R oyal F lush ,

F lourish and F inish

I am not a card shark. In fact, until I married, I had never really played cards. I think they were part of that ‘we don't-smoke-and-we-don't-chew-and-we-don't-run-with-them-that-do' religion I was raised up in. Not really! I was raised a good little Baptist girl, and I treasure that heritage, and the way we were taught to make God's Word part of our daily lives. But it seemed there were certain boundaries, and I think that cards were in there somewhere. (At my house, we just didn't play cards.)

When I married, and my husband tried to teach me how to play, it seemed I had a mental block. I couldn't even keep straight what the little symbols were called. I would get so excited if I got a king or queen, but I wouldn't know what I should do with them. I'd have to show my husband my hand so he could tell me what to do. He used to tell the couple we played with that I was the luckiest novice he had ever met. I won over and over, had no strategy, and knew nothing of the game.

Even when I looked at my little teapot with the A, K, Q, J, 10 on it, I only knew it was a good hand. Tonight I asked my husband what that hand would be called and what it was worth in the game. He said that it is called a ‘royal flush' and it means that nothing can beat it.

Ha! I love it! A Royal Flush! Royal! A royal hand that flushes out everything else. And that would include every hand that tried to beat it! Did you know that our God is in the habit of dealing out that kind of hand to us all the time?? It is even Biblical.

And at mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come here, and eat some bread, and dip your morsel in the wine." So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her parched grain; and she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. And also pull out some from the bundles for her, and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her." Ruth 2:14-16

Boaz knew that Ruth was in need. He had heard of the trip she and Naomi made back to Bethlehem (without a moving company). He knew that Ruth was gleaning, so that she and Naomi could eat. He knew that they had come back empty-handed. So he got together with his employees and he told them to pull some out of their bundles, on purpose, and leave it for her. That is really what He was saying. The wording he used means to “pull out handfuls of purpose” and leave them for her. Handfuls of purpose. Now that is a royal flush! Nothing could beat it.

He was paying these employees to work hard reaping barley from morning to evening. Ruth would come in behind them, gleaning little bits and pieces that they had accidentally dropped. And he told them to pull out handfuls on purpose and leave them for her. Now she still had to do her share. But her production rates drastically increased. In fact, she was making out better than the employees. They were paid for their work, but then their wages went to purchase the food. She was given the food.

I love the wording throughout the book of Ruth. In this spot, it is handfuls of purpose . In verse 14, it says she ate until she was satisfied and had some left over . In verse 17, it says that she was given what was left after she was satisfied . In chapter 3 and verse 15, she is told to hold out the mantle she was wearing and he filled it . In verse 17 he told her that she would not go back to her mother-in-law empty-handed . He always supplied enough for her and her household.

Now that is royal. Think of it, if you are part of the royal family, you are provided for. She was provided for first and then, hand of all hands, she married into the royal family. This poor widow-supporting-widow married into the bloodline of the King of all Kings! Now that is a royal flush!   

We too, have been dealt this kind of hand. We have been bought into the royal bloodline. There is no hand that can beat it. He provides handfuls of purpose. He does not leave us empty handed. Our King Jesus provides more than enough for us. He does! I know that sometimes we don't think it is, or that it will be sufficient, but it is. And I am sure that in the heat of the day, walking back and forth to the fields to glean, or in the back breaking work of bending to pick up little bits and pieces, even Ruth was tempted to think thoughts of “Is it worth it?” Or: “Will it be enough?” Or even: “There has got to be a better way!” But she was faithful and she reaped the rewards.

My grandfather loved to pick blueberries. When the Michigan season was at its peak, he would pick me up at 5 o'clock in the morning. That was 4:30 on grandpa Orlo's watch, and that was the watch we went by. We would pick blueberries all day. Sometimes during the day, picking up one blueberry at a time, I'd think I'd never fill my quart, let alone the trunk we'd take home. Of course, I did eat a few, quite a few, along the way. But when we went home that evening, we'd drop off several quarts to my great grandma, a few to my aunt, some to my other aunt, several to my mom, and then grandpa would take some home to grandma. That was the reward of sticking to it. Enough for you and your household.

At one point, Ruth was instructed to “stay with my maidens.” (Ruth 2:8) It was like Boaz was giving her some inside information: “No matter what looks greener, brighter, or more prosperous, stay with me. In the end this will be the hand to beat all hands.

Remember the story of Mephibosheth? (II Sam. 4:4, 9:4-12) The King, David, remembered Mephibosheth, in spite of all his imperfections (as a child, in a season of violence, he was dropped and crippled for life). When David remembered how his father had remained his friend, he brought Mephibosheth into the royal family. And yes, dealt a royal flush, a hand to beat all hands, “…for he ate always at the Kings' table…” II Sam. 9:13

Now, I've seen some hard days, dry deserts, a bit of violence, abuse and misuse, and even severe illness around my household. But I've bought into this “handfuls of purpose”. I know that in spite of what I may or may not see, the plan of my King, the King of all the ages, concerning me, is for me to stay with Him…to remain focused and faithful. Taking in and pouring out. And He will always provide enough “for me and my household”. On purpose. His purpose! It is His plan for good for me and for you. Daughters of the King, this is more than being dealt a royal flush. This is a royal flush, flourish, and finish!

T he LORD of hosts has sworn:

"As I have planned,

so shall it be,

and as I have purposed,

so shall it stand,

that I will break the Assyrian in my land,

and upon my mountains trample him under foot;

and his yoke shall depart from them,

and his burden from their shoulder."

This is the purpose that is purposed

concerning the whole earth;

and this is the hand that is stretched out

over all the nations.

For the LORD of hosts has purposed,

and who will annul it?

His hand is stretched out,

and who will turn it back?

Isaiah 14:24-27

ROYAL FLUSH, FLOURISH AND FINISH is an excerpt from Susan's book. Designed for Destiny – A Women's TeaVotional

Publisher House: Arising to Excellence Ministries, Inc.

Publish Date: 2007

Designed for Destiny is a hardback book of 121 pages of a delightful blend of inspirational TeaVotionals, a sprinkling of recipes, Teabits & Teatips, SpoonRests, and full page color pictures. It is a coffee table treasure that is sure to become your ‘cuppa' time favorite.