Ruth 1 & 2: A Full Reward
Verse of the Day: (2:12) The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

1. Rest (1:1-13)
The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. (1:9)

Naomi was gracious to her two daughters in law, as she told them to return to their mothers’ homes since her two sons or their husbands had died, so that they could find new husbands and settled down and rest in the God of Israel. During those days as it is today, we can only find true rest when we let God build our families, otherwise we build in vain. Indeed, except the Lord builds our family, we shall build in vain. (Psalms 127)
    
2. Ruth (1:14-22)
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. (1:14)

Unlike Orpah, Ruth refused to leave Naomi, but cleaved to her and promised her that she shall go where she would go, and shall stay where she would stay, and her God would be her God, and she shall die and bury where she would die and bury and until death do them part. This demonstrated the great faith and trust that Ruth had in the God of Naomi. Though Naomi was sad and sorrowful by the departure of her beloved husband and two precious sons, yet she was greatly comforted and encouraged by Ruth’s faithfulness and loyalty to her, and to her true and living God. In fact, Ruth’s promises had become the famous wedding vows throughout the centuries where couples commit themselves to one another. This is the prelude to Jesus Christ’s sacrificial love for the world, in particular, His church or bride, when He left heaven and came to earth to die for her. Jesus is the Husband and the church is His wife, and as He loves His wife and gave His life for her, so must the husband loves his wife and willing to give his life for her. (Ephesians 5:21-27)

3. Reward (2:1-23)
And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. (2:20)

At the end of Ruth’s life, God not only reward her trust in Him with her new husband, Boaz, who loved her, and was her kinsman redeemer, but He also blessed her with spiritual blessings in glorious heaven. Indeed, Jesus Christ is our Kinsman Redeemer as He redeems all who believe in Him from fiery hell to pearly heaven. Let us therefore keep loving and serving God amid great trials knowing that He is with us and He shall bless us with a full reward which we shall humbly place at His feet. (Revelation 22:12-13)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You for Your full reward which is awaiting me as I serve You.