Ruthless People“Then they lifted their voices and wept again; Orpah kissed her mother in law, but Ruth clung to her.” (Ruth 1:14) Ruth and Orpah both had an affection for Naomi, and set out with her upon her return to the ancestral land of Judah. The testing finally came as Naomi set before each of her daughter in law the trials which awaited them, and asked if they cared to return to Moab. At first both declared that they would cast their lot with God’s people. But upon further consideration Orpah with much selfishness and a kiss left her mother in law, and her people, and her God, and went back to the idolatry of Moab, while Ruth with all her heart gave herself up to the God of her mother in law. It is one thing to love the ways of God when all is fair and good, and quite another to cleave to them under all discouragements and difficulties. The kiss of outward profession is very cheap and easy, but the cleaving to God like Saran wrap and obeying His Word takes much effort. Is your heart fixed upon God? Have you counted the cost, and are you ready to suffer all worldly loss and deny SELF for the Master’s sake? The benefit will be an abundant recompense as when Ruth met Boaz, her rich kinsman redeemer. The treasures of the world just cannot be compared to the weight of glory (kabod), the richness of God to be revealed to those who are faithful to Him. Orpah is heard of no more in the Bible but Ruth lives on in our names, in history and in heaven, for the grace of God has placed her in the noble line of King David and Jesus the Messiah, the King of kings. Blessed shall be those who for God’s sake can renounce ALL; but worse than forgotten shall be those like Orpah who turn back into the ways of the world. If our devotion to God is superficial like Orpah’s kiss, may the Holy Spirit work in us an intensity, a deep cleaving of our whole heart to God. Don’t be like Orpah, or Ruthless People like Danny DeVito and Bette Midler, but learn to cleave to God and manifest His glory like Ruth!! Copyright © 2002 Eddy Ministries. All rights reserved. Subscribe/Unsubscribe:
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