Rumination Journal

Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Do not go and glean in another field, and do not go away from here. Stay here close to my servant girls. Let your eyes be on the field they are harvesting, and follow along after these girls. I have ordered the young men not to touch you. And when you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.” At this, Ruth bowed down with her face to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you should take notice of me, even though I am a foreigner?” Boaz replied, “I have been made fully aware of all you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay your work, and may you receive a rich reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have taken refuge.” “My lord,” she said, “may I continue to find favor in your eyes, for you have comforte...

Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a prominent man of noble character from the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go into the fields and glean heads of grain after someone in whose sight I may find favor.” Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” So Ruth departed and went out into the field and gleaned after the harvesters. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech. Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, “The Lord be with you.” “The Lord bless you,” they replied. And Boaz asked the foreman of his harvesters, “Whose young woman is this?” The foreman answered, “She is the Moabitess who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab. She has been working in the field from morning until now, with only a short rest in the shelter.” — Ruth 2:1-7 This passage introduces Boaz, a man of noble character and a key figure in the story. Ruth t...

So the two of them continued on their journey until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole city was stirred because of them, and the women of the city exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?” “Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has dealt quite bitterly with me. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? After all, the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me.” So Naomi returned from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. — Ruth 1:19-22 Naomi and Ruth’s arrival in Bethlehem stirs the community, as Naomi’s return brings both recognition and shock. Naomi openly expresses her grief, bitterness, and sense of loss, renaming herself Mara, which means “bitter,” to reflect her feelings. She acknowledges God’s sovereignty but struggles to see hope in her circumstances. This passage reveals the depth ...

Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; follow her back home.” But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her. — Ruth 1:14-18 This passage reveals Ruth’s extraordinary loyalty and love for Naomi. While Orpah makes the understandable choice to return to her family and culture, Ruth clings to Naomi, making a profound declaration of commitment. Ruth not only pledges to stay with Naomi but also embraces Naomi’s people and God as her own, demonstrating a deep faith and wil...

Then Naomi arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had attended to His people by providing them with food. Accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road back to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown to your dead and to me. May the Lord grant each of you rest in the home of another husband.” She kissed them as they wept aloud and said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.” But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands? Return home, my daughters. I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, would you wait for them to grow up? Would you refrain from remarriage for the...

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband. —Ruth 1:1-5 The opening verses of Ruth set the stage during the time of the judges, a turbulent period marked by cycles of disobedience and restoration in Israel. The famine drives Elimelech and his family from Bethlehem, meaning “house of bread,” to Moab, a land often associated with hostility toward Israel. This move highlights the desp...

The Letter of James calls believers to a faith that is alive, sincere, and transformational—a living faith that expresses itself through action, humility, and wisdom. Over the course of this study, we have seen James challenge superficial belief and urge us toward a deeper discipleship that touches every area of life: how we speak, how we respond to trials, how we treat others, how we handle wealth, and how we pray. James reminds us that faith is not something we simply possess—it is something we live. It must take root in our hearts and bear fruit in our words, relationships, and daily choices. In every chapter, James echoes the voice of Jesus, especially His teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, where righteousness, mercy, peace, and integrity are lifted high as kingdom values. As this study concludes, the invitation remains: to be doers of the word and not hearers only (James 1:22). Let the wisdom and encouragement found in this letter continue to shape your life. May your faith be ...

My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins. — James 5:19-20 James concludes his letter with a final exhortation, emphasizing the importance of restoring those who have wandered from the truth. He speaks to the responsibility believers have toward one another—not only to encourage and strengthen the faithful but also to help those who have drifted away from God’s path. James acknowledges that believers can stray, whether through sin, doubt, or deception. Rather than judging or condemning them, he urges the church to pursue them with love and compassion, seeking to bring them back to the truth. The one who helps restore a wandering soul is participating in a redemptive work, covering a multitude of sins. This phrase reflects the biblical theme that love and grace bring reconciliation, both between individuals and ...

Is any one of you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth yielded its crops. — James 5:13-18 James closes his letter with a powerful call to prayer. He encourages believers to turn to God in all circumstances—whether in suffering, joy, or sickness. Prayer is not just an occasional practice but an essential part of a believer’s life. For those suffering, James ...

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains. You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near. Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in affliction, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment. — James 5:7-12 James shifts from his warning against greed and injustice to a call for patience and endurance. He urges believers to be patient as they wait for the Lord’s coming, using ...

Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days. Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous, who did not resist you. — James 5:1-6 James delivers a strong warning to the wealthy who have placed their trust in riches rather than in God. He condemns those who accumulate wealth through injustice, exploitation, and greed, warning that their riches will ultimately rot, and their gold and silver will corrode. This vivid imagery serves as a reminder that earthly wealth is temporary...

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.” You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your proud intentions. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin. — James 4:13-17 James addresses the uncertainty of life and the danger of presumption. He warns against making plans without acknowledging God’s sovereignty, illustrating this with the example of a businessman who confidently declares his future endeavors. James reminds us that life is fleeting—like a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. This imagery underscores the fragile and temporary nature of human existence. Rather than boasting in our own plans, James encour...

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? — James 4:7-12 In this passage, James calls believers to a life of submission to God, emphasizing the need for humility, repentance, and righteousness. He urges his readers to “submit to God” and to “resist the devil.” These two actions go hand in hand—drawing near to God strengthens us against the temptations and attacks of th...

What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures. You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God. Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy? But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud,      but gives grace to the humble.” — James 4:1-6 James addresses the root cause of conflicts among believers: selfish desires. He explains that quarrels and fights arise from passions that wage war within individuals. When people seek their own interests abov...

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness. — James 3:13-18 James shifts from discussing the power of the tongue to contrasting two kinds of wisdom: worldly wisdom and godly wisdom. He asks, “Who is wise and understanding among you?” and then provides the true measure of wisdom—not mere knowledge, but a life characterized by humility and good deeds. True wisdom is demonstrated through godly living, not arrogant speech. Wor...

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal. Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined. In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poi...

What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless? Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. As ...