"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace." - Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV I was sitting in church one Wednesday night, overwhelmed with anger. Someone had hurt me, and I felt they weren't acting the way they should. I thought my sins weren't as bad as theirs, so I felt justified. But then, the Lord gently reminded me that I was wrong. I realized I was judging this person, and that was a sin in itself. God is holy, and my behavior was no better than theirs. I felt convicted and was moved to tears. The Holy Spirit whispered to me, "If you really love them, you would pray for their best, regardless of their behavior." That realization hit me hard. I admitted to myself that I didn’t truly love them as I claimed. My actions showed that I wanted them to act a certain way for my benefit. I remembered the verses from Numbers 6 and knew I needed to pray for G...
Ruth 2:3 KJV: "And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on the part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech."
The story of Ruth, a Moabite woman, is a testament to the transformative power of God's unmerited favour. In a world where she had everything against her, Ruth's faith and loyalty led to extraordinary blessings. Despite being a poor widow and a Gentile in the Jewish nation of Israel, Ruth chose to remain with her mother-in-law Naomi after her husband's death, leaving her own family to follow Naomi back to Bethlehem. Ruth made Naomi's God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—her God.
Naomi and Ruth couldn't afford to buy grain in their poverty, so Ruth went out to the fields to glean what the reapers had left behind. Ruth placed her trust in God's favour, expressing her hope to Naomi by saying, "Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favour" (Ruth 2:2). Her confidence in God's provision was unwavering, despite her status as a foreigner with no connections.
The Bible recounts that Ruth "hap" to come to a part of the field belonging to Boaz, a man of great wealth and a relative of Naomi. The word "hap" signifies a fortunate happening, and its Hebrew root, "Qarah," means right happening. This encounter was no mere coincidence—it was a divine appointment orchestrated by God.
Boaz noticed Ruth, fell in love with her, and eventually married her. At the lowest point of her life, when all seemed lost, Ruth's trust in the Lord placed her in the right place at the right time. She became one of the few women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5), a remarkable honour and testament to God's favour.
No matter the circumstances you face today have confidence in the unmerited favour of Jesus. He will provide you with "Qarah success," positioning you at the right place at the right time to experience His protection and blessings in your relationships, career, and finances. Trust in His unmerited favour and watch as He turns your situation around, just as He did for Ruth.