v7pc ruth devotional week 1

Greener Grass Day 1

Read: RRuutthh 11::11--22

The book of Ruth opens on a family looking for greener pastures. Livingin the time of Judges, where military conquest was common and God’sjudgment for Israel’s idolatry prevalent, one family from Bethlehemdecided to escape to Moab for relief during a particularly bad famine.Here, as Naomi will soon bitterly understand, things will not be as greenas they first appeared.

However, God is at work from the beginning of this book, setting thestage for the coming Messiah from verse 1. With tragedy about tostrike, one might wonder if things would have been better for Naomi’sfamily if they had just stayed home. Yet, God used this rustic story ofa struggling rural family to bring about a line of descendants leading toChrist, the Savior.

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In many ways, we are no different from Naomi and her family. Whenfacing hardship, it is easier to look back on difficult circumstancesand dwell on what could have been rather than trying to find peaceand contentment in all circumstances (James 1:2-7).

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Think about a difficulty you are facing in life at the moment. In whatways have you fallen into the “grass is always greener”mentality? Take time to ask God for contentment and peace in thiscircumstance, as well as to use you to further His Kingdom.

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Pray that Village Seven, your community, and that you personally willbetter understand and believe God’s perfect plan for His people and Hisglory. Pray for wisdom, discernment, and peace to accompany thisunderstanding.

Tragedy StrikesDay 2


After fleeing Bethlehem to find a better life in Moab, Naomi’s husband,Elimelech, dies, leaving her a single mom in a foreign land. Then, hersons commit the same sin God had been condemning the Israelites of forgenerations by marrying women who worship foreign gods. To top it alloff, things go from bad to worse when they both die.

Naomi is in a hopeless situation, grieving her husband and children. Atthis point, there is nothing left for her in Moab apart from Ruth andOrpah. Her response to this tragedy will reveal her true character. It isin the midst of despair, when life seems darkest, that one’s faith istruly tested and character is clearly seen. Will Naomi seek her refuge inGod Almighty, or in her own hands?


Matthew Henry asks the question of Naomi: “When these two things,loss of children and widowhood, come upon her in a moment, bywhom shall she be comforted?” When you are faced with life’sdifficulties, how would you answer this question?

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Imagine how different life for Naomi could have been if she had beensurrounded by a loving community. Are there people in yourcommunity, small group, family or neighborhood dealing withtragedy you can pray for and love? If so, act on this!


Pray for those undergoing great difficulties and suffering today. Praythat God might use you in their life to care for them and, moreimportantly, point them to the only One who can bring them comfort, ourLord Jesus Christ.

Heart Exposed Day 3


Naomi hears good news from home: God has ended the famine in Israeland has literally brought bread to the “city of bread” (Bethlehem). Asa result, Naomi determines to return to her native land. Once again, wesee that Naomi is not longing to return in order to be in the land God hadgiven His people; she is only going back to satisfy her own needs.

She starts with both of her daughters-in-law, but on the road, decidesto send them back home. What is going on with Naomi’s heart? Naomi,bitter and despairing, throws herself a pity party and decides that theyare better off without her. Naomi is living in hopelessness.


Naomi’s story is not that different from most of ours. We may notexperience famine or being stuck in a foreign country, but we all feeldespair. We all have times where we will put our own selfish needsbefore trusting God. How do we respond when this happens?


Where are you despairing in your life today? What is the one thingyou believe will satisfy you apart from God? Money? Better job? Aspouse? Identify one area where you are failing to trust God and thesufficiency of the Gospel. Share this with someone you trust.


Pray that you will believe that God is big enough and loving enough tocare for your needs. Pray that Christ will be your hope and the HolySpirit your comfort. Name the idol(s) from the daily challenge and praythat God will be your portion and daily bread, and deliver you from thetemptation to ignore God’s promises.

Two Roads Presented Day 4


Having accompanied Naomi to the road, Orpah and Ruth now have to makea choice. Naomi encourages them to go back to their mothers’ homes,that they might rebuild their lives. Both women, having just lost theirhusbands, would also be losing their families, friends, and religiousbeliefs by leaving Moab to go to Israel.

At first, both women tell Naomi they will go with her on the journey.Once more, Naomi encourages them to leave her, revealing furtherbitterness and self-pity as she blames God for harsh treatment. Herethey are presented with a difficult choice: Will they return home to aplace of comfort and remarry, or stay with Naomi through even thedifficult times?


The popular phrase “electricity takes the path of least resistance”is often true of people. When presented with an opportunity to leavework early or finish the job well, attend church or sleep in, returndropped cash or keep it, most will do what is easy over what is right.


While our situation may be different from Naomi’s, we all makechoices every day. Consider how you decide what you will choose.Are your decisions motivated more by what is easy or what isright?


Pray that Village Seven, your community, and that you personally willseek the Lord in the decisions being made. That God would be glorified asHis people determine how to schedule His time, spend His money, andinvest in friends and neighbors.

Loyalty Revealed Day 5


When Orpah decides to leave and return to her gods, Naomi pushes Rutha third time to go back to her people. At this point, Ruth reveals herheart and loyalty with a solemn and profound confession. She tellsNaomi to stop urging her to leave or turn back and then affirms that nomatter the circumstances, she is sticking with Naomi.

Furthermore, she proclaims that Naomi’s people will be hers, and whereNaomi lives and dies, Ruth will be with her. Most importantly, we seethat Ruth declares that she will follow Naomi’s God and makes an oathwith Jehovah, the proper name of the God of Israel, to do as she haspromised. Ruth is committed to God and Naomi, and chooses the moredifficult path out of conviction.


Loyalty is a word often unused in the business and political world oftoday. People are expected to backstab, manipulate, and climb overone another to advance and succeed. Against this grain, God’speople are called to be faithful, trustworthy, and loyal.


Take a few minutes to think about where you struggle with placingsuccess or even being well-liked above trustworthiness. Where haveyou sacrificed relationships for self-benefit or social advancement?


Pray that you would be a loyal and faithful servant of Christ and aloving neighbor. That in all your relationships, others would recognizethat your devotion to God is what motivates you to be honest,trustworthy, and truthful, so that He might use you to glorify Himselfand bring them to know Christ.

A Bitter NameDay 6

Read: 11::1199--2211

Naomi returns to Bethlehem and the city is stirred. One of their own,who had left more than ten years ago with a husband and two childrenhas returned with a foreigner in tow. As the women of the city see thechanges that have come over her, they ask, “Can this be Naomi?” Herresponse to them reveals the true state of her heart.

She tells them to stop calling her Naomi, which means pleasant or amiable,and to call her Mara, which means bitter. She also tells them that she leftBethlehem full, but is now empty. Her bitterness, she explains, is anaffliction from God, and the extent of this bitterness is revealed by herironic use of Shaddai, which means God All-sufficient. Naomi is nowwallowing in self-pity and blaming God outright for her problems.


Bitterness is one of those “respectable sins” we tend to overlook.It is not murder, alcoholism, or stealing, and we all struggle with itin someway. It is easily justified in a world where people treat uspoorly and life is difficult.


Who are you bitter towards right now? Are there co-workers,friends, family members or church attendees that you feel wrongedby and are harboring bitterness towards? If so, you need torecognize that, regardless of their actions, your attitude is wrong.


Pray that God would give you a heart of humility, peace, andreconciliation towards Him and others you may be bitter towards.Because He has reconciled us to Himself while we were rebellioussinners, we should seek peace with Him and others out of love.

Redemptive Drama Unfolding Day 7

Read: RRuutthh 11 SSuummmmaarryy

When examining a passage of history in Scripture, it can be easy to makebad application of the text. For example, one could read chapter 1 andcome to the conclusion: For my life, I need to act like Ruth and avoidbeing like Naomi. While it is true that some of what Ruth does isadmirable and avoiding bitterness is a good thing, this attitude losessight of the redemptive focus of Scripture.

In order to really understand and apply Ruth, it is better to ask how Godis using Naomi to accomplish his plan of salvation. The answer is thatGod, in spite of Naomi and her family’s shortcomings, is workingmightily to take care of His people and utilize them to further HisKingdom. Keep in mind through the rest of Ruth that God is guiding thiswhole story so that through an unlikely Moabite, Christ the Messiah willone day be born and change the world.


We often fail to see our own lives as a continuation of thatredemptive story playing out. Even today, God is using us in spite ofour sinfulness and weakness to bring Him glory, care for His people,and bring others to know Christ.


Ask yourself if you truly believe that God is orchestrating even themost miniscule and seemingly unimportant events in your life to dothese things.


Pray that you will actively engage and joyously participate in being partof the redemptive history God has called you to, regardless of the easeor burden of the circumstances you face.

Ruth – a Devotional and Prayer Guide

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One of the biggest problems Naomi faced was a lack of community. Shehad some family with her as she dealt with tragedy, but no one she couldrelate to spiritually. Many of us are no different. While we attend a largechurch service and spend time with family and co-workers, many of uslack a deeper community of brothers and sisters-in-Christ who cancome alongside us during times of great difficulty.

If you have not yet taken the opportunity to involve yourself in one ofVillage Seven’s communities, Bible studies, small groups, or outreachopportunities, then do something about it! Check out the variouscommunities listed on the website, talk to friends or family currentlyplugged-in or stop by the guest reception to learn more. Communitiesare where the large church becomes small and relationships can deepenand grow as believers live life together.

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v7pc ruth devotional week 1

Documents

question of naomi

different life

better life

rural family

sin god

praythat god

greener grass day

foreign gods