…For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, your God my God. Ruth 1:16b
Cutting the grass is usually one of my favorite activities. I always feel a great sense of accomplishment after I have finished mowing. Today the grass had lots of dry brown patches with only a few spots of green grass. I was unmotivated to go out and mow. Once I got started, I could see the blending of the ugly, brown spots and the green grass come together. The lawn actually started looking greener as I was cutting it. Life is like that. There are seasons of very ugly brown ‘famine’ times and green ‘harvest’ times. God’s purpose in my journey is to see the unity of the bad and good…the merging of the famine and harvest times. All of it is a part of His redemption plan.
Last weekend, my husband and I had a relaxing, kid-free getaway to reconnect and rejuvenate our marriage. It was a vital time to re-energize and unify our marriage, especially during this ‘hard’ season of raising young kids. In this season, it is vital to have the love and support of my God, spouse and family. Unity is a consistent theme throughout the Bible. I love this passage in Ruth and hearing it read at weddings. It signifies the type of union that God desires for a couple. The type of union He desires for us to have with Him. Relationships are a part of His redemption plan.
Death and famine brought Ruth and Naomi closer together. The strength of their bond was centered around their faith in God. Together, they traveled back to Bethlehem, where Naomi had once lived and had heard of God’s provision for His people in the famine. Ruth choose to walk this long journey back to an unknown land with her mother-in-law. God unified them in their ‘famine’ season and helped them persevere. If I ask, He will do the same for me. God wants me to take the long journey with Him, helping me to persevere in the ‘hard’ seasons.
During the ‘famine’ seasons, I begin to realize my dependency on the Creator God. This allows me to see His provision is everything. God did not intend for me to journey in this world on my own. He provides a support system through my spouse, family and friends. Choosing a spouse is an adventure and a covenant. Together, we make an unlikely pair, but God is blending our uniqueness to make a beautiful meadow. In the ‘hard’ times, it could be easy to think the grass is greener on the other side. However, God asks me to lie down in His green pastures – trusting Him. In His green pastures, I find my redemption.
Go Green
Famine. Harvest. Redemption.
What season are you in today? Famine or Harvest? What lessons are you learning in the green pasture?