Title: Drawn by Love/Topic: Godly Character

Today’s Reading: Ruth 1; Ruth 2; Psalm 53; Psalm 61; 2 Corinthians 5

Scripture: Ruth 1:16-18
16 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Observation: I love this passage where Ruth is declaring her love to her mother-in-law. Ruth loves Naomi so much that she willingly gives up her own family and religion to follow Naomi to a strange land to live out the rest of her days. Naomi must have had much love and godly character emanating from her to engender such love and devotion on the part of Ruth.

Application: I think of my own dear mother-in-law whenever I read this story. She accepted me and loved me right away when I married into her family. She was a mentor to me in how to be a good and godly woman,wife, and mother. I am so grateful to her. I want to have that same character that draws others to Jesus.

Prayer: Father, may I demonstrate such integrity and love for you that it would draw all of my family and others whose lives I am privileged to touch and influence to a deeper relationship with you. No matter how I am treated, may I always treat others with respect and love. Help me to reflect your character to my children-in-law as my sweet mother-in-law did to me.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.