Date: Monday 18th June, 2018.

Topic: Comfort Zone

Bible Reading: Ruth 1: 1–5 (The Holy Bible, New Living Translation®. Copyright 2007 © by Tyndale House Publishers.)

1. In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him.

2. The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there.

3. Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons.

4. The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later,

5. both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband.

Word for Today: So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. – v. 1b.

Inspiring Commentary:

It is good to seek the comfort of oneself and that of family members, but not at the expense of obedience to God and His purpose for our lives. Elimelech left Judah to a foreign land (Moab), fully aware that such association was discouraged by God (Deuteronomy 23:3,4). Howbeit, he went all the same in search of greener pastures. Little wonder sudden mishaps later broke out against the family. There was no record that the people he left in Bethlehem died of hunger, but the man died and his two sons in their midday, leaving three hopeless widows.

Our society today promotes pleasure, comfort and self-indulgence. A promise of wealth without sweat is preached by many pastors who forget that with God, there is always a time and a season. And so, we have a crop of young men and women in pursuit of instant wealth and fast miracles, thereby breeding a class of lazy and unproductive youths and lawlessness in the society. The increase in vices in our society, could it be because when young people can’t make it quick as promised, they do it their way?

We need to re-examine the ideologies and philosophies we promote, especially in churches and ministries. There is never a promise of a crown without a cross.

Prayer: Give me grace Lord, to wait on You in this pleasure and comfort seeking world.