Well-Believed & Well-Received

Last Sunday, Feb. 14th (am & pm), I filled in at the Kanazawa Bible Baptist Church; the pastor, Pastor S., is in the hospital, but is expected home this week. This church is not one where I speak regularly, it being part of a "different" group of churches (Japan, BBF). Even so, it was a great time of fellowship around the Word, as I spoke on Ruth chapter four in the morning meeting.

Did you ever notice in Ruth 4:17 that Boaz and Ruth's son, Obed, is the only child in the Bible named by neighbors rather than by parents or relatives? This was undoubtedly an expression of the community's acceptance of both Ruth and her child, even though she at first was an outsider, as a convert from Moab. Earlier chapters clearly show that this acceptance was because of her "like precious faith," rather than because religious leaders in Bethlehem had in any way lowered their biblical standards. She was well-received because she well-believed. - So was I. Praise the Lord!