Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2024 May 25

The Point of No Return

 

“And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.” (Ruth 1:16-18)

 

Today’s Morsel: I read a book about Harriett Tubman, who led many slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad. Because many of the slaves were fearful, she carried a 22-caliber pistol with her. The story stated that she knew that if run-away slaves were to return, they would be badly beaten, or even killed by their masters, and would compromise who she was, and expose the Underground Railroads routes and mission. And so anytime a slave became afraid or fearful on the route and wanted to return, she would take her pistol, place it next to their head, and say, “Live free or die!” Once we become a part of the family of God, we must now make up our minds to not go back.  We must now choose to live free and not die. Yet no one is holding a gun to our head, this is a free choice.  Paul told the church at Philippi, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) We must develop a heart of commitment if we are to move on to perfection. You already know what the world in which we live has to offer.  It offers nothing but pain and heartache. But a life in Christ and being with His people offers us peace and joy now and a life of eternity with Him, so it will prove worth it all someday.  Scripture says. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:” (Hebrews 11:8-9) ; And “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” (Hebrews 11:13-16) They were looking for that city whose builder and maker is God. Ruth told Naomi, her mother in law: Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her” Don’t encourage me to go back. Encourage me to go forward.  What about you? What are you living for God for? If you go back, you will never see it. Stay the course and finish this race. 

 

Sing: I’m going to a city there will be no more night, I’m going to a city, where Jesus is the light. The trumpets gonna sound, and I’ll be called away, I’m going to a city someday.

 

Thought For Today: Stay the course, the finish line may be just around the next bend.