Ruth is such a perfect example of following in times when we do not know the way ahead. She followed her mother-in-law into a land that she knew not, unto a people that she had never met; all while facing circumstances of uncertainty, not knowing where they would stay or what they would eat. She followed trusting in God to provide.

In Ruth 2:3, we find that she went out to find food, to help provide what she and Naomi needed to survive. “And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.” I had to pause and smile when reading this, it was her hap to find her way to exactly where God wanted her. Sometimes we say, it just so happened . . . No, it didn’t “just so happen”. God orchestrated it all perfectly according to His plan in the life of Ruth and He will do the same for us if we trust Him as she did.

Boaz saw in her what she didn’t even see in herself, he saw her faithfulness. In Ruth 2:12 Boaz expressed this in his prayer for her, “The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.” He even goes further to put action to his prayer by telling his reapers to leave, “handfuls of purpose” for her.

“And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.” Ruth 2:16

“HANDFULS OF PURPOSE” Let that sink in, he purposefully provided extra for her. A true picture of God’s provision for those who are faithful to Him.

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” Ephesians 3:17-20

He is ready to do exceedingly above all that we could ask or think. EXCEEDINGLY ABOVE !!!

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

Did you ever stop to think that this verse tells us that He will supply all our needs according to His riches “in glory”? Not according to His riches in earth, according to His riches “in glory”.

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Malachi 3:10

When we bring unto Him of what we have been given, obediently following Him by faith, He promises to pour out His blessing upon us !! HANDFULS OF PURPOSE !!!

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” Matthew 7:7-11

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep d your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

I don’t know about you, but I can think of numerous times that I “happened” to be in just the right place to receive God’s “handfuls of purpose” in my life. I also know that when I trust Him in the way, even when I can not see the way ahead, He is always faithful to provide !!!

Let’s pay attention to the “handfuls of purpose” as He provides today !!

“In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.” Haggai 2:23

Chosen . . . Wow, to be chosen by the Lord God, Master of all the Universe !!! Sit for a moment and soak that word in, feeling the essence of warmth that spreads through your heart as you breathe it inward. CHOSEN !!!! We have been chosen by a God that created us, a Savior who loves us, and a Spirt that draws us into Him.

“Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:” Isaiah 44:2-3

“Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:9-10

“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.” Deuteronomy 14:2

“Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord ; and beside me there is no saviour.” Isaiah 43:10-11

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” Ephesians 1:4

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14

As we face today, not really knowing what tomorrow will bring, let’s remember that we are chosen. We have God’s promise that He will provide and we have His instructions to be a witness unto those that are without a Savior; those that are wandering about in the uncertainty that has overtaken us. He told us to not fear, knowing that we are chosen by Him for such a time as this !!!!

“For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

Let’s remember that we are chosen to exist in this exact moment of time. Each of us have been CHOSEN for such a time as this !!!

Habakkuk, although a short book in length has a wonderful message. It starts with Habakkuk expressing his burden and ends with him singing a prayer of extreme passion for the recognition of who God is and the worship that He deserves. All of this occurring within a world that had gone completely awry.

“The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. O Lord, how long shall I cry, and Thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and Thou wilt not save!” Habakkuk 1:1-2

Habakkuk is burdened for all of the violence and wickedness that he sees in the land round about him; frustrated by those that seek to stir up strife and contention. He sees the wicked overtaking the righteous with no recompense for the evil that is done as a result of the slackness of the law. He cries out to God in his distress, his burden is heavy. Then there is the answer from God, “Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.” Habakkuk 1:5

What Habakkuk was experiencing can certainly be paralleled with what we are experiencing today. We can become frustrated, burdened down beneath the weight of all that we see taking place around us. Habakkuk was experiencing this and had cried out to God, asking Him to deal with the situation. Then God answers and reminds Habakkuk of what He as God will do. All through the Bible we see the mighty power of God revealed in ways no one could ever imagine. His works were and are above anything that can be comprehended by the human mind.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” Isaiah 55:8-9

Habakkuk recognizes the true power and holiness of God. “Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die, O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgement: and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.” Habakkuk 1:12

Then God instructs him to write down what would be revealed to him, so that others might read and be warned of the judgement that would come. “And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie, though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:2-3

God’s judgement was coming and He wanted men to be warned of what was to come. It was not within man’s mind to determine when it might come, but to be confident in the fact that it would come just as God told Habakkuk it would. In faith we have the confidence that what God says He will do, He will do. With that realization we know that sin will be judged, the timing of that judgement is in God’s hands. Through the power of His workings, one day the whole earth will see Him for who He truly is, God of all creation. “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14

As Habakkuk thought upon the true glory of our Lord, his burden was turned into a song of prayer. “A PRAYER of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionth. O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make know; in wrath remember mercy.” Habakkuk 3:1

(Shigionth: a lyrical poem composed under strong mental emotion.)

Habakkuk experienced a revival within his heart and soul as he came to recognize the magnitude of God’s power, the righteousness of God that required payment for sin, and the destruction that could come as a result of the sin that was rampant in his land. He came to the place where his heart was broken for his people with the realization of what God’s judgement would really mean and the revealing of what was to come. In his prayer, he asked God to remember mercy. Even though he had cried out to God regarding the wickedness that had overtaken the land, the reality of the judgement to come left him fearful. As he contemplated the extent of God’s power, he asked for God to have mercy in the midst of His wrath.

From his burden he offered up a prayer before the Lord, recognizing what was to come. “When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled within myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when He cometh up unto the people, He will invade them with His troops.” Habakkuk 3:16

Habakkuk had come to the place where he understood the magnitude of the judgement that was to come and it stirred him from within. He no longer wished to see God’s judgement upon the land, though he knew that it must occur, his burden was turned into prayer. Instead of sitting around griping about the wickedness around him, he turned his burden into prayer.

Through the eyes of Habakkuk I see a violent and wicked world standing in the path of judgement. I see a world full of strife and contention. I see a world that is hurting . . . a world that is lost . . . a world in need of prayer; and so as I begin to see his burden my burden starts to grow and I start to pray. I pray for a heart of understanding, a heart of compassion, and a heart of sincere recognition of what the judgement of God really means. I pray that I might see as Habakkuk saw and that I might possess the burden that becomes a prayer ! I pray to see the holiness of God as I have never seen it before.

“And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.” Revelation 15:3-4

In ever changing times we look for something to hold on to, something that we know we can depend on. Some days leave us with more questions than answers, uncertainties of what might happen next. What we once knew as familiar, becomes strange and things we thought would remain can no longer be found. These are the days we need a stronghold, something steadfast and sure.

“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth then that trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7

Not only is our Lord a stronghold, if we are trusting in Him . . . He knows us !!!

Today amidst all that is going on, I will lift my face Heavenward knowing that my Lord is my stronghold, in Him I place my trust. . . and He knows who I am. Therefore, I will not fear the uncertainty around me nor worry about the unknowns of tomorrow.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10

Our hope, our strength, our salvation they all come from the Lord. As I ponder the salvation of the Lord, I remember my unworthiness; my heart stirs within me as I meditate on what the salvation of the Lord means in all of its various facets.

“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my a strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Psalms 18:2

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalms 27:1

“But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord : he is their strength in the time of trouble.” Psalms 37:39

“He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.” Psalms 68:20

“But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.” Psalms 69:13

“And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.” Isaiah 39:6

“It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3:26

Our hope, our strength and our salvation are all found in Him, if only we wait upon Him. “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalms 27:14

“I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.” Genesis 49:18

“Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.” Psalms 62:1

In times of uncertainty and unrest, it is good to wait upon the Lord, knowing that our salvation is from Him in the confidence that He stands ready to hear and provide.

Have you ever pondered the fact that we never learn to be completely comfortable in darkness? Even as we grow up and leave the fearfulness of our childhood, the nights can be full of uncertainty and doubt. Shadows can creep into our hearts leaving us with nagging thoughts of dread. The darkness sometimes engulfs us causing us to feel as if we are all alone.

Yet, what caused us fear in the night often dissipates from our thoughts with the first glimpse of morning’s light. All of a sudden the shadows of uncertainty we thought we saw in the night are made clear with the morning’s light.

As I thought upon this thought this morning, God reminded me that during creation the first thing He establishes before ever creating man was light. “And God said, Let there be light and there was light.” Genesis 1:3

He also reminded me of what Jesus said in John 8:12. “Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

“ I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” II Corinthians 4:6

We were not made to walk in darkness, we were made to walk in the light so that we could have fellowship with God. Sin brought darkness into the world, sin that separated us from God.

“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” I John 1:5-7

Now it has become our job to share the light that has been given to us. There is darkness all around us, people that are lost without hope. We are to share the hope that we have in the light of God’s Son.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” Romans 13:12

We need to be busy sharing the light, the darkness is growing all around us; but before we can fight that darkness we need to ensure that we have on the armour if God. That which will allow us to fight the darkness of this present world.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:12-13

One day there will be no more darkness and we will live forever in the light of God’s Son. “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” Revelations 21:22

For we were made to live in the light.

In reading the book of Amos, my heart was quickened when I read the verse directed toward Israel instructing them to “Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel” (Amos 4:12) As I read, my heart was struck with the question, “Am I preparing to meet my God?”. As I began to think about what that truly meant, two words that came to mind were, how and what. How do I prepare? What do I need to do to prepare?

Reading a little further in Amos, I found instructions from God’s Word that began the path of understanding the how and the what that would result in the preparation that must occur.

“For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye Me and ye shall live.” Amos 5:4

So, how do we seek Him?

“And ye shall seek Me and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

What do we do when we find Him?

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9

Once we have established our hearts in Him and through Him, believing in the work that Jesus Christ did on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, how do we continue our preparation?

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Deuteronomy 6:5

We must give ourselves to Him, loving Him with all that is within us. Every aspect of our lives should be centered around Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

He has promised that if we commit ourselves to Him, seeking Him, believing in Him, loving Him, and trusting in Him; then He will direct our steps, showing us how to prepare to meet Him one day.

Through His Word we are given the steps we must follow to prepare to meet our God:

1. Seek ye Me (Amos 5:4)

2. Search for me with all thine heart (Jeremiah 29:13)

3. Believe with thine heart in the Lord Jesus (Romans 10:9)

4. Love the Lord thy God with all thine heart (Deuteronomy 6:5)

5. Trust in the Lord thy God with all thine heart (Proverbs 3:5)

Then, He will direct thy paths.

As we follow Him, He will continue to direct our steps, showing us what it is that we are to be doing to prepare to meet Him one day.

“And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.” II Thessalonians 3:5

There are days that as the sun rises, we feel an overwhelming sense of weakness knowing that we do not have the strength to take on the challenges the day will bring. The events of life loom heavy before us and our heart sinks beneath the weight of what we face. The desire to pull up the covers and hide becomes real.

Those are the days that we can hear the soft voice of our Savior whisper . . . “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (Taken from II Corinthians 2:12)

He reminds us that in Him we are strong. “Let the weak say, I am strong” Joel 3:10b

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:9

Breathing in the words from God’s Word provides strength in those moments. He reaches down and helps us up, providing within His Spirit the strength to face the day. Knowing that He goes before us, fighting the battle that we can not fight; defending us in ways we can not see. In Him the sense of dread turns into peace knowing that we have no reason to fear or be dismayed.

“Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” II Chronicles 20:15b

“And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”Deuteronomy 31:8

In Weakness, I am Strong, because I am trusting in Him and He is Strong.

“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

As was Israel, so have we become. The children of Israel refused the direction of the Lord and sought their own way. God continually reached out to them, provided for them, and sought to bring them back; yet they refused to seek His face.

Their refusal resulted in a continual battle against the natural consequences of their own actions, as well as God’s chastisement for their sin. Over and over again they turned from Him and over and over they were brought into captivity only to cry out to Him for mercy. They sought Him when they needed help.

Being the Heavenly Father that He is, His heart hurt for them much the same as ours does when we see our children suffering from choices that took them away from the direction of God. “How shall I give thee up Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.” Hosea 11:8

“Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgement, and wait on thy God continually.” Hosea 12:6

“Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.” Hosea 13:4

“Oh Israel, thou hast destroyed thy self, but in me is thine help.” Hosea 13:9

“O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.” Hosea 14:1

“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” Hosea 14:4

“Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? Prudent, and he shall know them? For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.” Hosea 14:9

All through these verses, as Israel was, so are we. As Israel destroyed themselves, so have we. We have turned from God and sought our own ways making right wrong and wrong right, but God still offers to be our help if we return to Him.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Psalms 28:7

In Him is our help if we turn from our sin, turn to Him, and trust in Him. “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall g do unto me.” Hebrews 13:6

Sometimes there are moments when we feel fear grasp us in its clutches, we feel it grasping us by the throat and we struggle to breathe as the fear looms dark around us. We feel it deep in the pit of our stomach with a sickening wave of helplessness. It comes as moments of self doubt, inward moments filled with the realization that we are not capable of facing what lies ahead. It comes with feelings of the unknown, feelings arising from our lack of control over a situation we find ourselves facing. It comes, because try as we might, we are unable to fix, control, or undo things behind or things ahead.

Whatever it might be, it invades our mind spreading a cloud of despair, taking away our joy and our peace. It leaves us feeling isolated and alone. In those moments of darkness we are reminded of our smallness, our insignificance within ourselves. Those are the moments we are to cry out to the One of absolute power and strength, the One who can calm our fears. Our Heavenly Father . . .

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” Psalms 56:3

“I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass” Isaiah 51:12

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deuteronomy 31:6

“And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

“And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.” 2 Samuel 22:2-3

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” Psalms 56:3