Psalm 102:17, “He will regard the prayer of the
destitute, and not despise their prayer.”
I would like to expand the meaning of the word destitute.
A destitute person lacks food, shelter, and clothing [Scholastic Children’s
Dictionary]. From part one, “destitute of the necessities of life” includes
lack of food, shelter, and clothing. In another meaning, it also involves spiritual
lack what I just wrote the devotion on Destitute Part One.
The Lord God will not despise their prayer of destitute.
God will not look down on a person who lacks things. There is a beautiful
picture of Ruth who was a “destitute widow.” The book of Ruth is the story of
God’s grace in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Ruth’s story happened during the time of the judges—a period
of disobedience, idolatry, and violence. It was a dark time in Israel’s history
when people lived to please themselves, not God (Judges 17:6). Even in times of
crisis and deepest despair, there are always people who follow God and through
whom God works. Ruth was a Moabite, and Boaz was a descendant of Rahab, a
former prostitute from Jericho. Nevertheless, their offspring continued the
family line through which Messiah came into our world.
Let’s began with a little story here. There was a famine
in the land of Israel so Naomi, her husband, Elimelech, and two sons, Mahlon
and Chilion, (descendants from the tribe of Ephraim, Joseph’s son) went to
travel to the country of Moab from Bethlehem. Eventually, Elimelech died and
both sons married the women of Moab, Orpah and Ruth. They lived there about ten
years. Then Mahlon and Chilion died.
This was tragedy for Naomi who lost a husband and two
sons. Naomi became “a destitute widow.” She had heard that the Lord had visited
His people in giving them bread. Naomi decided to go back to the land of Judah.
Oprah stayed at Moab while Ruth wanted to go with Naomi. So the question was… what
made Ruth do this?
Naomi’s life was a powerful witness to the reality of
God. Ruth was drawn to her—and to the God Naomi worshiped. Ruth loved her
mother-in-law, Naomi. Ruth begged to stay with Naomi wherever she went, even
though it would mean leaving her homeland. In heartfelt words, Ruth said, “Your
people will be my people, your God will be my God” (1:16). Naomi agreed, and
Ruth traveled with her to Bethlehem.
Ruth and Naomi came to Bethlehem as poor widows. Ruth went
to find work in the beginning of harvest time. She gleans in the grain fields, and found food for Naomi and for
herself. Ruth showed great kindness to Naomi. [Gleans=to gather from a field what has been left as by reapers]
In turn, Boaz showed great kindness to Ruth—a despised
Moabite woman with no money. God showed His kindness to Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz
by bringing them together for His purposes. We see God’s care and protection
over the lives of Naomi and Ruth.
Both Ruth and Naomi were poor widows, but they soon
became prosperous through Ruth’s marriage to Boaz. Ruth became the
great-grandmother of King David. Yet the greatest blessing was not the money,
the marriage, or the child; it was the quality of love respect between Ruth,
Boaz, and Naomi.
Do you ever felt like that God had forgotten you, just
like Naomi did? (Ruth 1:20-21). The story of Ruth proved that God provided
a way for Naomi who once felt that God had “forgotten her.” God blessed
Naomi as being grandmother of Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of
David.
How great is our God! No matter how devastating our
present situation may be, our hope is in God. God has resources and we must
believe that He can work in the life of any person. So let us trust our God who
cares for our destitution.
God bless you!
