Productive Rest

Having come through simple, but holding thoughts about this rest as being brought to us in Naomi’s prayer blessing, as particular and peculiar, our focus today will be on rest as productive.

The LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband. Ruth 1: 9a

This rest is productive, active, vibrant and alive, in that it bears fruit. The first fruit bearing we think of is that of having children. For a surety, Naomi would certainly have prayed for that kind of productive rest for Orpah and Ruth. We can be confident in this, for several reasons, but here are a few compelling ones.

We must hold uppermost in our minds that Naomi is a child of Israel, one whose God is the Great Jehovah, the One True God. She has been brought up as all the people of God’s chosen nation, under the blessings of God to His people. She, as a descendent of Abraham, is covered with God’s blessing upon Abraham when He told him, I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. Genesis 17: 5b – 6. For this child of God she wants fruit as a blessing as God stated to Abraham.

We note also that she has shared in this blessing for she has been fruitful in her marriage union. She was blessed with offspring as two sons were born to her. Surely she would want the same for these young women, still in the prime of fruit-bearing years. 

There’s a bit of sensitivity here, caring, thoughtful and loving sensitivity, I may add. Naomi must be more than conscious that there was no fruit born to either of her sons, before the Great, I AM WHO I AM, took them in death. She wants fruit for their wives.  

Indeed, I believe that Naomi wants the fruit of offspring for her daughters-in-law, nevertheless, there are other produce which can only come from such a union.

Presently, I live next to a married couple who, on this very day of my writing this meditation, is celebrating fifty-nine years of happy married bliss. Their union has produced no offspring, but it has produced a blessed oneness in love and joy, which is truly beautiful to witness. It will not be an overstatement to say that over the decades, they have matured and are maturing in much of the bountiful fruit of healthy marriage. There is undeniable love of the husband for the wife, in his admiration, devotion and care of her. He exhibits daily concern for her well-being and ironically, never fails to encourage her to rest and relax. Needless to say, she is most attentive and loyal to him. This couple typifies what Paul exhorts in Ephesians 5: 33. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

This is the union which the Church - you, me and all true believers - must have, and will have in Jesus as our Husband. He has taken the Church as His Bride so that we will bear His fruit. Without His abiding rest, how can we know true productivity? From the lips of our Lord Himself, we are told this. Abide in Me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. John 15: 4. The fruit produced in us and by us through our Lord Jesus, who is now in Spirit, is marvellous beyond human understanding. 

May each of us know this productive rest, in the House of Jesus.