Unclearly, Clearly
Ruth 1:1-18 Amplified
1IN THE days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem of Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, his wife, and his two sons. 2The man's name was Elimelech and his wife's name was Naomi and his two sons were named Mahlon [invalid] and Chilion [pining]; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem of Judah. They went to the country of Moab and continued there. 3But Elimelech, who Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4And they took wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They dwelt there about ten years; 5And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them, so the woman was bereft of her two sons and her husband. 6Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in Moab how the Lord had visited His people in giving them food. 7So she left the place where she was, her two daughters-in-law with her, and they started on the way back to Judah. 8But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9The Lord grant that you may find a home and rest, each in the house of her husband! Then she kissed them and they wept aloud. 10And they said to her, No, we will return with you to your people. 11But Naomi said, Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that may become your husbands? 12Turn back, my daughters, go; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband tonight and should bear sons,13Would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; it is far more bitter for me than for you that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me. 14Then they wept aloud again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law [good-bye], but Ruth clung to her. 15And Naomi said, See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law. 16And Ruth said, Urge me not to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God.17Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts me from you.18When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said no more. 19So they both went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred about them, and said, Is this Naomi? 20And she said to them, Call me not Naomi [pleasant]; call me Mara [bitter], for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21I went out full, but the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me? 22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.
Have you ever been in a season and thought to yourself, what in the “WORLD” is going on? I must admit I know that season well, it has been my life for about a year, but more recently the last three and half months have been what one would consider the truth as it pertains to being in a place where you understand some aspects so clearly, but then it appears that hell maybe breaking loose on the other side and people you understood as friends, family and sisters and brothers in Christ are no longer present, and you have no idea or clue why and everything on that side of your living is murky at best and you are walking it out and praying for the best. I have found that I have been the most enlighten during this time, but I have also been the most frustrated. I hard found that as Maurette Brown Clark says, the harder it gets the harder I pray, and the louder it gets the more I pray, so I have to believe the fullness of God’s promises are present and victory is on the way.
I laugh when I hear people talk about others and they say, I don’t understand how they can be so in love with Jesus and so unclear about so much? I laugh when they seem to identify that just because their life is care free and they seem to be experiencing victory or a life full of blessings and they look at others who are struggling and make an assessment that God is not with them. I would have to say, I have come to understand that some of the most anointed, called, dynamic individuals don’t look as people would think that they would. My Bishop has said and my Grandmother before him said when the devil is not bothering you, you may want to check whose team you are on. When all is so clear and there is no need for God because we have it, one of us becomes obsolete, and that is usually our reliance on God, or God Himself. Even in the midst of the crazy that is my life and continues to be, I know God is working for my good as I follow His word, His voice and His leading. Just like Ruth was clear that she loved Naomi and she was clear that she would follow her and be to her as a child, a daughter in submission to all that was her lifestyle including her God; she was still unclear as to many other things, like how this all would work out, whether she would even be received by those in the land that Naomi called home, whether God really would make a way and whether the life of her mother and her own would experience the peace that was needed and the relief from sorrow that had been experienced. But Ruth did something most of don’t do and won’t do, she went clearly understanding the things that were unclear. She allowed love, faith, loyalty and trust to guide her decisions.
So in this season where so much is unclear, and so much more is clear, what will lead you? Will you rely on your senses or will you rely upon the Spirit of God to bring you through and make your life to be a testimony unto His Glory. Will we make our happiness our way, or will we have the understanding that no matter what I trust you Lord and I will follow you forward, wherever you lead and even when the road and path that you choose is unclear? No matter what we know God is not a man and He is a Father that loves us and will guide us into ALL truth and into His promises and Blessings, if we allow Him. But the only way we will allow Him is if we love Him enough, want His will enough and if we trust that He loves us enough. Let God give you the clarity that even perfect vision and a perfectly laid plan won’t, He will clearly bring you through to a place of where His plan is being fulfilled and completed!
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