RUTH DAY SEVEN

• PAUSE

  [start with a moment to step out of your thoughts and life and into the presence of God]

  Lord, as I enter your presence now I take a moment to pause and to be still…. 

  ….to breath slowly and to re-centre my scattered thoughts and senses upon You.

  …. Speak to me I pray, and fill me with your Holy Spirit afresh this day. 

• REFLECT

  Take time to read through and reflect on the passage. Don’t rush it but be open to God speaking to you as you read.

  What did God say to you through this passage? Why don’t you pop it in the chat to encourage others?

  Devotional reflection: It seems that much of chapter one is just setting the scene and introducing the characters for the book of Ruth. This last sentence is simple but speaks profoundly to how God works. The situation for Naomi, seems dark, hard and full of trouble but in it all are seeds of potential. 

  Ruth and Naomi arrive in Bethlehem as the harvest is beginning. It would have been months earlier that the harvest was sown. Think about that. God’s timing is perfect. Before Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, God was prompting Boaz to sow a field full of crops. Enough for him and his workers and for those in need, like Ruth and Naomi. 

  However, the harvest isn’t just given to Naomi and Ruth. As we will see in the chapters ahead they had to come up with a plan, Ruth had to work hard in the field and they had to use wisdom. 

  God does care for us in our time of need. He provides for us and answers our prayers. However, He is often more concerned with who we are becoming in the process. God seeks to partner with us and include us in the miracle. The harvest season requires hard work on my part and strategy while at the same time a total reliance on God. 

  What would it mean to view this season of my life as harvest season? 

  What work and effort is required of me? 

  What part does God require me to rely on His provision and trust Him? 

• ASK

  Prayerfully reflect how this passages applies to your life. Ask God to speak to you now

  GROW people prayer: 

  Lord, You are constantly working in ways I do not know. You have already set in motion plans I have no idea about. Help me to partner with you in your work today. Help me to align my efforts, planning and work to what you are doing in and through me. I trust You and I am wanting to serve You. 

  GO People prayer: 

  Lord, in Matthew 9:37b-38 You say, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.”

  Today I pray for workers Lord. There are fields of ripe fruit ready for harvest. Continue to raise up GO people to tell people about You and to bring them into your kingdom. Equip people to serve You faithfully and may we see more souls won to the Lord. Lord, use me today and encourage others also to serve You in this way. 

• YIELD

  Take a look at the passage again. Take time to see if there is a word or phrase that the Holy Spirit reveals to you as a focus for your day today. 

  What has the Lord revealed to you? What will you take into your day today? What action is He asking you to take? Take a moment to pray a yielding prayer along these lines to the Lord today.

  Prayer for today: Lord, thank you for speaking to me to day. Give me courage to obey your word and yield to your Holy Spirit. I take seriously your leading today and seek to put your word into practice in my life through action today. Amen.