A Perfect Start To Your Life. - Come To HIM Who Called You

And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar. Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.
	2 Samuel 9:3-5
In Old Testament times, if a king from a different family than the previous one came to power, he would kill all of the relatives of the previous king in order to eliminate any rival. Lo-debar means “pasture-less place.” Consisting of only rocks and sand, Lo-debar would have been a terrible place to live. Why did Mephibosheth live in such a desolate place? Because he no doubt feared the new king. Mephibosheth means “shameful breath.” This more than likely means that he had asthma, or some other breathing ailment. On top of that, he was lame. Second Samuel 4 tells us that when Saul and Jonathan died on Mount Gilboa, Mephibosheth was five years old. His nanny scooped him up to rush him to safety, but in her haste, she tripped. Mephibosheth fell to the ground, evidently injuring his spinal cord. Here was Mephibosheth - hiding in a dry place, unable to breathe easily, and unable to walk at all. Perhaps that describes you or someone you know. Maybe you feel suffocated spiritually, in a dry place, unable to make any progress because you too were dropped . . . “He told me he was going to marry me, and I gave myself to him completely. Then he dropped me. My heart is broken and now I’m crippled.” “My mom left my dad. She was a Christian, but she left and never came back. So here I am, hiding out in a desolate place.” “I thought I was the best baseball player on the team. But my coach cut me. That might not seem important to some, but to me, it’s had a crippling effect.” “I was a good worker. I deserved better, but my boss dropped me to cut back on the budget.” There are countless stories of people who are crippled. I’m convinced that if we knew the secret stories of even our worst enemies, we would have nothing but compassion for them, nothing but love toward them. There is One who does know their stories. And He knows yours as well. He’s the King, the Son of David, calling out to those who are in pastureless places, to those with crippled feet. If you feel lame or crippled a bit, listen, and you’ll hear the King calling - sending a messenger to you. Just as David sent messengers to the pastureless place, the King calls still. Pastor Jon Courson

God rebuilt, rebirthed, restored, and renewed....

So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
	Ruth 4:13-16
You left full, Naomi. You came back empty. And now God is blessing you once again. The women told Naomi that Ruth was better than seven sons, seven being the number of perfection. Their words were prophetic indeed, for out of Ruth’s line would come forth not only King David, but the Perfect One - Jesus Christ. Naomi, this prodigal daughter of the Old Testament, came back to Bethlehem, where God rebuilt, rebirthed, restored, and renewed her. And that’s what He’ll do with us - if we’ll just come back to Him. Pastor Jon Courson

Ruth is a picture of you and me

And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
	Ruth 2:2-3
In Deuteronomy 24:18-20, the Father provided another compassionate law which stated that a poor person could go into the fields during the time of harvest and gather whatever was left behind by the reapers - a “work-fare” system. Familiar with Old Testament Law, perhaps through conversations with Naomi, Ruth said “Let me go glean for us. It’s better than starving.” Her “hap” was to end up in the field of Boaz. I like that! Although Ruth certainly didn’t know that this wealthy, strong landowner was a kinsman of Elimelech, the Lord had directed her steps. Nothing just happens. God is at work. There’s a grand plan coming into play. Ruth is a picture of you and me, as we shall see. We’re the Bride of Christ. But we were lost, impoverished, hungry - and it just so “happened” that we found ourselves in His field. One day, someone invited us to church, to Bible study. It is all part of God’s grand plan to send people your way, allowing you to come into contact with our Boaz - Jesus Christ. Pastor Jon Courson

Jesus Christ has redeemed us and brought us under His covering.

And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
	Ruth 2:1
The word translated “kinsman” is goel in Hebrew. Goel means “redeemer” and has its roots in the 25th chapter of Leviticus wherein God outlined a plan to prevent capitalism from getting out of hand. Every fifty years, in the Year of Jubilee, all properties purchased by corporations or wealthy individuals due to bankruptcy were to revert back to the original owner. In the Year of Jubilee, all debts were canceled. It was the Father’s safeguard against the greed which causes such disparity between rich and poor. As gracious as the Year of Jubilee was, however, fifty years is a long time to be without your land - especially if you’re a farmer. So the Lord made another provision: The closest kinsman had the right at any time to buy back property which had been lost through bankruptcy, poor business practices, or mismanagement. That is why the word goel is translated both “kinsman” and “redeemer.” This is an important concept because Jesus Christ is our Goel. We’re bankrupt. We’re out of it. Like Ruth and Naomi, we have nothing. But there is One who is wealthy. There is One who stands in strength. He is our Kinsman Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Boaz is about to redeem Ruth and bring her under his covering - even as Jesus Christ has redeemed us and brought us under His covering. Pastor Jon Courson

Why is it we try so hard to present ourselves as perfect?

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab and they came to Bethlehem . . .
	Ruth 1:22
Often, when you and I backslide, the tragedy is that we take others with us. “I’m going fishing,” Peter said. “I’m not good enough. I’m not worthy enough to follow Jesus Christ any longer” (see John 21:3). What did the other disciples say? “We’ll go with you,” they said, as they boarded the boat of backsliding together. But here is Naomi coming back, returning to the place of blessing, and look, she is bringing Ruth with her - Ruth who will be so instrumental in the very genealogy of Jesus Christ; Ruth, who is herself an illustration of the Body of Christ. Ruth is brought into the Land of Promise by a broken Naomi. When was Ruth brought into the place of blessing? It wasn’t when she was impressed with Naomi’s pleasantness and perfectness. It was when she saw Naomi’s brokenness and bitterness. Precious people, I am convinced that very often our friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors are not getting saved and not responding to the Gospel because they look at us and see the life we are presenting to them as being totally together, and they say, “God is the God of the together person, the perfect person - which is fine for you because you’re together and you’re perfect. But I’m not. Therefore He could not be my God.” Why is it we try so hard to present ourselves as perfect? We know we’re not. Who are we kidding? We all know we have problems and weaknesses, temptations and difficulties. And yet we carefully cultivate an impeccable image to present to the world. I suggest to you that people are touched and moved not when you and I preach from the pulpit of perfection, but rather when we share from the place of brokenness and humility - not pointing to our togetherness, but to God’s graciousness. Marrying into Naomi’s happy Hebrew family did not convert Ruth. You see, it was not until Naomi - Miss Pleasant - became humble and confessed freely that the Lord had dealt bitterly with her that Ruth said, “Your God shall be my God because I can relate to a God like that.” Pastor Jon Courson

God can and will refill and revive you

I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty . . .
	Ruth 1:21 (a)
Would you please underline this verse in your Bible and underscore it in your mind? This is the reason backsliding is so ridiculous. When you leave Bethlehem-judah - the House of Bread, the Place of Praise - and wander off to sojourn in Moab, you will always leave full, but come back empty. Sin always brings sorrow and sadness. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap (Galatians 6:7). Naomi went through ten years of proverbial hell on earth and would carry scars for the rest of her life because she left the land of the true and living God. Gang, the mathematics of sin are always the same, for sin adds to your sorrows, subtracts from your energy, multiplies your troubles, and divides your loyalty. Naomi went out full, but returned empty. But praise be to our Lord - the remaining three chapters of the Book of Ruth chronicle Naomi’s refilling and recharging as the Lord renews and revives her. Naomi’s story is truly one of the interesting subplots of this magnificent little book. Even if you have sojourned in Moab for a long season, even though you left full and are now coming back empty, know this: First of all, God can and will refill and revive you. Second, if you will extol His grace and His goodness, He will actually use you to bring a whole lot of Ruths back with you. Pastor Jon Courson

The worst God gives is better than the best the world offers !

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
	Ruth 1:16-17
“Even if God’s hand is against you, Naomi,” Ruth said, “the worst God gives is better than the best the world offers.” What a sentiment expressed by Ruth! This intrigues me because it means that Ruth saw in a broken, embittered Naomi a spiritual reality that superseded anything she had seen in Moab. I say this to encourage you who perhaps have been in Moab recently. You may be like Naomi - coming back to nothing, and coming back with nothing. But, like Ruth, there will be those who will see your brokenness and repentance and follow you right into the Kingdom. Why? Because “good people” usually do not draw sinners. Naomi realized she herself needed to get back to the Lord - and that is the person with whom the sinner feels most inclined to travel. If you have been in a place where you know you haven’t been what you should be, or doing what you should do, you still have the opportunity, like Naomi, to bring someone back with you. Pastor Jon Courson