Happy Valentine's Day, LiF sister! I hope this day finds you well and excited for God's plans.
Whether you're in a relationship that's struggling or even if you're single, this day can hold all sorts of mixed emotions. It's hard to see your friends and family sharing their smiling photos of their special someone, celebrating their romance, only for you to realize your disappointment, your isolation.
This isn't how you thought things would go. This is not the vision you had for your life, and you're tired of waiting for things to change.
For today's blog post, I'm sharing an encouraging devotional for the single woman, longing for God to introduce a man of great character and love into her life. I'm also sharing a prayer for your future husband. It can be so hard to wait—trust me, I know. Please understand that the sadness you're feeling now cannot be compared to the joy that God will reveal to you in due time. Keep the faith, stay close to Jesus, and expect great things.
A Look at Ruth & Boaz
"But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." ~ Ruth 1:16
The devotional I'm diving into today is on the book of Ruth in the Old Testament. It's a powerful story of devotion, highlighting the importance of faith and family. In chapters 1-4, we find the Moabite woman Ruth and mother-in-law Naomi, newly widowed in Israel. Both of their husbands have died, leaving them in a precarious position.
In our modern day, it's tough to fully grasp the seriousness of their situation in this patriarchal society. Being without a husband to provide for them, they were lost. Naomi encourages Ruth to leave her, and have a better chance at success, but Ruth remains loyal to Naomi. She says, "Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay." Ruth is deeply committed to her mother-in-law, and God notices.
What follows is a beautiful love story that reflects God's redemptive love.
Later on in the book, Ruth meets a man named Boaz, and he's instantly impressed by her steadfast loyalty to her mother-in-law. He prays that God may reward her for this great love.
In chapter 3, Naomi and Ruth acknowledge Boaz as a man of great moral character and establish him as the "kinsmen redeemer" of the family. In other words, he is a male relative who takes responsibility for family members in need. Ruth once again acts with boldness and asks Boaz if he will marry her and redeem the family. Again, Boaz is impressed with Ruth's faithfulness to the family—and to Naomi's honor, in particular.
In the midst of devastation and family tragedy, Ruth demonstrates radical loyalty that earns her favor in God's eyes.
Because of her kindness to Naomi, the Lord allows her to find a husband in Boaz. The book starts out with death and sadness and ends with birth and great happiness, as Ruth and Boaz have children—to the great delight of Naomi, too!
It just took time—and faithfulness. In response to tragedy, Ruth chose to be patient and trust in the Lord. That's what we're called to do, too, no matter the cost. In the end, God had something beautiful in store for both Boaz and Ruth. He gave them each other. God's timing really is perfect.
Prayer For My Future Husband
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~ Jeremiah 29:11
Dear Lord, you alone are the architect of my life. Try as I might to take control of things, I acknowledge that my attempts are futile. You know what's best. You work all things together for good (Rom 8:28).
I pray you would help direct my gaze forward. Help me not focus so much on the now, but on what is to come. Allow me to be filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom that only comes from knowing you.
I also pray that you would be with my future husband, wherever he is. Guide his day, allowing him to choose you, over distraction. Please protect his heart. I know how wild this world can be, with so many things vying for our attention. I pray he would grow in his love for you, Lord. I pray he would love you with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind (Luke 10:27).
Surround him with like-minded followers of Christ, allowing him to live authentically and in community. Remind him that he's never alone, never too far from your loving embrace. Prepare his heart for our meeting. Whatever you have in store, God, I know it'll be the best love story—one you've chosen just for me. Thank you for that.
In your name, Amen.
He is Good, Always
This Valentine's Day, I hope you realize just how loved you are, LiF sister! No matter if you're in a relationship or single, God has an incredible plan for your life, even if you can't see it yet. Here at Love in Faith, we craft Christian apparel and accessories to encourage you, every day, in every way. Through good times and bad, you can always count on your LiF community for that extra dose of fellowship.