The Prostitute's Scarlet Cord

Reference Passage:

Joshua 2:21 (NIV)

“Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”

   So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window. 

Read the whole passage here

 

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Rahab had visitors. Not the usual kind, though. Their demeanour showed signs of serious business. Hardly the shady type that showed up usually at her doorstep. They were looking for accommodation, and on Rahab's part, there was no reason to refuse. 

Reasons came knocking soon enough though. 

The king had reliable intelligence that the dreaded Israelites had sent spies to scout the land, having already displayed considerable intent to conquer Jericho. Legend had it that years ago, the descendants of Jacob had spectacularly thrown off the Egyptian yoke of slavery, aided by some unknown God. Proceeding in the direction of Canaan, their first major obstacle was the Red Sea, which miraculously parted ways, allowing the multitude to cross over on dry ground. Judging by their pace, it had only been surprising that they took so long to arrive. Through the years, fresh tidings of their military strength kept coming as if to keep the state of alert alive, until the land was filled with the fear of impending doom. Now that they were just moments away from entering Canaan, Jericho's king had made up his mind to do everything possible to block their way.
Strangely, not everybody thought likewise. Its remarkable that different people react to the same situation in different ways. Rahab, for one, was hoping to find out who this God was. She was surely no stranger to the pantheon of her time. As always, religion brings with it a kind of passionate fervour whenever its adherents spend much to prop it up on ceremonial crutches. There may be little intellectual or moral nutrition in the package, but devotees find a queer sense of  fulfilment and pride in religious business. But, this enigmatic God seemed to transcend empty tradition and human folk tales, He sounded real and Israel's success appeared to have basis for trust. Could she expect a personal encounter someday?

The king's message was ruthless : turn over the 'visitors'. Now, Rahab was in a fix. Life had placed two choices before her, and there was no running away this time. Fear of man or fear of God? Which would she choose? After all, this was her king speaking with all the authority of Jericho. For the rest of us, the second option does not even figure in our calculations, being so 'unworthy' of consideration. Nevertheless, in a momentous decision that speaks volumes of her courage and faith, Rahab decided to hide the spies, and cook up a false story for the king's men.

While the soldiers were busy chasing wild geese, Rahab wasted little time in pleading for mercy from her two guests, humbly admitting that her life was not in her own hands. But wait a minute! Wasn't Rahab overdoing things? In the first place, the agents' lives were in her hands, and she could do as she pleased.
The real difference was that, fortunately for her, her eyes were firmly on what was coming, and everything made different sense in the light of this bigger picture. She could already hear the footsteps of the Israelites and the trumpet blow, and it was only a matter of time before the city fell. Indeed, the measly defences of men would not hold out against a God who parted the Red Sea, and slew the mighty kings of the Amorites. Though the pick was extremely limited, what was actually placed before her was the door of salvation and by faith, she saw the immense opportunity that she otherwise could never aspire to attain.

Would surprises never end? The Israelite operatives had an unusual offer to make. There was no easy 'Yes-or-No' solution. The deal was to leave a scarlet cord tied to the window as a signal to the invaders. Whoever came and remained in Rahab's house, would be saved with her when the attack was on. The spies were not to blame if the cord went missing. There would be no multiplicity of threads. It was obvious that everybody would have to rally to a single point, it being practically impossible for the spies to scour the city for scarlet signals at zero hour. Besides, no one was going to escape by simple gestures or overtures, as is typical of Christmas and Good Friday each year. None of these were too big a sacrifice to make, considering whose priority it was to be saved.    

In effect, that was the end of Rahab's business as the 'businesswoman' was now busy inviting people to a new and living hope. I wonder how often she struggled with the seductive fragrances of her sensual past, while the scarlet cord of hope compelled her in a different direction. Gladly one day, the moment of truth came, and they all were whisked away to safety while the city burned to ruins.

Rahab's story sketches for us the outline of God's redemptive plan for mankind. Grace sends spies to invite repentant sinners into the kingdom. There aren't many who have seen the trouble brewing, or realized that their lives are not in their own hands. While we're all busy dancing to the 'eat-work-play-sleep' pattern, formal religion seems to offer little seriousness and no hope. Both god and believer shy away from commitments of any sort, and self gratification remains the ultimate objective of all. Santa Claus and the Easter bunny have usurped Christ and His Cross. Yet, we've seen our walls crumble before the harsh realities of life, because we chose to take cover in the shadow of the moment. We still have no real answer for fear.
Yet, God placed a scarlet cord at the Cross of Calvary – a salvation deal that expects us to surrender our lives to the will of God's love. This love is sacrificial by nature, and far excels the vain imaginations of a self-seeking human mind. This is where hope overcomes fear, because mercy triumphed over judgement.

Until then? Life hangs by a thread.

Ruth - Grace has the final say!

Reference Passage:
Ruth chapter 4 Read it here

Perhaps, the word 'redemption' which is the keynote of Ruth's story, seems a little mysterious to many of my readers. Literally, the word means 'the act of purchasing back something previously sold'. What I've been trying to do, is to draw analogies between the redemption in Ruth's saga, to the redemption of humanity, as accomplished by Jesus Christ according to the Bible. In a way, I'm also suggesting that Ruth's life and legend, as preserved by the Jews, was intended to stand as a shadow of what was to eventually happen in history, through the death of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

The big day has arrived. The scene of action is the entrance to Bethlehem city where as we learned earlier, the 'Citizen Justice Council', if I may call it so, gather to discuss cases and disputes. This day, the members have gathered at the behest of Boaz, a rich Bethlehemite, to decide the matters concerning the property of the late Elimelech, another of the same family and city. As we are familiar by now, the only surviving members of Elimelech's immediate family are his widow, Naomi and his daughter-in-law, Ruth. Having sold their property in the face of poverty some time ago, they had moved to the neighboring country of Moab. Having lost everything in the process, they stand in home country seeking to return to their inheritance, helpless however as they have nothing to help them buy back their sold out property.
Ruth however, went around seeking food and came upon Boaz's field – and that was where the whole matter turned around. One thing led to another and finally, upon Ruth's request, Boaz decided to shoulder the responsibility and settle the case once and for all.

However, redemption rights belonged first to the closer relative, as Boaz pointed out. On being offered the opportunity, he readily agreed. However, on learning that the deal involved marrying Ruth and having to name her child heir to Mahlon's property, he backed out. Boaz faithfully snapped up the opportunity without wasting another moment – indeed, he was a man of his word.
Do you remember Naomi's gentle words at the end of the previous episode? “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.”
If you have read the New Testament, one of the most thrilling promises of our Good Boaz, Jesus Christ, is to return and take us away to be with Him (John 14:1 - 3). Right from the early days of the Church, word went around that the same Jesus Christ who had been seen ascending to Heaven, would return in like manner for those who eagerly awaited His coming. In fact, during the periods of intense persecution that racked the first century Church, hope was one of the fundamental elements that sustained the hunted Christian.
It also helps to understand that the Church's interest in the Lord's return is only inversely proportional to its materialistic passions. History bears witness that when either of these desires rise, the other has to bow down and give way. The more attached the Christian to the Lord, the less attached he is to the fading glory of the temporary. The more attached he becomes to the temporary, the eternal loses its meaning and significance in his perspective. Often wondered why we have little interest to kneel down for an hour of prayer when we could spend double the time and effort on the phone? Its important for us that we learn to give 'the things of today' merely their due attention, and nothing more.

Moving further along the lines of thought, man's deliverance from sin has been a major focus of God's plan all through history. As we learned the last time, God's first step towards this was to show man the wickedness of his own heart. The coming of Jesus Christ signaled the next phase of God's salvation plan. His death on the Cross revealed the true price of man's folly in God's eyes. At the same time, that very price, which no man could hope to pay off, was paid once and for all. The Lord Himself said, “...whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” (John 6:37) Hence, we now know that man may surrender his life into God's hands, who promises to shoulder the responsibility of redemption, just as Ruth trusted in Boaz.

But wait a minute! Does that mean our redemption is complete? What is our current position in the salvation story?

Some people claim that trusting in Jesus Christ today means that perfection has been attained. This teaching is otherwise known as 'Perfectionism'. These people believe that the innocence of the Adamic Age in Eden, prior to the fall, is immediately restored. Some among them claim that a Christian cannot fall ill or become poor. A great wave of prosperity-teaching has been spreading across the globe, never lacking popularity due to the obvious fact that materialism is at its very heart. I say this because, most of the Gospel presentations I see today is merely a watered-down soup that says, “Come to God if you want to be blessed. Jesus died for the forgiveness of your sins and there's a great life just waiting for you – come on and enjoy the blast!”
If the sinner fails to realize what his fundamental problem is, he will not understand what the doctor's diagnosis and medicine is all about. The result? Churches get flooded with multitudes who have probably never experienced the rebirth into God's family – you never see the need for it, if you never understand what sin is.
I remember raising the issue with an 'enlightened' soul recently, who felt that it was I who needed a 'fuller' revelation of the New Testament. He said that there was no point in telling a poor man his sin because he's already in the dirt, its better to tell him that God will take care of his financial problem. This is strange because if wealth was the issue, Christ need not necessarily be the answer. You have the lottery, self-management gurus, pilgrimage to Miracle Centers and a horde of other options, which have nothing to do with Jesus Christ or His message. Besides, what then about the rich man? Since he's rich already, does he not need God anymore?
The best was yet to come – this man claimed that since he came to believe in the Lord, he has not had to use medicine for the past 2 years. He believes that all true believers have a total 'exemption' from sickness of all kinds. I barely refrained from popping the question that came to my mind – what about the toothpaste we use every morning?

Sometimes we get so carried away with our feeble interpretations of Scripture that we try to twist truth to fit our perceptions. I remember the words of Dr. Ravi Zacharias who said, “Either your Christianity will carry you. Else, you will carry your Christianity. After a while, it becomes a tiresome exercise because its impossible to carry the Infinite.”

The New Testament points to the fact that we're in a position similar to Ruth, somewhere between the end of chapter 3 and the middle of chapter 4. Having believed in Christ, we have placed our hope upon Him and we await the completion of the good work that has been set in motion by His Divine Grace.
When writing to the believers in Ephesus, Apostle Paul writes thus: “In Him(referring to Jesus Christ) also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in Whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1:11-14)
Those of us who are already familiar with Ruth's background will be in a position to grasp the meaning of the above text. Paul is obviously referring to a transaction that is to be completed in the future. He notes that the purchase has been made by paying the necessary price and sealed to make evident its destination in God's plan. When Ruth placed herself into the redeeming power of Boaz, he kept his word and completed the formalities of paying off the debt. Now comes the union of Boaz and Ruth in matrimony that will finally end Ruth's journey in search of a new identity.
Similar sentiments echo with regard to the Christian's spiritual experience in the following passages of the New Testament: Romans 3:23-25, Romans 8:23, 2 Corinthians 1:20-22, Colossians 1:13-14 and Hebrews 9:11-15. One thing is certain: coming to Christ is just the beginning of a journey, and not the end of it!

All of this sounds like great theory – but there is a problem. We find Christians all over the world, still awaiting the return of the Lord who promised, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3) The wait, in itself, is a severe test of faith, that has now lasted almost 2 millennia. Through the centuries, Christians have been no strangers to persecution and suffering. After all, doesn't the whole thing sound a little silly, now that so many years have gone by and there seems to be no sign that these extraordinary claims would come to fruition? Humanly thinking, I can understand the enthusiasm of the early first century Christians who had had the opportunity to walk with the Lord personally or at least be taught by close eyewitnesses. The great miracles, the fiery preaching, the love of fellow brethren and much more besides, may have contributed a sense of reality to the believers of that time. But what now? Could it have been merely a passing illusion like the many fallen ideologies of our day?

As the Christian wrestles his own gnawing doubt within, he finds solace in the pages of the New Testament that resound with hope of a different kind. Read the much-persecuted Paul's second letter to the Corinthians as he explains his unwavering faith in the midst of difficulty - “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) These are the words of a man who had been repeatedly beaten, imprisoned and chased from city to city, for his faith. Yet, he chose to label his difficulties 'momentary'. Why? He says that he's experiencing a renewed strength in his 'inner man'. Sounds strange and self-contradictory, doesn't it? Why should one search for something that can't be seen? Read further Paul's words to the Romans - “Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.” (Romans 8:23-24) He explains in his letter that redemption through Christ, has given him a taste of the wonderful things yet to come - “the firstfruits of the Spirit” - and that foretaste keeps him going.

As Christians, we may have thought that the whole 'funda' is in the 'Christian' label and the weekly pilgrimage to the local shrine. The truth is God desires that we move on from the realm of 'facts and figures' and come to a daily 'tasting' and definite experiences of His good gifts in our lives – particularly spiritual. We may not know or recognize our own spiritual needs and that's part of our problem. There's definitely more to life than what meets the eye. A life void of such rich personal experience in relating to Jesus Christ, soon finds itself tossed about and broken in the waves of doubt and despair.
In his famous hymn 'Come Thou Fount of every blessing', Robert Robinson penned his own internal struggle in the following stanza:

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Back to Ruth. The ending of the fourth chapter comes on the wings of a beautiful blessing pronounced by the elders and all the others at the gate, recalling God's amazing grace in their own history. The history of Judah is testimony of the fact that in spite of man's vested interests, God in His mercy, turns things around and causes light to shine in our darkness.
The author of the book ends the recorded genealogy with King David. Interestingly, Mathew, tells us better details of this unique family tree in his Gospel writings. Mathew chapter 1 tells us that Ruth's second mother-in-law was none other than Rahab, the prostitute from Jericho, who aided the Israeli spies (Mathew 1:5)! Rahab is another prime example of how someone with a regretful past found forgiveness and healing, in the quest for the true God. Whats more, the greatest man ever to walk the face of the earth, comes later in the lineage - “...and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” (Mathew 1:16)

Behold the great things God has wrought! The story began with a backsliding family that soon tottered on the brink of extinction. Then began the search of a strange woman for God and a desire to break with convenient worship, that culminated with redemption in a foreign land and a place in the lineage of Jesus Christ. All of this stands as a gentle lesson of God's Love and Grace that still shines for those who would make it a point to sacrifice status quo for the Truth.

I close with the following words of Jesus Christ:
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
(Mathew 7:13-14)

Ruth - Until He settles the matter (Part 5 of 5)

Reference Passage:
Ruth chapter 3 Read it here

Kindly do not forget to seek the Lord's help to grasp the text.

An interesting incident happened in Economics class during the 5th semester of my undergraduate engineering studies. Many of us had the habit of coming late to class owing to the fact that our teacher was, in many ways, a very patient lecturer. As is usual, liberties are bound to be stretched and some of us began to arrive casually halfway through the period. Despite gentle reminders and rebukes, we failed to mend our ways. Frustrated, one fine morning, Ms. Padma remarked, “Boys, all of my efforts at an external control can never make headway, as long as there does not exist an internal control within you.”
Myself, a latecomer at times, I began to turn this statement over and over in my mind until I better appreciated the depths of the statement.

Ever wondered why we needed a policeman to direct the traffic, if sticking to the rules is the best thing to do? Is it not because we humans have an uncanny tendency to break the rules? Very often, the bad habit comes to us more naturally than the good. I've never had to teach my younger brother how to lie, but getting him to speak the truth takes quite a bit of effort.

Lets consider a slightly different angle of the matter. When I shine the above thought into my own heart, I begin to wonder as to who has the right to tell me what's right and what's not. Can I not decide for myself whats morally correct? Oh yes! I may; no one can stop me from this. However, think of this: suppose I have the bright idea one morning to drive on the opposite side of the road. The trouble is, the policeman can not sympathize with me just because I was convinced that I was doing the right thing. His job is to uphold the law of the land that dictates which side of the road I am to drive on. At the end of the day, clutching a hefty fine, I'm still undecided as to who was right and who was not.
Hence, some may suggest that we ought to let the Government decide for us what is right for us and the best bet on fair governance might be a democratic system. Here again, I'm fine as long as I'm backing the winning horse but what if I'm not? My country, India, is a case in point. We've often witnessed how heeding a politician's pre-poll eyewash has only resulted in betrayal, the morning after.
There is a point at which human logic appears to bow down before its own inability to define morality. The courtroom is often the scene where this happens. Take for instance, the O. J. Simpson murder case that gripped American imagination, way back in 1995. The following links should give you a fine idea as to what I'm driving at.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._J._Simpson_murder_case
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Simpson/Shapiro.htm

Argument upon argument, and counter-arguments to battle them, could not lead to a clincher. Even today, those of us in the gallery might scratch our heads in dismay and shrug off the whole thing like it never happened – except for the family of the slain, for whom the thought that the true killer evades justice, is a dagger to the heart.
The problem here is, our best laws and brightest lawyers, are powerless to coax the heart into cooperation and soon our arguments rise to a different arena – the battlefield of the minds, where only arguments and wordplay dominate. Have you observed how our debates and discussions, whether minor or major, soon descend to an 'argument-for-the-sake-of-argument' realm and all end in stalemate? Both sides know that a look at the heart would be uncomfortable, so each retreats to the refuge of the mind where contentions may be safely manufactured by the dozen.

In the end, we are back at square one with the nagging question: Who decides what's right and wrong?

The Bible gives an account of how, many centuries ago, a multitude journeyed from Egypt(in Africa) to Canaan(in the Middle East). They were led by Moses, a man appointed as leader by God Himself. The full record of this epic journey spans the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. On the way, through Moses, God handed down a rigorous code of conduct for the Israelites to adhere to all their lives, now known as the Mosaic Law. As I said earlier, God deals with humans on the basis of covenants and the Israelites were no different.
God prepared a 10-point charter, as the foundational agreement on which the Mosaic Law would be based. We know this covenant today as the Ten Commandments. Years later, Moses recounts to the nation:“So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess.” (Deuteronomy 4:13-14)

However, in spite of the exciting experiences of witnessing God's power and receiving His commandments firsthand, the people of Israel found themselves slipping into sin, time and again. Each time, God's justice necessitated punishment and in their pain, they often returned with tears and repentance. Nevertheless, their sincerity was short-lived and soon, they were back to their old ways. Even those who tried, found themselves swimming against the current and often failing. Eventually, the psalmist reached the following conclusion in Psalm 130: “If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?” (verse 3)

Apostle Paul captures the classic struggle of the God-seeker in his letter to the Romans:
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.
As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”
(Romans 7:15-20)
As did the men of old, Paul discovered that the struggle with sin was a more internal affair than an external one. He pointed out that, although he knew through the Mosaic Law what was right and what was not, he failed in the face of temptation hence implying the urgent need for an inner change. In the face of a weak self, the First Covenant could do nothing more than rightfully condemn every wrongdoer – in short, every human being – of crossing God's boundaries.
The God of the Bible is revealed to be a fierce hater of sin and punishes sin with a separation from His Presence, inspite of the unchanging fact that His love for the sinner continues. This is as plain as the fact that light and darkness fails to coexist.

God made this evident in the Garden at the court hearing of Adam and Eve. The transgressors were banished from the Garden by Divine decree. As you turn the pages of the Gospels, you find Jesus repeating the words, “There is weeping and gnashing of teeth outside...” in His parabolic teachings (Mathew 8:12, 22:13, 24:51, 25:30, Luke 13:28) – ever wondered what this means? An obvious explanation lies in the state of today's world – having been cast out of God's presence, all of humanity seems to move in vicious circles of pain and hatred right from the days of Adam and Eve.

Behold what the First Covenant has accomplished! If then, every sin leads to judgement and separation from God, does not every human being, ourselves included, stand with no basis to claim the blessings of the house of God?

Much later, a priest named Jeremiah, and other prophets like him, began to foresee the coming of a New Covenant that would work differently as compared to the First. Inspired by the Spirit of God, he penned the following words sometime about 600 B.C.:
“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
The modus operandi is different here – no more is the law merely an externally imposed system, rather it is written on the pages of the heart itself, supernaturally enabled by the delivering work of God Himself. Would such a person seek the loophole in the absence of external policing? I think not.

A few centuries later, the author of the book of the Hebrews picks up the strand in a very different light. In the first century A.D., from the legalistic confines of a Jewish nation, a small band of people broke out, choosing to be known by the name of their so-called radical leader, Jesus Christ. Their claims were no less radical – having been put to death by the Roman government, Jesus had miraculously risen again from the dead, they claimed! Sure enough, they were met with stiff resistance and persecution, as they preached and practised theories that were seemingly contrary to conventional Judaism.
Seeking to encourage the struggling Christians, he patiently explains how Jesus Christ came to fulfill the First Covenant in its truest sense, and not to contradict it. Look at the Spirit-inspired words that flow from this pen:
“...He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the First Covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” (Hebrews 9:15)

Presto! Our thoughts come a full circle. We began with Ruth's journey towards a fresh identity. The issue of the inheritance of her dead husband, sold out in the face of famine, gradually emerged. En route, we glimpsed man's own need for redemption – a redemption from the power of sin within, and the separation it brings. Having sold himself for the vain pleasures of the moment, he stands helpless to regain the lost inheritance God had originally kept for him.

Helpless...unless our good Boaz steps in to make the difference!

Having approached the master with the symbolic plea to take her 'under his wing', Ruth is assured of his help. Naomi now asks her to wait “for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day”. (Ruth 3:18)

God seems to one of the few who has still not been affected by the digital revolution and 'the iPod 3-click' syndrome. He still believes in such words as 'wait' because His timing is so different from our own perception of time. It is unfortunate that our obsession with speed seems to manifest itself even in matters of salvation and repentance. We might sometimes believe and teach that 'a sinner's prayer' and weekly attendance at church meetings is all it takes – but the Bible puts it differently.

We ought to be asking ourselves this: Is our spiritual life being governed by assumptions of salvation, when in reality our haste may have caused us to miss the internal transformation and liberty promised under the New Covenant?

The story of Ruth continues...

Ruth - Until He settles the matter (Part 4 of 5)

Reference Passage:
Ruth chapter 3:1 - 5 Read it here

As always, my humble advise is to refrain from proceeding until you seek the Lord's help to understand the following text.

It will help us to recall that God calls us to satisfaction. Yet, we often misunderstand this satisfaction that God expects us to come to. See what Apostle Paul writes to Timothy: “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” (1 Timothy 6:17) When the Lord asks us to take up our Cross and follow Him, we agree. Along the way, He caters to our need and gives us something that will help alleviate the difficulties of the day. When its time to move on, He exhorts us to take fresh steps into the deeper realms of His Grace wherein He may continue to mold us according to His plan. Yet, we are so caught up licking the candy wrappers that we forget what we initially set out to do. We expect a constant pampering and our shopping lists only get bigger with time. How you noticed how much our prayer time is consumed by our needs? Of course, God expects us to approach Him for our needs. But, I must warn you – something is wrong somewhere if this conveniently eats up all our time spent with God.
What about God's need? Does He not have a plan in calling us to this Grace in which we stand? The New Testament makes it evident that our prayer topics are largely different from those of the saints of old. Several of Paul's prayers are recorded in his letters to the churches and its clear that his priorities were very different. Let me quote just one of those from the epistle to the Ephesians:
“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:15-19)
Do we even have the maturity to understand what Paul is praying for?

Remember: The Lord doesn't ask us to be content because He doesn't have enough stock to supply all our needs – rather, His best treasures are of a different kind. The kind that caused Graham Kendrick to pen the following words, quoting from Paul's epistle to the Philipians:

All I once held dear, built my life upon
All this world reveres and wars to own
All I once thought gain, I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this.

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing...

I now pick up the thread I left with you last week. Ruth now stands with the offer to continue in Boaz's fields till the end of the harvest. In a little while, Naomi brings up another issue of greater significance: “My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for?” (Ruth 3:1) Ruth is reminded that her status has not essentially changed – poor Moabite widow. Merely gathering food from Boaz's fields cannot change her identity even though she desired to be one with the Israelites (Read 1:16).
What about us? We've probably had the privilege of being born to orthodox parents. We've attended church services from our very early days. We contribute generously to church work. Above all, we have been blessed with prosperity, education and family which we acknowledge as blessings of Grace. In fact, we often point to our blessings as evidence of belonging to God's family.

I must raise an uncomfortable question here – if indeed prosperity is evidence of belonging to God's family, what about the many around the world, who in spite of an abundance of wealth, choose to wallow in moral filth? Then again, what about Christians worldwide who follow Christ even in the midst of abject poverty?

Have we indeed undergone a real identity change in the eyes of God? Most importantly, where do we look for information – should I ask the pastor? Or my parents perhaps? Friends? The Pope?
A simple illustration given by the Lord Himself should suffice. Read His words in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
The Lord makes it clear that when His words become the foundation of our lives, and not the words of man, a life that cannot be shaken will take shape. If indeed man speaks with the same solid basis, we will do well to obey. But we better make sure (Acts 17:10-12).

Naomi's words now serve to shift the focus of Ruth's life – from the mere fulfillment of existential needs to a deeper issue at stake that is, the redemption of the family name and inheritance. I wrote earlier that Elimelech's name stands on the verge of extinction as both of his sons died without producing any offspring. Naomi being beyond the age of child-bearing and Orpah having left the household, a lot hinges on Ruth.
Yet, here lies a plain reality – Ruth cannot, of her own, fulfill the redemptive act just as much as she cannot produce a son of her own.

The reality in our lives is no different – in spite of enjoying God's goodness, there is a voice within that's urging us toward a deeper relationship with Him. Have you observed how, at times, you look at your wealth (or lack of it), studies, career or relationships, and wonder where all these are taking you? You keep asking yourself the question 'what is the purpose of my life?' and suggest various answers to yourself – yet, none seem to satisfy.
Raise the banner of love and you quickly have a 'rainbow' crowd gathering in its shade. Nevertheless, at the end of the rainbow, we've often seen a bitterness that calls into question our definitions of love. Some say that they're doing all they can, for their kids. However, recent stories appearing in the media raise troubling questions as to whether the effort is worth its weight. Career is paramount for some others but the reigning economic depression exposes the sad fickleness of wealth. In our minds, we trace our path which seems to go in frustrating circles until we come to a gaping pit that seems to draw everything into its blackness – the mysterious black hole called Death.

How we wish we knew what lies beyond that blackness! If indeed there is hope beyond the curtain, it makes sense that securing that future is worth the effort. If only someone could go in and return to tell us all! Here again, something becomes crystal clear – we're asking for something which no man can accomplish! We may see travel agencies promise exciting holidays to the remotest paradises on earth. But, I ask, who can secure my seat to the Eternal Paradise of God?

As that inner voice eggs us on, we stand reluctant to take a step of faith forward. Here lies a great crisis – on one hand, we hope to discover God and His promises of eternal life; yet, we also desperately wish to hold on to certain 'prized' possessions. Lets ask ourselves: where are these treasures taking us anyway? I recall the words of the Lord Jesus: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Mathew 6:19-21)
As Naomi outlines a plan for her, Ruth responds with obedience and exemplary humility. Naomi points to Boaz and says that with him, lies the power and the will to redeem their broken estate.

What of us? Do we not see our Good Boaz of the New Testament who has given us hope? Death could not hold Him in the grave and He is risen to rule and reign forevermore. With His unique perspective of life from every possible angle, He can infuse a fresh and lasting meaning into our lives found nowhere else. Its one thing to experience His mercies in our lives, its quite another to enter into a covenant relationship with Him. The God of the Bible is very particular about that word: covenant (or agreement). He never gets into 'deeper' dealings with anybody without a covenant.

Behold – at the Last Supper of the Lord with his disciples, He spoke of His impending death upon the Cross in very specific terms. Read Mathew's account of the event:
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. ””
(Mathew 26:26 – 28)
Christians worldwide remember these words each week at the Eucharist or the Lord's Table. We all agree that the Lord's death upon the Cross is the foundational event on which our faith is based. But what is this New Covenant all about? In that case, what is the Old Covenant and why did it have to be done away with?

As I leave you with these questions this week, I must remind you that many of us have only touched the threshold of God's house. As we hear the voice of the Holy Spirit gently welcoming us into God's presence to begin a relationship with God, may we not be satisfied with the mere blessings of the Giver – let us run on to lay hold of Himself and the desires of His heart.

To be continued...