“[13]Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13.

Love can be termed as a capsule designed to heal every ailment associated with human relationships. Every law is fulfilled in love. Love your God, love yourself, and love others as much as you love yourself, Mark 12:30-31.

What is the result of ever loving? No matter what you go through to demonstrate love, the outcome is always joy and happiness. It is the greatest, among those virtues that last forever, faith, hope, and love.

Let us consider in brief the life of a woman in love. Her name is Ruth.
It is recorded in the Holy Bible how this woman demonstrated love. She was a Moabite, that is what the Scriptures call her, who married a man from another country, Israel, whose name was Mahlon, the son of Elimelech.
Soon after, she lost her husband to the cold hands of death. Her hope ought to be lost. No, not with Ruth!
What sustained her was love. How did this happen?

After the death of her husband, Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon her sons, Naomi decided to return to her country, Israel. She informed her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth of the action she wanted to take. The two of them decided to follow her.
Naomi, the loved one, presented her “hopeless” situation to her lovers to discourage them to turn back from following her. She has had no son left who could be their husband. She had become too old to remarry. Even if she were not too old, can they wait for a new son to become mature to marry him?

Note well that every serious woman desires to have a home of her own. It is a place of rest. Naomi knew this as a woman. Now that hope was lost for Ruth and her sister-in-law, Orpah. She encouraged them to leave her (Ruth 1:12-14.

Two things became manifest: conditional and unconditional love!
Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye but Ruth cleaved to her. Naomi further discouraged her to depart from her but she would not (verse 15). Her shocking reply was, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
[17]Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” Ruth 1.

When Naomi saw her determination, she allowed her to follow her. Can you see that discouragement could come from the person you love? It depends on you and your determination.

Let me reiterate that both Orpah and Ruth decided to follow Naomi, but only Ruth is determined to stay with her. This is common among those who claim to be lovers most especially in this end time. A decision can easily be changed but determination is unmoveable.

Do you know what? That God Ruth had chosen to be her God did not disappoint her. She met her expectations. He gave her a husband, a mighty man of wealth, that is, a wealthy and influential man (NLT).
God of Israel, if you like, call Him God of Naomi, Whom Ruth loved in the life of Naomi, provided her a place of rest that any serious woman desires. At the birth of her first son, the whole city was agog.

Do you know the estimation of Ruth in the eyes of the women in Israel?  “[14]Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel?
[15]May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!” Ruth 4.

Can you see the efficacy of love? Love brings every desired result.  Ruth demonstrated love to become “a daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons! ” Are you a lover of this magnitude? Do you decide or determine to love? Note and be reminded that genuine love begins with loving God first.
This was the secret of Ruth. Stay blessed and prepared for the imminent coming of the Lord.

“[13]Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13.

Love can be termed as a capsule designed to heal every ailment associated with human relationships. Every law is fulfilled in love. Love your God, love yourself, and love others as much as you love yourself, Mark 12:30-31.

What is the result of ever loving? No matter what you go through to demonstrate love, the outcome is always joy and happiness. It is the greatest, among those virtues that last forever, faith, hope, and love.

Let us consider in brief the life of a woman in love. Her name is Ruth.
It is recorded in the Holy Bible how this woman demonstrated love. She was a Moabite, that is what the Scriptures call her, who married a man from another country, Israel, whose name was Mahlon, the son of Elimelech.

Soon after, she lost her husband to the cold hands of death. Her hope ought to be lost. No, not with Ruth!
What sustained her was love. How did this happen?

After the death of her husband, Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon her sons, Naomi decided to return to her country, Israel. She informed her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth of the action she wanted to take. The two of them decided to follow her.
Naomi, the loved one, presented her “hopeless” situation to her lover to discourage her to turn back from following her. She has had no son left who could be her husband. She had become too old to remarry. Even if she were not too old, can she wait for a new son to become mature to marry him?

Note well that every serious woman desires to have a home of her own. It is a place of rest. Naomi knew this as a woman. Now that hope was lost for Ruth and her sister-in-law, Orpah. She encouraged them to leave her (Ruth 1:12-14.

Two things became manifest, conditional and unconditional love!
Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye but Ruth cleaved to her. Naomi further discouraged her to depart from her but she would not (verse 15). Her shocking reply was, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
[17]Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” Ruth 1.

When Naomi saw her determination, she allowed her to follow her. Can you see that discouragement could come from the person you love? It depends on you and your determination.

Let me reiterate here that both Orpah and Ruth decided to follow Naomi, but only Ruth was determined to stay with her. This is common among those who claim to be lovers most especially in this end time. A decision can easily be changed but determination is unmoveable.

Do you know what? That God Ruth had chosen to be her God did not disappoint her. She met her expectations. He gave her a husband, a mighty man of wealth, that is, a wealthy and influential man(NLT.)
God of Israel, if you like, call Him God of Naomi, Whom Ruth loved, provided her a place of rest that any serious woman desires. At the birth of her first son, the whole city was agog.

Do you know the estimation of Ruth in the eyes of the women in Israel?  “[14]Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel?
[15]May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!” Ruth 4.

Can you see the efficacy of love in this case? Love brings every desired result.  Ruth demonstrated love to become “a daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons! ” Are you a lover of this magnitude? Do you decide or determine to love? Note and be reminded that genuine love begins with loving God first. This was the secret of Ruth. Stay blessed and prepared for the imminent coming of the Lord.

DESIGNED FOR RECONCILIATION
Inhospitality was the undoing of my people because it brought a ten-generation curse them.
At the expiration of the curse, when a reversal was about to take place, I dived in and started to swim in the pool of love at the invitation of a young and vibrant young man who was full of life.

Although, he and his family were sojourners in my father’s land, love broke racial barriers.

That was how my tree fell on the spot where it decayed, because I had it in mind that I will be a man’s wife and not a marital excursionist.

My Creator, who had given my people to debased mind to do those things which were not fitting, had removed the vail from my mind because I had come in contact with the Light of Israel that illuminated the life of every member of my new family.

I became keen in the God of Israel whose way, worship and words were not like those of other gods. The stories of His past acts of deliverance endeared Him more into my heart.

I saw that His people were priviledged and peculiar who enjoyed uncommon favor, mercy, protection and His love.

Suddenly, the cold hand of death terminated my husband’s life before I could bear him a child.

However, these two did not frozen my burning love for Jehovah.

I have fused myself into Him unchangeably!

After the sweet life of my mother-in-law became wormwood by her losses: death of her husband and two sons, she purposed to return to his home land in Bethlehem.

She tried to dissuade me and my rival, the wife of my husband’s brother. She wanted us to go back to our people and gods.

Orphah’s feeble house of love built on sand crumbled after a kiss and she turned back.

Dissuasion from my cherished mother-in-law did not make me to kiss her “goodbye” but I cleaved to her with a strong determination to leave my people and gods.

I did not know then that my Creator designed me for reconciliation of my race with His chosen people.

A curse was about to be broken by my singular serious decision.

It came to pass as my submission guarrantteed my success.

It was not in me to run after men, young or old, poor or rich. However, one evening my mother-in-law called me to do what I would not normally do -to express my love to a man first.

This time it was for my good!

My steps were ordered into the life of a man of great wealth and strong destiny,Boaz, according to the wise counsel of an exprienced and sincerely loving person.

In the twighlight of that day, I sneeked into the man’s threshing floor.

I set his heart on fire!

He swung into action because he took gradual steps. He was not in a hurry as I also waited patiently to see what outcome would be. He did not rest until he ensured that his abode became my place of rest.

It later came to pass, as devised by the Lord God of Israel, under whose cover I went to have a refuge.

Before my courage could falter, He blessed me with a son, Obed.

People rejoiced with me and Naomi, my mother-in-law, because the One I trusted when there seemed to be no hope did not disappoint me.

I, Ruth, a Moabite did not only entered the assembly of God’s people, my root grew downwards and I grew upwards to bear fruits bountifully as I was included in the royal line of David.

That was the story of my quiet victory for my race!

Author’s note: This story was based on Deuteronomy 23:3 and the book of Ruth.