aftershock.org.uk
devotional mp3 podcasts for young people

There is an old saying that says “what goes around, comes around.” It basically means that if you are mean and horrible to people, you might seem to get away with it in the short term, but in the long term the same will happen to you. In the same way, if you are nice to people and do things the right way in the long-term things will work out well for you. That’s what is starting to happen for Ruth. She has done the right thing by Naomi, and hung in there with her. In the short-term that caused her some pain and hardship. However now people around her are seeing what she has done, and are starting to be nice and help her. Those guys at school and college, who seem to have a great time by being mean to others, won’t succeed in the long run. They might seem to be popular and get everything they want now; but if they are gossiping and bullying you can be sure they will lose out in the long run. In the same way if you, or those that you know are trying to do right by people that will be noticed in the long run. Those around will notice it, and it will be noticed by God. God calls it building up treasures in Heaven, in his Bible. This simply means that you can be guaranteed even if no one on this Earth notices God does and he will reward you when you stand in front of him. Because ultimately good and bad, black and white, women and man we all get to stand in front of God and explain the good and bad we have done on this Earth.

Author - Max Cross, Ruth | No Comments »

How quickly our moods change. Earlier Naomi had taken charge of her life and wasn’t being put down, but instead had got up and done something about it. But we are human and our moods and attitudes can change so quickly. Now she’s blaming God for all that has gone wrong. God did this to me, God did that to me. The reality is God didn’t do anything to her. But aren’t we the same at school and college? When we make a decision and run into problems do we blame others? Maybe we decide that we will do our work the day we get it and not leave it to the last moment. We are OK for a week, and then we get distracted and fall behind. What is our reaction? Do we get back on track, or do we start making excuses and start blaming others? Maybe we decide to attend the Christian Union at school or college every week. We do it for a month and then one day we forget it, because our mates invite us somewhere else. When we realise do we make sure we go next time? Or do we say well if God had wanted me there he would have reminded me, and give up? Maybe we should look at Ruth as an example. She decided to go with Naomi and that was her decision. When Naomi sent her and her sister in-law back Ruth had one answer. She said “No the decision has been made and I will not give up on it, or you.” When we pray to God for guidance on a decision we can expect him to answer us. That doesn’t mean things won’t go wrong along the way. However when they do go wrong, ask God for help and get back on the track, Just like Ruth.

Author - Max Cross, Ruth | No Comments »

Wow Naomi has had a real run of “bad luck”. First she has to move countries because of famine, then her husband dies, and finally her sons die. Wow she really must feel like God isn’t looking after her. For a woman to be without a husband in that culture is bad enough, but to be without sons is life threatening. Naomi would have had no source of income and would have been completely vulnerable to any man. So what does Naomi do? Does she moan and gripe, swear at God, and give up and die? No Naomi gathers up the little she has, grabs her daughter in-laws and says right let’s get ourselves into a situation that is better than this one. That is some lady, a lady with vision and a lady with determination. Not only that she says to her daughter in-laws, “look you are actually better of here with your family, go to them Ill be OK” That’s a lady who puts others before herself. What do we do when times get tough? Do we blame God? Or do we seek Gods guidance, take a deep breath and go for it? In today’s world where some people seem to think they are owed something; it is becoming an unusual trait to have the “get up and go” to do something about your own situation. So next time you look a situation at school or college that looks rubbish think of Naomi. Next time you look at something that seems impossible, think about this woman who had nothing, but still had the get up and go to walk back to her home country even when all the odds were stacked against her.

Author - Max Cross, Ruth | No Comments »