Adeola Akinsemoyin @mantha

Ruth and Naomi, two women bound by grief and a shared history of loss, stood together under the sun-scorched fields of Moab. Famine and death had stricken their family, and Naomi had chosen to return to her homeland of Judah. 

Before Ruth, a young Moabite widow, lay two paths: one, to stay in the familiar comfort of her home country, and another, an uncertain journey into the unknown land of Judah. In Moab, the people did not serve the God of Judah–the God Naomi served, and the God who we serve today.

Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi, pleaded with her to seek a new life among the Moabites, where she would be welcomed and accepted, but would not worship God. Instead, Ruth embraced her mother-in-law. "'Where you go, I will go,” Ruth said, “Your people will be my people, your God my God. Death alone shall part us.'”

Each one of us will face choices that demand commitment beyond the ordinary. The question is clear: What principles will guide your decisions? Ruth's journey encourages us to boldly declare our allegiances, not just in words but in the deliberate actions that shape our lives and honor God.

What would it look like for you to embrace a life marked by a steadfast commitment to God’s leading? We all will leave a legacy for those who walk behind us. Will yours be a testament of loyalty to God?

Every season of life has both ups and downs, positive and negative situations. On top of that, there are spiritual powers in this world that are trying to get us to lose hope.

In the midst of difficult seasons, or even persecution, it can be easy to forget that God is still present with us. He does not abandon us in the midst of suffering. Rather, He strengthens us and walks with us through the pain.

The church in Thessalonica experienced a very similar situation. As they were praying for the gospel to spread across their region, they encountered suffering and opposition. Paul writes to the members of these churches to not only encourage them, but to remind them of God’s character.

He tells them first that the Lord is faithful. This means that God doesn’t change—He is consistent in His character. If He was good and merciful yesterday, He will be good and merciful again today.

It also means that He fulfills His promises. God is faithful to do what He says He is going to do. He is not like a human who changes his mind when things get difficult.

Second, Paul tells these believers that God will strengthen them and protect them in the midst of what they’re experiencing. Paul does not tell them they will never experience evil, but rather—that God will be with them in the midst of it.

Because God never changes, He is able to strengthen and protect us through every experience in life. So take some time to thank God for His strength and faithfulness. Ask Him to help you, and to give you confidence in His power.

Do you remember the last time you were completely exhausted? Maybe you spent your entire day or week working on a hard project. Maybe you felt depleted after helping other people in your life. Or maybe hard situations and setbacks made you feel like giving up. All of us grow tired at some point.

Paul, the writer of Galatians, knew that the people he was writing to would also become tired of the work they were doing. During Paul’s time, there was a lot of persecution and hurting people, and Paul was writing to encourage them in the work they were doing.

Inside Paul’s encouragement to the Galatians is this truth:

Even good people will tire of doing good things.

That’s why Paul encourages everyone to continue to push forward in doing good. We should continue to help people. We should continue to share the hope of Jesus with people. We should continue to try and live as God would want us to.

God knows that we’ll eventually grow weary. And when we grow tired and frustrated, we’ll probably begin to question why we’re doing any of this to begin with. (Maybe you’ve already asked yourself this.)

But Galatians 6:9 encourages us to persevere in doing good things. Similar to how a farmer must work diligently to plant his crops and wait months before the actual harvest, Paul says there will be a harvest for those who do not give up. 

Just like the Christians in Galatia, we also need to persevere in living godly lives and helping those around us. If we do not give up, Scripture says there will be a reward for us. We may receive that reward during our time on earth, or in heaven—but regardless of when we receive it, we should persevere in doing good.

That means that your work matters. There is value to how you live and love others.

So spend some time today considering the good that you have done and can continue to do for others. Who can you help? Who can you share the hope of Jesus with? How can you continue to persevere in living a godly life?

If you’ve grown weary or defeated, make a commitment today to never give up. Choose to persevere through whatever season of life you’re in, knowing that there will be a harvest for those who finish well.

Some people are hard to love. Most of us have relationships in our lives that are difficult or painful to engage in. But Scripture encourages us to make every opportunity possible to love those around us.

Christians should be the most loving people on the planet. Of all the people on earth, we have been given the ultimate gift from God. We have not only received salvation and eternal life, but we’ve received the gift of God Himself.

God the Father gave us the breath that we breathe. Jesus brought us to Himself so that we might be saved by His power. The Spirit of God lives within us and empowers us for every good deed. All of these things have been freely given to us with no strings attached. 

Having received this amazing love and mercy from God, we ought to love others in the same way. When we love others in the same manner that God has loved us, we exhibit the greatest evidence that we are children of God. Jesus said,

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:35 NIV

Similar to how we can prove counterfeit money by how it looks and feels, we can determine the quality of our own faith by how well we love others. 

If we fail to love those around us, we also fail to show them the love of God. We should not deny others what we’ve been freely given. Loving others doesn’t mean we need to willingly be mistreated, or agree with someone else’s lifestyle or worldview. It does mean that we need to use every opportunity to love them the way God loves them.

So when you have an opportunity to give someone a second chance, do so in love. Or when you have the chance to help someone in need, do so cheerfully.

Are there people in your life that you can be more loving toward? Take some time today to reflect first on the love of God that you have received through Christ. Make a list of all of the ways God has been good to you. Next, consider the people in your life who you can love better. Write down a list of some simple steps you can take to show the love of God to people.

“I’m fine.” “I’ve got this.” “It’s my problem—not yours.” 

We all want to be known, but sometimes it feels easier to hide behind masks of self-sufficiency. We might tell ourselves that we don’t want to burden others with our problems, but what we’re really saying is that we believe we can (and should) handle everything alone. This may feel self-protective, but it’s a form of pride that isolates and weakens us.  

Pride is simply having a view of ourselves and our abilities that doesn’t align with reality. It’s one of the most effective methods the devil uses to isolate us because it makes us believe we’re better off alone. 

So how do we combat it? The apostle Peter advises us to “clothe” ourselves in humility (1 Peter 5:5). We do this by caring for others, watching over others, and accepting the authority and wisdom that others offer us (1 Peter 5:1-4). This requires mutual vulnerability, trust, and authenticity. 

Treating others with humility teaches us how to respond to Jesus. 

Jesus knows what we need, and God wants us to cast our anxieties onto Him—but giving Him our concerns, hurts, hardships, and heartbreaks is an act of vulnerable surrender. We cannot do this unless we first acknowledge our need for Him. 

When Peter says to “cast our cares” on God, he’s telling his readers to come openly and honestly to God so that at the proper time, He can deliver them. God opposes anyone who thinks they don’t need Him, but He shows endless grace and love to those who seek Him (1 Peter 5:5).

So take a few moments right now, and reflect on your current concerns. What do you need to bring to God? Visualize handing Him all of your worries, and envision receiving His peace in return.

Courtesy: YouVersion

Psalm 139 is a contemplative psalm, often attributed to King David. In it, the psalmist reminds himself of the all-knowing and all-present nature of God. According to him, we can always find comfort in the unconditional promise of God's presence:

“If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”
Psalm 139:11-12 NIV

Though life has its challenges and moments of overwhelming darkness, God's nearness remains. He is intimately acquainted with every detail of your life. He sees you, not with the gaze of human eyes, but with the infinite clarity of His love.

When was the last time you acknowledged God’s presence in your life? Have you recently paused to simply dwell with Him? Pausing prompts us to consider the vastness of God's knowledge and the inability to hide anything from His sight.

There is no darkness too deep and no night too long that can conceal us from the unyielding light of our Creator. Seek Him today.

Courtesy: YouVersion