the Farmer’s cactus has such spectacular blooms
in comparison to the humble-looking plants.
Good Morning
“I love God because He listened to me.” Psalm 116:1
God knows everything and everybody;
and everything about everybody.
He knows even that which is yet unknown to anybody.
There is no thought, idea, invention, place, person, plan,
or purpose which He does not know all there is to know about.
Imagine, then, the wonder of His genuine attentiveness —
“He listened to me.”
Have you ever tried to say something important or
personal to someone who wasn’t listening?
Oh, sure, they held eye contact,
only occasionally glancing away at some passing distraction.
And they nodded at appropriate moments,
and even muttered a muted grunt while you were speaking.
But, despite their feigned interest,
the moment they get a chance to reply,
they either fire back some trite response
that has nothing whatsoever to do with what your were saying;
or, they quickly excuse themselves with some pressing need
that somehow suddenly came to their mind. Bye.
But God is not like this.
He listens.
Obviously, it is not for what He may learn —
for He already knows.
So why does He do it?
Because it gives Him pleasure —
the pleasure of seeing, hearing and enjoying our learning process,
and the passions that stir our hearts in life.
When you pray, therefore,
do it with the awareness that He is the God who listens,
and is delighted to do so.
Your words matter;
each one is carefully weighed by the Master of Words;
each phrase is turned over
and examined with artful care in His great heart.
And He appreciates with Fatherly pride
everything you think and say.
And, having listened to you,
He will also speak.
But here’s the question —
do we then listen to Him? Rylie
Am I listening . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie
Thoughts of Grace 
Sunday Bible Reading – Ruth 1:14-17
Ruth 1:14-17
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again:
and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back
unto her people, and unto her gods:
return thou after thy sister in law.
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.
from Smith’s Commentary:
The Targum adds several things to this conversation between Naomi and Ruth. I shall subjoin them:
“And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee,” for I desire to become a proselyte.
And Naomi said, We are commanded to keep the Sabbath and other holy days; and on it not to travel more than two thousand cubits.
And Ruth said, “Whither thou goest, I will go.”
And Naomi said, We are commanded not to lodge with the Gentiles.
Ruth answered, “Where thou lodgest, I will lodge.”
And Naomi said, We are commanded to observe the one hundred and thirteen precepts.
Ruth answered, What thy people observe, that will I observe; as if they had been my people of old.
And Naomi said, We are commanded not to worship with any strange worship.
Ruth answered, “Thy God shall be my God.”
Naomi said, We have four kinds of capital punishment for criminals; stoning, burning, beheading, and hanging.
Ruth answered, “In whatsoever manner thou diest, I will die.”
Naomi said, We have a house of burial.
Ruth answered, “And there will I be buried.”
(A Targum is an Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) written or compiled from the Second Temple period until the early Middle Ages (late first millennium). Wikipedia)
The testimony of Naomi’s life offered Ruth such hope that forsaking all she knew; Ruth followed Naomi and the true God.
From the archives – Reading this again – I thought “Lord, I renew my commitment to continue to follow you where so ever you lead”.
- Grape vines
- Ruth
- Sunday Bible Reading
on April 6, 2014 at 5:07 am Leave a CommentTags: Clarkes Commentary, grapes growing, Ruth 1:14-17