READING:
One-year plan: Ruth 1-4, Luke 14:15-15:10
Two-year plan: Leviticus 27, Mark 4:26-41
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Naomi and her daughters-in-law found themselves in a most difficult situation. Naomi’s family had settled in Moab years earlier because a famine had stricken the land of Judah. There, Naomi’s sons took Moabite wives – but then Naomi and both of her daughters-in-law lost their husbands to death. In a most heartbreaking statement, Ruth 1:5 summarizes the situation: “the woman [Naomi] was left without her two children and without her husband.” The story to this point was tragic, indeed.
But, the next verse hints at hope: “She and her daughters-in-law set out to return from the territory of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that the Lord had paid attention to his people’s need by providing them food” (Ruth 1:6, emphasis added). Naomi had heard what God had done (He had sent rain and provided food for His people), which surely meant that somebody must have been talking about God’s provision. Word traveled to Moab via the lips of unrecorded names, and Naomi and her daughters-in-law began the journey back to the land of Judah as a result.
You see, it matters that the people of God talk about His blessings and His care—even if our names are not included in the account. When we intentionally talk about the way He provides for us, somebody somewhere is waiting to hear that word. Our responsibility is simply to speak.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Have you spoken to anyone of God’s provision today?
PRAYER: “God, thank You for Your ongoing care. ”
TOMORROW’S READINGS:
One-year plan: 1 Samuel 1-4, Luke 15:11-32
Two-year plan: Numbers 1, Mark 5:1-8