THE MOTIVATION FOR TOTAL COMMITMENT

“And Ruth said, Entreat 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:” (Ruth 1:16 KJV)

When you truly recall the faithfulness and goodness of God in your life, it will motivate you to service and sacrifice. You will go beyond yourself. You will pay the price and people will be wondering. What is special, why is he doing all that he’s doing? It is because you remember where he brought you from. As a matter of fact, you will be the one asking what can I do? What can I do to honour Him? What can I do to exalt Him? You will stretch yourself. You will go beyond yourself. That was the motivating factor behind the life of Ruth. 

Ruth was willing to make sacrifices because she remembered where she was coming from. She was serving idols until she was introduced to the true God. She could tell the difference that when she made a choice to follow the God of Naomi, her life was different. It is not about things, it is not about a husband, it is about God. So I will follow Him whether He gives me anything or not – that is true commitment!

Same thing applied to Esther, the queen in the book of Esther. According to the account in Chapter 4, after Haman had perfected the plot to destroy the Jews, Mordecai came to Esther and asked her to go before the king to intercede for her people. Esther wanted to make an excuse but Mordecai reminded her that God might have raised her up for such a time. In other words, remember that you were a nobody, but God, out of all the maidens, picked you from the back and made you a queen because there is an assignment for you. And Esther straightened up and declared if I perish, let me perish (Esther 4:16). She remembered how God lifted her from nothing and crowned her queen of Persia. When you remember how God saved you, you will pay any price to see that the kingdom advances. 

Further reading: Ruth1:11-18 Esther 4:8-16 

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Ezekiel 5-7; Evening- Hebrews 12

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