Under His Wings

"The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust." (Ruth 2:12)

The implication of this blessing is all the more meaningful when we consider to whom it was spoken. Ruth was a foreigner in the land of Israel. As a young widow, she had forsaken the pleasures and comforts of her homeland to know the living God. Sorrow and poverty had stalked her, but Ruth was undaunted. To support her mother-in-law she was now out in the barley fields, gleaning. These words of hope from Boaz, the kind owner of the field, were a welcome comfort. But they simply reflected the answer to her consecration: "thy people shall be my people, and thy God, my God." And that living God was worthy to trust.

Today I am blessed to share the story of another "Ruth" who has found hope and security in God.

Monica wasn't widowed. Her husband left her for another woman - with nine children to raise and care for. The future certainly didn't look hopeful. But, like Ruth, this woman turned to God in her desperate need. Not only turned, but clung.

After witnessing her salvation a year ago, brother Lawrence states: [Monica] went all the way and consecrated. I thought it would take her years to get to the place where she would "have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come" (Heb.6:4-5). But I was wrong. Four times the Lord has wrought wonderful miracles of healing on her. In one of these miracles, we thought she was gone to eternity, but in a moment, the Lord moved on her, bringing her back to us.

She now lives in a grass hut, with the boys (pictured above), who are younger than the girls. Her eldest child is a girl, who has become a prostitute. When this girl offered her support from the money of her trade, the mother refused totally and said she would rather die than be supported from such ungodly earnings. We thought she would give up and accept her daughter's support, but when she and her children went for two days without food, having refused her daughter's supplies, we were amazed and took her seriously from then on. Excepting the unsaved daughter, these dear ones have been such a blessing and an encouragement to us.

Shall not a full reward be given her? Yes, the living God is worthy to trust. Praise Him! He has now provided means for this dear sister to buy some land and build a house. Her oldest son (not pictured) had run away, but recently returned home in answer to fasting and prayer. Does not the Lord desire to redeem her oldest daughter as well? Unto the uttermost, He is able. Let us put our trust under His wings!