Title: You must taste happiness.
Contents
You must taste happiness.
Ruth 2:17-23
The story of Ruth recorded in the book of Ruth is like a moving drama. The story of the life of a woman, Ruth, who overcomes the difficulties despite the difficulties is very moving for our readers of the Bible. Also, Boaz's love story for Ruth is also touching. And the wide and deep generosity that mother-in-law Naomi showed comes to our hearts in a very moving way. The sacrificial love of Boaz to build a family for Naomi and Ruth is also very moving. Although the book of Ruth has a short record in the Bible, the events recorded here are full of very moving stories. The contents of the book of Ruth seem to be watching a moving movie.
There are no men in Ruth's family. Because all the men died first. In other words, no man means no source of income at all. Imagine this kind of environment, how hard would it be to live in a family with no men and only women? Especially in ancient times, men provided labor. Therefore, men were responsible for the household economy. Moreover, at that time, men were the representatives of the household. However, there is no representative of the family. Therefore, it was a situation where people could be ignored. It is hard to bear the sorrow of not having money and being hungry, but the sorrow of being ignored is really difficult to bear. In addition, Ruth was more likely to be ignored because she was a foreigner. When people are ignored by their neighbors, they tend to shrink psychologically. Then you become reluctant to be close to people. If you live like that, you can become isolated on your own.
If this continues, depression may come, and if it goes deeper, schizophrenia may occur.
But, look at today's text. Ruth's situation was really bad. But look at his attitude. She is proud of her situation. This woman did not blame her circumstances. And he did not see the difficulties in front of him as difficulties. If this woman had followed Naomi without considering these difficulties, she would have lived a life of failure. However, this woman stands proudly because she has foreseen these circumstances. This woman starts with what she can do right now to overcome the environment in front of her.
This attitude is really important. When you look into the problems in front of you and start solving them, you will be able to overcome them.
Today, many people see that they give up easily and back down even when a small difficulty comes before their eyes. However, we must become saints who stand up to such difficulties. We often hear stories of abandoned children on TV. Today, indeed, many children are abandoned as soon as they are born. But it is really sad to see why it was abandoned. Because of financial difficulties, they say that they abandon their children to enjoy their life. How sad is this reality? Why do these things happen? Giving up because of the difficult environment in front of you. And that is to throw it away to enjoy one's own life. It's a really heartbreaking reality. If we lose the things that are most important to us because of the difficulties or circumstances we see before our eyes, we will lose even more.
However, Ruth's attitude in today's text was different. This woman is strongly challenging the reality that is unfolding before her eyes.
Dear brothers and sisters, no matter how difficult and difficult our lives are, we must become saints who stand up for themselves as people who serve God. When we do, God will bless us and take charge of our lives.
God has allowed us to meet the best people. It's just that I don't know that fact. Dear brothers and sisters, think that the person you have met is the best person you have ever met. Because it is an encounter that God has allowed me to meet. Please confess to yourself that it was the best meeting even if there were some things that were lacking humanly and in the world. It is the greatest blessing we have been given that we have met the Lord.
I am blessed to have met you. Please confess.
When Naomi heard Ruth's answer, she immediately recognized the character and status of Boaz. Boaz was a benevolent person, and he had the ability to share grace with others. Boaz showed favor to both the dead and the living. By providing food to a kind of broken family, he showed favor to the dead and the living. Boaz was also a relative who would build up Naomi's house. To Naomi's family, Boaz is the savior. Those who do their best even in the face of hardships and those who achieve reconciliation even in the midst of hardships will experience God's help.
You don't know what a blessing it is for us to meet a collaborator. It's a very difficult life to do alone. However, you don't know how much power it is to have co-workers and business partners. That is why it is very important for us to have spiritual allies and partners. In order to increase my spiritual growth and the quality of my spiritual life, I need to acquire a spiritual friend. We tend to make an effort to get worldly friends, but we tend to neglect our spiritual ones. But what we most need is a spiritual friend.
Boaz tells Ruth to glean in his field until the harvest is over. Boaz had already instructed the workers to protect and help Ruth. Boaz worked for Naomi and Ruth. Are we in trouble like Naomi and Ruth? If so, then we must find a collaborator who will save me. Who is the collaborator who will save me? Almighty God. David said in Psalm 46:1, ?쏥od is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.??David confessed that God is a shield and a stronghold. That's right. Our Lord does not leave us in our affliction, but He is a God who suffers with us and helps us. The moment we accept Christ as our Lord, we have the power that the Lord gives us. In order for us to truly be happy, we become happy when we meet the Lord who saved our lives.
We must hold onto our helpers as they appear. Naomi invites Ruth to stay with Boaz. Even in a difficult situation, her mother-in-law Naomi is wise. Also, her daughter-in-law Ruth was a wise person. He obeys his mother's words. He doesn't go to anyone else's field until the harvest is over. You may be able to harvest more barley by going elsewhere. There might be enough time to spare. But Ruth is no longer greedy and obeys Naomi's advice and goes one way. Now Ruth is enjoying happiness even in the midst of hardship. Ruth didn't look around. You are looking at only one way and going.
A person must have a sense of control, even in difficult life. We who believe in Jesus, the saints must have a foundation of faith. You shouldn't go around the world here and there. We must look to Jesus, who will truly restore our inheritance. In other words, we must look to Jesus, who can lead us to the path of true salvation. And always be with Jesus. Jesus tells us to always be with us, but we must not reject it and turn our attention elsewhere.
Dear saints! Our life is possible only when we are with the Lord. The disciples who betrayed the Lord and were looking for their hometown were very uncomfortable. That is why when the risen Lord went to visit them, he immediately abandoned everything and followed the Lord again. Why would they do that? It is because I knew that there is true happiness when I am with the Lord. The Lord said in Matthew 28:20 that He would be with us even to the end of the world. ?쏷each them to obey all that I have commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.??Now, we too must become blessed saints and families who find true happiness in Jesus. What is true happiness in our home? That is what Jesus is with us. What is the greatest filial piety? It is to deliver Jesus to adults who do not know Him. Even if we bring billions of dollars, it is not a condition of true happiness. The greatest happiness is to become a citizen of heaven. Now, we pray in the name of the Lord that we will become saints who participate in making our family, my relatives, and my neighbors into the kingdom of heaven.