Skip to main content

The Work of My Hands Lord


Ruth 1:16-17: But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.  Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God.  Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.  May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”  When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

DECIDE – At all costs, to follow God, the one and only true God.  DECIDE that nothing else makes sense other than that.  I get a lot of push back from work and I have many concerns about my future there and my commitment.   Before I got the job, I said,  “I’m going to do 5 years at my next job,” and now I’m looking to get out within one year.  My thoughts: I’m trying to start my business or really get something else going because I cannot see myself there long term.



As you know, I’ve had one foot in and one foot out, and that’s why I haven’t achieved any real success anywhere.  The questions and ups and downs I go through are because I haven’t yet DECIDED with the finiteness of a decision like Ruth’s.  She wasn’t wondering, Should I go?  Is it the right decision?  No.  She made the decision and backed it with a strong oath.  She burned the bridge behind her to the point of no return.  She may have done it for herself, maybe for Naomi.   Perhaps it was to stop Naomi from nagging her about it.  Regardless of the reason, now they both knew how serious she was.  Talk about a commitment!  Naomi was looking in the natural at the situation while Ruth looked at the spiritual.  Ruth was determined to live the higher life; to get closer to the Blesser and not the blessing; to stay the course.



Others will turn away and go back.  Once you have made up your mind, once you have completely decided, whatever “it” is – the enemy will stop urging you.  People will stop urging you.  You will become immovable, sturdy and steady.  We must burn the bridge of return.  Why?  It is not good to waver in your decision.  Wavering allows the enemy to toss you back and forth.  It leaves a crack for the enemy to get in.  James 1:6b says, “Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.  Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.” 

Declaration:  Here I am and Here I Stand

“A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.  This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?”  It really doesn’t matter what the business venture or plan is, who can find enjoyment in anything without the hand of God?  And God has me here at this job.  If I want to truly move forward I have to burn the bridge of return.  Only after that will others stop urging me.  Only then will I fully embrace where I am and grow.  And DECIDE to grow where I am. 



I’m not sure what decision lies before you or what you may be going back and forth on, but let me encourage you.  If there is a clear right or wrong decision, then make the right decision.  If your decision is more about gray areas in life, pursuits and preferences, then make a decision.  Then see that decision through to the end.  Because a person who can’t make up their mind, gets nothing. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Real Friends

With all these social networking sites popping up all over the place, its fun to peruse the sites to meet new people and connect with old ones.   We enjoy looking at each other’s pictures, videos, and chatting.   We stay in touch and we reach out to our “Friends.”   I get the idea Facebook had with the whole “friends” craze, though I’m certain they’ve used the term quite loosely. I must apologize before proceeding because I, on the other hand, am quite frugal with the term. FB friends send you a link …real friends take you there. FB friends review your pics…real friends are in them with you. FB friends write on your wall…real friends write on your heart. FB friends respond to your posts…real friends respond to your cries. FB friends start drama on your page…real friends talk it out behind closed doors FB friends only tell you what they like…real friends will tell you what they don’t like FB friends want to know WHAT you’re doing…real friends want to know HOW you’re doin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Are you a Leader or a Follower?

Being a leader seems to come with its own level of power and prestige.   A leader is thought to be strong, courageous, bold, powerful and full of vision – after all, he is supposed to be leading us somewhere.   A follower, though the term lacks the same glitz and glam as leader, is ever so necessary as well.   How ever could a man lead, if there is no one to follow him?   Each position carries its own weight.   It doesn’t matter whether you lead or follow – it matters “how” and it definitely matters “who”.   As a leader, the people who follow you are your responsibility.   Their life is being influenced by you directly.   They are looking to you for guidance and what you deposit in them will be absorbed.   Parents are leaders by definition because they have direct influence over your children; teachers over their students; Pastors over their congregations; and some friends over other friends – a leader can emerge anywhere.   A leader mu...
Post a Comment
Read more

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love

I need to be reminded of how much God truly loves me.   We all have a generic sense that God loves us.   We’ve heard the song, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”   Even with knowing how much God loves me, I still struggle with understanding how that love for me plays out in my life.   God doesn’t love the way we love.   His love is beyond what we even consider.   His love is so specific, so precise and so definite.   Some days, when I’m being nice to my family and I’ve paid my tithes, or given money to someone less fortunate – I feel loved by God.   At least, I may feel more lovable because I’m doing things that God would approve of.   There are many other times when I don’t feel so wonderful.   I may have snapped at a friend or said I couldn’t help out with something when I know I could’ve.   There are times when I am in direct violation of the will of God for my life.   Those times I feel awful. ...
Post a Comment
Read more