Ministry Message

Handfuls of Purpose
““So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back.” Ruth 2:14

At the invitation of Princess Sharifa of Jordan, my son, Nathan, and I had the privilege of joining a team of relief volunteers to deliver gift boxes to poor children. We went to the village of Finan, where... more »» a tribe of sheepherders lived. I wouldn’t have been surprised to meet Ruth and Boaz among these nomadic Bedouin people, whose lives haven’t changed much since the Old Testament times. Men in headdresses drank Turkish coffee and discussed important village matters. Women in dark robes gleaned in the fields and tended the sheep. Each sheepskin tent was equipped with a fire pit, and the dirt floors were covered with worn handwoven rugs.

After watching the children open their gifts, we, as the honored guests were treated to a special feast of mansf—an entire roasted goat, head included, served on a bed of rice with hot yogurt and broth. In true Middle Eastern style we lay on the floor around the platter, eating with our hands. The sheik was impressed with Nathan, who happily ate handfuls of goat meat. As a sign of honor, the sheik then pulled out the goat’s tongue and gave it to me. In sheer panic I tossed the tongue in front of Aileen Coleman, a long-term missionary there, pleading for her to eat it before the sheik noticed!

Ruth, too, was the recipient of Middle Eastern hospitality, but she handled herself better than I did. When she was singled out and honored with extra food at a meal, she graciously accepted and left satisfied. Are you feasting on the abundant gifts the Lord has offered you? If not, offer your life to the Lord and one day you will share the marriage feast with the King of Kings.

Transformation:
1. Ruth was singled out and given a special privilege of eating with Boaz and the reapers. Think about a time that you were given special treatment. How did it make you feel?
2. Who is the most significant person in your life (husband, parent, child, sibling, friend)? In what ways do you go out of your way to show your love for this person in a way that expresses how much you care for them?
3. Think about how God reaches out and shows us His love. What handfuls of goodness has God left in your path? How have they drawn you closer to Him?

Meditations:
Ruth 2:14-17; Song of Solomon 2:4; Matthew 26:26; Revelation 19:9

Love in Christ,
Lenya Heitzig

Monthly Outreach

Global Adventures Uganda Missionary Kelli O’Hea
Sunday, February 28, 2010
For our February outreach, the Women’s Ministry will come alongside Global Adventures Uganda Mission... more...

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