Erye Lil Ting Gwine Be Awright (Part 1)

Scripture:  Judges 21:25 - 'In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did what was right in his own eyes.  Ruth 1:1,2 - Now it came to pass IN THE DAYS WHEN THE JUDGES RULED that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of their sons, Mahlon and Chilion... and they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.'

At any given time in the world, one would expect, whether it makes news or not, for there to be a crisis, or a catastrophe somewhere. In this sense one would consider the presence of such as normal stuff, whether it is the devolving of geo-political preferences to present as war, or the questionable change of a once 'stable' x-ray as a locale of normal influences contends with chaos unravelling within the dynamic of a small cadre of confused cells...whether its a bug stuck in a web watching its weaver nearing, or two newly weds having their first major blow-out. It could even be exemplified as a collision between what we remember of our 'use-ta', with where we currently are, given age.        As well, our thought of our reliable car being invincible is immediately shot down when we see it leaning, and note the flattened tire: fantasy meeting the real. Here be plenny loose carpets, banana peels, rotten eggs, and broken glass.

This is normal stuff, life on earth.
A fair response to crisis can be emotional, naturally leading to  despair; a better response can be reasonable by which actionable optimism [or pessimism] ushers forth, but past the natural and better response to life-crisis, there is the best, which takes one to a hope-filled response, a faith-based response unique to we earthlings which are human who believe.

And because we have a big God, we can faith big... we can hope big ... we can pray big... I mean 'beeg'.

"Only be thou strong and very courageous that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:7

Nothing in 'Ruth' suggests that Elimelech left home as a faith move. Even with Moab as the resting place of Moses [Deuteronomy 34:5,6] his motivation to come to Moab was practical. They were hongry, and they naturally reasoned to go where the grub was. He did what was 'right in his own eyes', consistent with the drifting of his community he came from, by which God removed His hand of blessing from them.

Saints 'be thou strong and very courageous'.

Elimelech and his sons [who wed two of the local gals] died, and despite sufficient time in Moab, they died leaving no children. Remaining are Naomi, and her two daughter in-laws, Orpah [not Oprah], and Ruth.  In fairer times Naomi was thought of as 'lovely', a trophy wife, but her losses and her natural reasoning took her to pessimism, and despair. What was lovely became bitter [and by implication, it showed]. She even adopted a new name consistent with bitter, Mara... She urged her daughter in-laws to stay in Moab, as she would return to Bethlehemjudah. Orpah [not Oprah] reasoned naturally, and in essence said, 'buh-bye' [albeit with some heartfelt reluctance],
but Ruth however, continued with her protesting mother-in-law...

"... 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..." Ruth 1:16

"So Naomi returned and Ruth, the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law with her, leaving Moab: and they came to Bethlehemjudah in the beginning of barley harvest." Ruth 1:22

The short-version of this saga has GOD's providential hand throughout it all, as Ruth meets and eventually is wedded to her kinsman [redeemer] Boaz, with whom Ruth gave birth to a son, a grandson to Naomi: his name being Obed, who would be the grandfather of King David. Hereof is Israel blessed to have the forebearer of one of their greatest leaders, which by further extension we have within the legacy, Jesus. [Matthew 1:5,6]

Having her natural and reasoned despair turn, no doubt Naomi lived out a restored life, and if surviving long enough Orpah [not Oprah], the practical, would be blessed to know of a king to come of the lineage born of Ruth and Boaz, and of course Ruth, having such a faith, would expectantly have all the benefits of such a faithfulness, her being to the pleasure of the Lord.  Grace would be different for each of them, but most certainly, for each of these three, it would be grace nonetheless. Thank you Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah [not Oprah]... Thank You Lord!

"Don't ya worry bout a ting, cuz erye lil ting gwine be awright; Don't ya worry bout a ting, cuz erye lil ting gwine be awright:

Rise up dis mornin' - smile with the risin' sun - THREE LIL BIRDS perch by my doorstep, singin' sweet songs of melodies pure an' true, sayin' dis is my message to you:

Don't ya worry bout a ting cuz erye lil ting gwine be awright; Don't worry bout a ting cuz erye lil ting gwine be awright...

[by Bob Marley]

"And Jesus answering saith unto his disciples, HAVE FAITH IN GOD." Mark 11:22

At a time when every man does what's right in his own eyes, even from high places and near places, saints have faith in GOD.

Prayer:  Dearest LORD, thank You for the blessing of knowing You, by Your invitation; for entering my life and for staying with me across the ups and downs outside of myself, and within myself, bringing light, and love, and life into every season. Help me to grow in grace, that when my stand is needed, the necessary courage will be evident and consistent with a hope prone to glory.  Bless you Jesus! Amen.

(by Dr. McNeal Brockington)