This is a guest post by Terrie Thorpe: author, blogger and writer of Christian Living articles. Her books “Am I Really Saved? Answering Questions of Christians” and “Footsteps of Jesus – Becoming a Disciple” are geared toward new Christians and those who have lost their way. Enjoys hiking, gardening, reading and sharing Jesus with the world! Please visit her blog, Light for the Journey often!
We make literally thousands of decisions a day never fully comprehending how those choices affect future events. Sometimes we feel we are just going through the motions of everyday life; going to school or work. In one moment, our paths cross with another person and we are changed. We like to believe that we are the masters of our own destiny, when in fact we are on a course overseen by a loving God.
Do you seek to learn which way the Lord is leading you?
The Lord designed us for a special mission yet, there are times when we have made a wrong decision. The path we are on is way out of sequence with our purpose. At the right time something fantastic will occur and change our direction. These special encounters are known as divine appointments or divine interventions. Those seemly random events that appear to mean nothing but in hindsight, they expose a purpose and relevance to a current situation.
The Bibles describes many of these course corrections, which effected people and the course of nations. Some changes were for the good and other events, were not so good. One good story is found in book of Ruth.
A family from Bethlehem left their home because of a famine and moved to Moab. During their stay, the husband died and the two sons married Moabite women, which was forbidden by their Law. When the sons died, it left three widows. The Lord has a special heart for taking care of widows as the story unfolds.
Naomi, the mother was deeply distressed, she had lost everything, there was no way that she could provide for her widowed daughters or herself. She learned that the famine had passed in Bethlehem, so she decided to go home. On the way, Naomi realized the problems she would face with her Moabite daughters. So she decided to send them back to their families, but Ruth refused to leave Naomi.
“Ruth replied, ‘Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. I will go wherever you go and live wherever you live. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. I will die where you die and will be buried there. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” (Ruth 1:16-17 NLT).
Ruth had made a noble choice to honor Naomi by fully submitting her life to serve Naomi and the God of Israel. The Lord was pleased with Ruth’s desire to stay with Naomi, which kept her on the right path. Naomi was once well off, but returned penniless and sent Ruth to find food for them. She carefully instructed Ruth on the customs of the land.
What were the odds Ruth would begin working in a field owned by relative? Could this be considered chance that she caught the eye and the heart of the one who would be her kinsman redeemer? No, the Lord honors those who honor him. Because Ruth chose to honor and love Naomi, who could offer her nothing, she was given a special place in lineage of Jesus.
Ruth married Boaz, the owner of the field and an eligible relative. Their son was Obed. Obed became the father of Jesse who in turn was the father of David. Even though she was considered an outsider to the Jewish faith, God can graft in anyone he chooses.
How about you, do you think there is a master plan for your life? Do you think that things just happen? Do you step out in faith, like Ruth not sure of the end result?
The only way we will find purpose and meaning is to trust the Lord to guide us to our destiny.
“For I know the plans I have for you” says the Lord, “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT).
This post is a part of the “Catching Souls” series
