Daily Bible Reading - Thursday - May 6th

Reading in Ruth this morning we see just how the Lord is taking care of her and Naomi, they are being blessed even in the mist of their troubles.   We see that both Naomi and Ruth have traveled to where Naomi’s husbands relatives, this is where Boaz came into the story.  He was a relative of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, and he was a rich and honourable man. It is important for us to know the family connection. In Israel, families owned the land. All the land was a gift from God, so each family cared very much about their part of it. Elimelech had no son to take his responsibilities, but his family tried to help Naomi and Ruth.  Ruth was younger than Naomi was. So she offered to gather grain that the men had left. It was usual to allow widows and foreigners to do this. This was called gleaning. God made this rule for his people. It was a way for them to share his gifts with poor people. Ruth seems to have chosen Boaz’s field by chance. However, we know that God makes good things happen. He does this when we trust him totally.  We see that Boaz accepts her into his fields and tells her that God is accepting, as we know when we trust God and give all situations to Him, He takes care of us totally as He has Ruth.  We actually see this through all of today’s reading, all the way down to the Proverbs, a theme of trusting God and He taking care of needs.

Then we get to the Devotional and we find that in Him are strength and joy, having His joy and strength makes our lives so joyful.  The closer we draw to Him the more He draws to us giving us that strength and joy. 

Today’s Reading

Ruth 2:1-4:22
John 4:43-54
Psalm 105:16-36
Proverbs 14:26-27

Daily Devotional

I Chronicles 16:27
“Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary "

Do you need more strength and joy in your life? The Bible tells us that in God’s presence there is fullness of joy—the most abundant and complete! And when you have His joy, you have His supernatural strength. There’s nothing that can overtake you when you are filled with the strength and joy of the Lord.

Notice this verse says that strength and joy are found in His sanctuary. One translation says they are found “where He is." And do you know “where He is"? His Spirit is alive in every believer; but in His Word, He promises that He inhabits or manifests in the praises of His people. That means when you begin to praise and worship God, either corporately in a church setting or privately in your personal time, God is there. You are in His sanctuary. Anytime you feel depleted or overwhelmed, just begin to sing a song of praise to Him. Declare His goodness and faithfulness. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. He’ll fill you with His joy and strength so that you can live as an overcomer all the days of your life!

Today's thought: I bless You today. I thank You for Your goodness in my life. Thank You for filling me with Your strength and joy, and I praise and worship You today.