Ruth, Isaiah 11:1, Psalm 16:1, Proverbs 22:4

Karunakar Mallamari reflects on family relationships and God's family

Karunakar Mallamari

Recently the Government of our newly formed State in India conducted a comprehensive family survey. The approximate number of families in the State is 9 million. Nearly half a million State employees were involved in surveying everyone from the State's head family, through to the family living in a hut in a village. The massive challenge with this survey was that it was ordered to be done in a single day, but it resulted in huge success, with the enthusiastic participation of people and dedicated surveyors.

Home is a place where we grow together and build up relationships, but at times situations arise that cause us to leave the home, or run away from home and it breaks the family, resulting in painful tragedies.

In the book of Ruth, famine leads a family to a faraway country. Naomi also has to endure the death of her husband and two sons in that new land. Finally she receives the good news that God has visited His people and there is no longer famine. This brings her hope and she prepares to return to her homeland with her daughter-in-law Ruth, who didn't want to get separated from her except by death. Their godly relationship was built strongly so they could remain as family in tough times.

We learn here how family works best when it's based on godly guidelines. At first, after the arrival in the homeland, the daughter-in-law wants to go and work to find food and her mother-in-law encourages her to go and work in a harvesting field. Her hard labour finds favour with the owner of the field, who instructs and guides his workers for her protection and provision. As time goes on, the daughter-in-law's inspiring nobility helps her to become the wife of the near relative and it's a very motivational story for any situation in life. However the real lesson we need to learn is that they prepared a family for the birth of the Saviour Jesus, who can redeem our sinful world with all its suffering, disease, death and famine.

An old motto says it this way: The beauty of the house is order, the blessing of the house is contentment, the glory of the house is hospitality and the crown of the house is godliness.

All things are possible with God.

The prophet Isaiah writes, 'A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit'. Who is this Jesse? You will find the answer to it in chapter four of the book of Ruth.

Below are the words from the Bible written by the two famous kings and they are Ruth's great grandson and great great grandson.

'Keep me safe, O God
For in you I take refuge'. Psalm 16:1

'Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honour and life'. Proverbs 22:4