From: May 5, 2023
‘Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work”‘ (John 4:34 NLT).
When the disciples returned from the town of Sychar with food for lunch, they found Jesus at Jacob’s well speaking with a Samaritan woman. They encouraged Jesus to eat something, but He answered that He had food of a kind they knew nothing about. When they didn’t understand what He meant, He explained that doing the will of God was His nourishment.
Certainly, physical food is needed for the physical body to live. Jesus was not denying that. However, He was teaching His disciples a deeper truth, namely that God has a purpose for our lives. Our eating and drinking are necessary, but secondary to the purpose of our souls, which is to do that for which we were created. All other purposes become secondary to the purpose of doing God’s will for our lives.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we have many needs and you meet the all through Christ Jesus. Yet, we often neglect our deepest need, which is to do Your will. We surrender our lives to You afresh today to do Your will. May Your kingdom come today in our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: May 5, 2016
Ironically, in Bethlehem, the “House of Bread,” there was a famine. And rather than staying in the land that God had provided, Elimelech took his wife Naomi and two sons to “sojourn” in Moab. Like many best laid plans their “sojourn” turned into 10 long, hard years and ended in the death of all three men. After this, Naomi heard that the Lord had “visited” his people with bread, so she decided to return home. She was determined to get out of Moab and get back to God’s land of promise. Even her widowed, daughter-in-law, Ruth, was determined to go with her. Though Ruth was a Moabite, she desired a better estate, and by faith followed Naomi to Bethlehem.
Beware of sojourning in Moab. Return quickly to the Lord. The longer you stay out there, the harder it is to return. Yet, as both Naomi and Ruth learned, the Lord is full of lovingkindness and is ready to redeem those who come to Him.
From: May 5, 2015
Born again hearts and transformed minds required. Man-made worship will not do. Only the blood of the Lamb applied can prepare us for acceptable worship. Not time nor place. Not the style of music nor clothes you wear. No, to please God, we must worship in the way He prescribes– in spirit and in truth. God is seeking true worshipers.
From: May 5, 2014
Ruth’s determination to stay with Naomi was surely based on a combination of love and faith. Even though Naomi could promise her no husband and no future, Ruth was willing to leave Moab and follow Naomi to Bethlehem. Her faithful love was rewarded. The Lord provided a Kinsmen-Redeemer for her named Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess was grafted into the line of Judah, eventually becoming the grandmother of King David and being included in the gospel lineage of Jesus.