I have always loved the book of Ruth. Ruth is about renewal and redemption. Three main characters Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. Keywords are redeem, redemption, relative, kinsman, Naomi, Ruth, Boaz,  Key thought in Boaz, God provides a kinsman-redeemer who exchanged her bitterness for blessing and foreshadows the redemptive work of Jesus, Kinsman-Redeemer. The key action is to trust in God who redeems the hardships of our lives, God blesses us, provides for our future.

LoveGodGreatly.com is starting a study on Ruth. Can you imagine coming to a foreign land? Ruth followed her mother-in-law Naomi back to the Bethlehem area following the death of her husband. But more importantly, she accepts the God that Naomi serves and is redeemed. The key verse of Ruth is the memory verse for the week. Ruth 1:16.

Memory Verse

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: KJV

Read Ruth 1: 1-3 and Leviticus 26: 1-4, 18-20; SOAP Ruth 1:1-3

A way to study the scripture is through a method called SOAP. S- to write out the scripture. O- what do you observe? A-application  P- prayer. How to do this is outlined in this explanation.

The blog at LoveGodGreatly.com is written every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  When we make a wrong decision is the title for week 1.  It is worth the read, just click on the previous sentence.

So, here is my SOAP

Scripture is found in Ruth 1:1-3.

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there. Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.

Observation.

The time period is when the judges were in charge. Elimelek lived in the promise land, Bethlehem in Judah. He is married with two sons. He takes his family to Moab. His wife is Naomi, and his sons are Mahlon and Kilion. Naomi’s husband dies and she is left with her two sons. No mention of prayer regarding the decision to go to Moab. Moab is a land with Moabites, they are related to Lot. His daughters tricked him and became pregnant after the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Application

When times are rough do you feel like you are facing a famine? Do you turn to the world for answers? your best friend? or do you turn to God in prayer and reading His word searching for answers. Are you trusting God with your life?

Prayer

Father God, thank you for your provision. You are the Alpha, the Omega, the beginning and the end. I can trust you with every detail in my life. I am so thankful for your word and the ability to walk in faith with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Conclusions

My famine is health issues and grief. What is your famine? Who are you trusting?