Another costly aspect of Ruth's choice was the time frame in Israel's history. It was the age of the judges, a period of time described as 'do your own thing'; 'Everyone did what was right in his own eyes' (Judges 21:25b). Ruth chose not only to break her family cycle, but also to challenge the lifestyle that many in Israel embraced. She wanted God's will, not hers; His blueprints, not her elementary scribbling; God's assignment, not her foolish plans.
Whenever a single woman decides to abandon herself completely to Jesus, as Ruth did, she will find herself out of step with society and sometimes, even with friends. A single woman today needs the boldness to challenges and break the cycle of the 'American way' that exalts a relationship with a man as an answer to life. This 'American way' blurs the reality of the ultimate answer to life found in a deep relationship with Jesus Christ. A modern-day Ruth wrote: 'My deep satisfaction from my commitment to Jesus is constantly challenged by other believers. The treat me like some kind of Neanderthal, definitely out of step with the 90s woman'.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Journey Away from Rituals
Ruth moved from a false religion into the only true and eternal relationship. Too many women have been involved in a form of religious worship, but have never had a vital, growing relationship with Jesus... Has your faith been a lifeless ritual rather than a vital love relationship with Jesus? Why not spend some of your free hours as a single woman beginning a journey away from rituals into a deep relationship with Jesus Christ?
One single woman expressed this vital relationship with Jesus Christ in the following way: 'I desired that my relationship with the Lord be an adventure. One where I would find out what pleased Him and then do it, devoting as much energy to Jesus as I would in a relationship with a boyfriend. I am falling more in love with Jesus every day.'
Do you know more about pleasing a boyfriend than you do about pleasing the Lord Jesus?
One single woman expressed this vital relationship with Jesus Christ in the following way: 'I desired that my relationship with the Lord be an adventure. One where I would find out what pleased Him and then do it, devoting as much energy to Jesus as I would in a relationship with a boyfriend. I am falling more in love with Jesus every day.'
Do you know more about pleasing a boyfriend than you do about pleasing the Lord Jesus?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Fulfillment
Have you ever assumed your ultimate fulfillment will be found in marriage? Have you privately entertained the notion that the only satisfied women are married women? Have you been expecting your career to satisfy you until you are married? If you answered 'yes' to any of those questions, then you have a prospect of disillusionment looming in the future.
'...A woman becomes a woman when she becomes what God wants her to be...' This priceless truth can help keep your perspective clear in relation to true fulfillment in life. Too many Christian women things that the inner longings of their heart relate only to love, marriage, and motherhood. Look a little closer and see if that longing isn't ultimately for Jesus.
Gary Chapman once remarked, 'I feel very strongly that marriage is not a higher calling than a single state. Happy indeed are those people, married or single, who have discovered true happiness is not found in marriage but in a right relationship with God.'
Fulfillment for a Christian woman begins with the Lordship of Christ in every area of her life.
'...A woman becomes a woman when she becomes what God wants her to be...' This priceless truth can help keep your perspective clear in relation to true fulfillment in life. Too many Christian women things that the inner longings of their heart relate only to love, marriage, and motherhood. Look a little closer and see if that longing isn't ultimately for Jesus.
Gary Chapman once remarked, 'I feel very strongly that marriage is not a higher calling than a single state. Happy indeed are those people, married or single, who have discovered true happiness is not found in marriage but in a right relationship with God.'
Fulfillment for a Christian woman begins with the Lordship of Christ in every area of her life.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Lady in Waiting
I have decided to go back through the Lady in Waiting Bible study and journal. I will be posting the reading for each day as I do them... I hope you are blessed.
Prologue
Have you ever noticed the funny way a pigeon walks? His head moves forward, he stops, then he takes a step. I have read that a pigeon's eyes do not focus unless his head is still...therefore, he focuses - then steps. We could learn a lot from this 'pigeon walk'.
Sometimes our lives seem to get out of control and our hearts are injured and our steps unsure. We lose focus and life comes apart at the seams...
Proverbs 3:5-6 are keys words to live by with regard to our steps:
'Trust in the Lord with all your heart...'
How much misdirection and pain could we avoid if we trusted in and were daily assured of God's awesome love for us?
'And do not lean on your own understanding...'
What trouble could we avoid if we went to the all-knowing God for daily direction and wisdom instead of fretting, planning, and worrying?
'In all your ways acknowledge Him...'
This is our focus for each step.
And the promise?
'He will make your paths straight'
It really doesn't matter how much we 'know' - it matters how much we 'live'.
Joy,
Elise
Prologue
Have you ever noticed the funny way a pigeon walks? His head moves forward, he stops, then he takes a step. I have read that a pigeon's eyes do not focus unless his head is still...therefore, he focuses - then steps. We could learn a lot from this 'pigeon walk'.
Sometimes our lives seem to get out of control and our hearts are injured and our steps unsure. We lose focus and life comes apart at the seams...
Proverbs 3:5-6 are keys words to live by with regard to our steps:
'Trust in the Lord with all your heart...'
How much misdirection and pain could we avoid if we trusted in and were daily assured of God's awesome love for us?
'And do not lean on your own understanding...'
What trouble could we avoid if we went to the all-knowing God for daily direction and wisdom instead of fretting, planning, and worrying?
'In all your ways acknowledge Him...'
This is our focus for each step.
And the promise?
'He will make your paths straight'
It really doesn't matter how much we 'know' - it matters how much we 'live'.
Joy,
Elise
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Mrs. Good Friday
It was late afternoon on Good Friday. The grocery store was bustling with customers buying sweet treats for Sunday morning’s Easter baskets. As I left the store and headed to my car, I saw her. She wore a flowered shirt and pushed a full cart of groceries. She was probably in her late sixties and smiled at me when I walked by. Her smile was contagious and I soon sensed a smile on my own face.
As I backed out my car, I noticed that she was still walking, but now had a confused look on her face. She seemed to be searching for something in the parking lot. I immediately thought of my great-grandfather. He will be 92 this year and frequently forgets where he has parked his car.
I pulled into a nearby parking space and walked up to her to see if I could help. Sure enough, she had forgotten where she had parked her car. “It’s an old Buick.” she drawled in a thick accent that told me she had spent a lot of her life in the small town of Milledgeville. I asked her the color and she said, “It’s like, well, you know that car color… kinda tanish, light brown. Those car people call it… “ “Champagne?” I offered. “Why yes, that’s what they call it… champagne…”
“Do you remember which side of the store you went in?” I asked. “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t remember things very well anymore. I just have a hard time in this parking lot” she replied with a frustrated crease on her brow. “I understand,” I said, trying to reassure her. “I lose my car all the time over at Wal-Mart.” “No…” she replied stubbornly, “this parking lot is worse.”
She offered me the keyless entry remote to her husband’s Toyata thinking that it might work to make her car (without keyless entry) beep if we pressed the right buttons. I humored her and tried it, but to no avail.
We continued searching for her car for another fifteen minutes or so when she recognized a friend of hers. “Have you lost your car again?” he asked. “Yes,” she replied. “and you know how I hate this parking lot”. He gave her a sympathetic look and said, “Yes, I know.”
All this time, I kept praying that we would find her car. I also was quite curious as to why she hated this parking lot with such holy passion. Suddenly, the man said, “Oh, there is your car right yonder!” She seemed relieved as she saw it.
He and I helped load all the groceries into her trunk. She looked at me with a sad smile and said, “You know, the reason I don’t like this parking lot is because this is where my husband died.” I stood there for what seemed like a minute before she continued. “He dropped me off so I could get something, and when I came out, he was gone. It was three years ago this week.” Then her eyes lit up with a smile and she said, “I sure do love him still.”
She grabbed me and gave me a hug that only a grandmother could give as she thanked me for my help. I turned to her and said, “No, thank you… God used you to make my day.” I made my way to my car, tears filling my eyes.
I had thought that God was going to use me to help her that day, but He used her to help me as He reminded me of His love through the hug of that woman on Good Friday.
As I backed out my car, I noticed that she was still walking, but now had a confused look on her face. She seemed to be searching for something in the parking lot. I immediately thought of my great-grandfather. He will be 92 this year and frequently forgets where he has parked his car.
I pulled into a nearby parking space and walked up to her to see if I could help. Sure enough, she had forgotten where she had parked her car. “It’s an old Buick.” she drawled in a thick accent that told me she had spent a lot of her life in the small town of Milledgeville. I asked her the color and she said, “It’s like, well, you know that car color… kinda tanish, light brown. Those car people call it… “ “Champagne?” I offered. “Why yes, that’s what they call it… champagne…”
“Do you remember which side of the store you went in?” I asked. “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t remember things very well anymore. I just have a hard time in this parking lot” she replied with a frustrated crease on her brow. “I understand,” I said, trying to reassure her. “I lose my car all the time over at Wal-Mart.” “No…” she replied stubbornly, “this parking lot is worse.”
She offered me the keyless entry remote to her husband’s Toyata thinking that it might work to make her car (without keyless entry) beep if we pressed the right buttons. I humored her and tried it, but to no avail.
We continued searching for her car for another fifteen minutes or so when she recognized a friend of hers. “Have you lost your car again?” he asked. “Yes,” she replied. “and you know how I hate this parking lot”. He gave her a sympathetic look and said, “Yes, I know.”
All this time, I kept praying that we would find her car. I also was quite curious as to why she hated this parking lot with such holy passion. Suddenly, the man said, “Oh, there is your car right yonder!” She seemed relieved as she saw it.
He and I helped load all the groceries into her trunk. She looked at me with a sad smile and said, “You know, the reason I don’t like this parking lot is because this is where my husband died.” I stood there for what seemed like a minute before she continued. “He dropped me off so I could get something, and when I came out, he was gone. It was three years ago this week.” Then her eyes lit up with a smile and she said, “I sure do love him still.”
She grabbed me and gave me a hug that only a grandmother could give as she thanked me for my help. I turned to her and said, “No, thank you… God used you to make my day.” I made my way to my car, tears filling my eyes.
I had thought that God was going to use me to help her that day, but He used her to help me as He reminded me of His love through the hug of that woman on Good Friday.
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