Precious Promises

Scripture 
Psalms 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.  Selah. 

Isaiah 46:4 even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you.  I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.

Psalm 71:18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you.  He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Observation
These scriptures are reminders that it is God who is my salvation and who carries my burdens every day.  He promises from beginning to end He will be with me, carry and sustain me, and give me opportunities along the way to share what great things He has done for me to yet another generation.  Not just to my children and to my grandchildren, but to yet another generation - great grandchildren!  

Application
Yes. Indeed!  I need not worry when it is God who is forever with me.  He will carry me through every difficulty, loss, disappointment, and barrier I face.  I trust Him. He is my salvation and has given me precious promises to hold onto.

Prayer
May You O God be praised for all You have done in me and through me.  May You receive the glory due Your Majestic and Awesome Name!  Your promises NEVER fail.  Lord, thank You for the reassurance and promise You will carry me and sustain me.  Give me the words to speak and may Your will and purposes be accomplished as Your word is fulfilled.  In Jesus Name, A-men.

Hope

Scripture 

Ruth 1:20 – 21 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.   I went away full, and the Lord brought me back empty.”

Ruth 2:20 And Naomi said to her daughter in law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living and the dead!”  Naomi said, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers!”

Ruth 4:14-15 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel!  He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter in law who loves you who is more to you than 7 sons, has given birth to him.  Obed, father of Jesse, father of David.

Observation 

Naomi left full and came back empty – she thought!  She had a husband, two sons, two daughters in law, and had made a home, but then it was all gone.  Or was it?  Ruth clung to Naomi even after Naomi tried to send her back to her own people.  Ruth stayed.  God had a hope and a future through Ruth for both Naomi and Ruth and for Boaz!  Naomi didn’t realize that she was trying to send her ‘hope’ away – but Ruth clung to her.  “Your God will be my God . . . your people my people.”

How excited and full of hope Naomi became when she remembered that Boaz was a kinsman redeemer!  And he liked Ruth – a lot.  Naomi had a plan and instructed Ruth what to do – and eventually Boaz and Ruth were married!  They had a baby! A son.  And they all lived happily ever after. 

Application 

Hold onto hope!  God has a plan for me and He is faithful!  God will make a way!

Prayer 
You O Lord, are faithful O Mighty Redeemer!  May I cooperate with Your divine plan for my life and never send ‘hope’ away.  I will hope and trust in You, and rejoice and sing that my Redeemer lives!  In Jesus Name, A-men.

Sweet:  Boaz was the son of Salmon and Rahab.  Salmon, according to Jewish tradition was one of the two spies sent to Jericho who found shelter at the home of Rahab the harlot.  She hid the two spies from danger under the stalks of flax on her roof until it was safe for them to report back to Joshua.   
Read Joshua 2, Matthew 1:5