CHOOSE RIGHT – Pastor Chris
Saturday, November 3, 2018
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live (Deuteronomy 30:19).
In life, the choices we make are so important, as they can make or mar our destinies. Take for instance, the story of Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. They had relocated from Bethlehem Judah to Moab, because of famine. However, as time went by, the man and his two sons, who were now also married, passed away.
Following their demise, Naomi decided to return to her hometown, Bethlehem Judah, but the two wives of her sons, Ruth and Orpah insisted they’d follow her, but Naomi wouldn’t let them. She gave them legitimate reasons to return to their own mothers’ houses (read entire account in Ruth 1:1-16). Orpah eventually chose to return to her people, but Ruth made the decision to abide with Naomi, and she went with her to Bethlehem Judah.
Both Ruth and Orpah genuinely loved Naomi and wanted to stay with her, but here was a decision point in their lives. When Orpah turned away from Naomi and went back to her people, her life and destiny changed completely from that moment. Jewish history gives a detailed record of how she eventually became the mother of Goliath, the Philistine giant of Gath, who was slain by David.
The question then would be, why would Ruth choose rather to stay with Naomi, when the “sensible” thing to have done was to go back and start her life afresh, as Orpah did? It was about the worship of God, and the life of faith she had seen with Naomi; that’s what she didn’t want to give up. Her choice paid off, because she would later marry a relative of Elimelech, by the name of Boaz. Boaz became the father of Jesse, who became the father of David, the lineage from where Christ came.
No one is ever a fool for trusting the Lord and choosing the way of the Spirit. Like Ruth, always choose right; choose the way of the Spirit, and not that which seems right, practical, and sensible in the sight of men.
CONFESSION
Christ has been made unto me wisdom; therefore, I’m wise, and I make Word-based choices. I’m precise and accurate in all that I do, walking in God’s perfect will and purpose for my life. Glory to God!
FURTHER STUDY: Hebrews 11:24-27; Ruth 1:1-16
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN Hebrews 3 & Jeremiah 38-40
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN 1 Peter 2:1-12 & Ezekiel 34
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