Hey friend! Welcome to episode 6 of the Tending your Soul podcast! I’m Mariel and I’m grateful you’re joining me in the garden today as we tend our soul by the Word of God using my TEND method!
As we slow down for these few moments and ask the Lord to tend His word into our soul, I want to remind you that the TEND method is a 4 step approach to unfolding God’s word and getting to know Him better.
We have been tending the truths of the book of Ruth into our soul, so if you’ve missed any episodes, I encourage you to go back and listen to the previous episodes and let God refresh your soul by His word.
Today we are in Ruth 1: 15-18 and as we open God’s Word, let’s begin by taking time to pray and ask Him to speak to us through His Word.
Lord, we thank you for the gift of your word so that we might know you better and walk closer with you. Would you open our understanding now and let us see wonderful things in your word? Amen.
After we have taken the time to pray, we are ready to examine the scripture. So I invite you to join me as we look at these 4 verses. I’m reading from the ESV translation of the Bible, it says in Ruth 1:15-18:
And she said, “See your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people; and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.
As we examine these verses we want to pay attention to the pronouns mentioned and what verbs are used and the tenses of those verbs. We want to really enter in to see the details here.
Now these may be familiar verses to you, as they often appear in wedding vows and marriage plagues, but really these are words of covenant to a covenant keeping God. Ruth is speaking to her mother in law and declaring her devotion to her, yes. But she also using very conventual language here which demonstrates her faith in the covenant keeping God. She is declaring her faith in the God of Israel and renouncing her false gods of Moab.
Ruth’s words are bold and really speak to how the God of Israel is drawing in people from all over the world to Himself. Right here in this hard season of the Judges and in this obscure town of Moab, God is wooing this woman to Himself.
He is at work, even when no one notices.
As we lean in further to notice the lessons being taught here, we see the example God offers us through Ruth. Her faith is dictating her words, her choices and her actions. She is willing to step into the unknown future because of her faith in a known God.
When we know God, our words, choices and actions should show evidence of that.
It’s easy to let our flesh determine our words, especially when we are angry.
It’s equally easy to let our flesh lead our choices and actions when comfort seeking feels good.
But it is God in us by faith, that allows us to die to self and live to Christ thus speaking truth in love when we rather be quiet or offer grace when we rather hold a grudge.
As Galatians 5:16-17 urges us, we can walk by the spirit of God, bc of the grace of God, just as Ruth did.
So how is my faith being demonstrated in my words, choices and actions?
How can I lean into God for the faith to speak graciously when I rather respond sharply to my husband or to speak with patience to a child who needs correction for the 10th time?
How can I make the choice to surrender to God or wait on His timing when I feel impatient and prefer to manipulate the outcome my way?
Oh friend, His heart is for us and in the intimacy, we can lean into His heart and trust His hand and His timing. We need only let faith lead us.
How about for you? In your day today, how are you finding the need to let faith lead? Is God bringing to mind a situation from this morning or a relationship with a difficult person that you are facing later today?
Let’s lean into Ruth’s example and ask God to lead us by faith and help our words, choices and actions be of Him.
Father God, we thank you that you offer us the grace we need and the faith we lack. Would you fill us with your spirit afresh today to respond to the circumstance on our heart with the faith like Ruth that overflows into ours words, choices and actions to glorify you? For your glory alone. Amen.
As we walk through the TEND method in this podcast, I want to let you know I have released a downloadable TEND journal just for you through the book of Ruth. This season of the podcast with close when we end chapter 1 of Ruth, but you can keep going with my TEND journal, Tending Through Ruth. You can get your copy at marieldavenport.com/shop.
And if you’re looking to further cultivate intimacy with Jesus, get your free guide, Tools for Tending your Soul on my website at marieldavenport.com
Links to both resources are in the show notes.
Until next time, friend, keep tending your soul by the word.
