. Your old dead dreams will be bought by Christ, the Redeemer, and they will live again. 

For Ruth, by Law she had no right to be in Israel. She was a Moabite, an enemy to Israel. It is possible that the people in Bethlehem saw her as a dangerous woman, an opportunist, or a fake person. If Naomi had wealth, they could have said that. But Naomi had nothing. She lost her family and the little wealth she had in the land of Moab. Naomi did not even have hope for the future. Ruth had no material gain from following Naomi except Naomi’s God. By faith, Ruth changes position from being a sinner under the Law, to being a child of God, under King Grace. Because Ruth’s husband died, technically she is free from any legal commitment to Mahlon and submitting to Naomi. The only way the bond between them can continue is for Ruth to become her friend. A friend is not a family member. To change from the position of a daughter in law to a friend for life is a great spiritual achievement for Ruth. This is indeed a beautiful story of redemption, grace, faith, hope, love, and Life! 

After Orpah went back to Moab, Ruth pledges to be a friend for life to Naomi. In a way, the only helper and friend Naomi has right now is Ruth. This is Ruth’s wonderful pledge to Naomi: “But Ruth said, “Don’t force me to leave you; don’t make me go home. Where you go, I go; and where you live, I’ll live. Your people are my people, your God is my god; where you die, I’ll die, and that’s where I’ll be buried, so help me God—not even death itself is going to come between us!” (Ru 1:16, 17; TM). After this wonderful touching pledge of love and friendship, what does Naomi say? You expect she will say: ‘Praise the Lord! God bless you, my daughter! I love you too…’. She does not say that. She says… nothing. Read this: “When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her” (Ru 1:18). Both of them walked in silence until they reached Bethlehem. Initially, Ruth did not receive any encouragement from Naomi or the people. Even when they arrived at Bethlehem, the women only greeted Naomi. They totally ignored Ruth. The first word of encouragement came from Boaz, who is a symbol of Christ. Lesson: may we be satisfied at all times with God’s encouragement alone!

Ruth had faith. Another quality was an attitude of perseverance, of not giving up on her dreams. Perseverance is defined as a continued effort to achieve something despite difficulties, failures, opposition, discouragement, or the passing of time. Ministry requires perseverance. Learning to drive a car, to speak a new language, or to become an Olympic champion requires perseverance.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (Jam 1:2-4; NIV). Faith starts the race. Perseverance leads to spiritual maturity and visible success! Perseverance is needed to pass the test of Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider, to come to a place where you ‘do not lack anything. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (Jam 1:12; NIV). Perseverance in the faith is rewarded with a crown of life. Perseverance is a royal badge. Perseverance in faith is the mark of a true friend.  Selah! “We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:3-5). Perseverance produces mature character in the believer. It leads to the hope of glory in heaven.

Lesson: If you see a believer who perseveres despite the difficulties in life, you can trust him. He can be your friend. No one who becomes easily discouraged can be your friend. True believers persevere in their race and surely go to heaven. In that culture, when a young woman’s husband dies, she was to leave her in laws and go back to her parents or relatives. This is what Orpah did. But Ruth ‘clung’ to Naomi. She proclaimed that Naomi’s people and God will be her people and her God. This is contrary to tradition but in line with the realm of grace.

Naomi blamed Jehovah for her tragedy. Her bitterness made her blind to God’s gift of grace to her in the person of Ruth, the only friend she had.  Naomi became bitter and selfish. She looked at her life and saw only problems. The famine in Bethlehem led her to go to ‘the greener pastures’ of Moab. It was there that she lost her husband and her two sons. She saw God as her enemy. Naomi stayed in Moab for 10 years. It is easy to go out of the will of God but not so easy to come back from backsliding. But in the midst of this famine and pain, God was doing something new. It was in Moab that she met Ruth. It was in Moab, that Ruth’s journey of faith started. By law, no Moabite should enter the temple of God to worship Him. God’s Law was against the Moabites. The Jews were commanded not to make friends with the Moabites (Deut 23:3-6). The only open door for Ruth was not the Law, but God’s Grace. She had no right to claim in Bethlehem. But Grace welcomed her with open arms. Ruth recognized the power of Grace and fully embraced it. Remember that Ruth too was in pain. Her husband died. She was a young widow. But she did not allow her pain to blind her and make her selfish. Her love for Naomi and Naomi’s God, survived her painful loss. Deciding to become Naomi’s friend was the best decision Ruth made. Though Naomi was needy, and had no hope for her, following Naomi she went to Bethlehem where she met Boaz who became her husband and the father of her children. Boaz was impressed by Ruth who was humble and hardworking. Her faith in Jehovah and genuine love to Naomi who was not even her biological mother touched him.

Naomi ‘arose’ and started going back to Bethlehem. Her two daughters-in-law followed her. But she had no hope for them. They were liabilities for her. She imagined that in Bethlehem, each time people will see her with them, they are a reminder of her past in Moab. Like a rebellious young woman who leaves her parents house to live alone and who has a child out of wedlock. To give that child for adoption is hard. But is even harder to come home with a child who has no father. Naomi was a Jew but, in her backsliding, she was not spiritually helpful to her daughters in law. The Bible says that ‘she clung’ to Naomi. This is the same word (to cleave) found in Genesis that applies to marriage. “Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen 2:24; KJ). Ruth pledged friendship to Naomi as a bride does to her bridegroom. This is a covenant friendship unto death. Ruth is committing her life to Naomi, to Naomi’s God. She entered the pages on the Bible like a star shining in the darkest night. 

Lesson: Be friendly to all but do not be yoked (intimately connected as friends) to unbelievers. Boaz ‘adopted’ and married a stranger. Selah! Couples desiring children should prayerfully consider adopting children. Also, we never know what God is doing thru our pains and losses. Trust your Redeemer! Jesus shed His Blood on the Cross of Calvary, to take your sin on Himself, to set you free. Jesus died to buy the pieces of your broken heart and faded dreams to give you a hope and a future. Trust Him especially when trials come, and things go wrong! If God seems silent to you right now, remember that the teacher keeps silent during exams. We don’t have to understand God to trust and to love Him! God never fails! God never makes mistakes! Worship the Lord!