The Request of Covenant & Mercy

Yesterday, we looked at two types of negative requests in our series on Helping Your Husband to Trust Your Request. The first was the self-centered request of Rachel who said, “Give me children, or I die” — a desperate, emotionally-driven cry rooted in envy and personal comparison. The second was the vengeful request of Herodias, who insisted on having the head of John the Baptist — not for righteousness, not for justice, but out of deep bitterness and hatred.

Today, let us balance these with two holy and godly examples of women whose requests were pure, weighty, and full of covenant.  Ruth was a Moabite woman who stood before Naomi — a woman shattered by life, devastated by sorrow, and empty of hope. Naomi had buried her husband and two sons. She had lost everything. She even changed her name from Naomi to Mara. Her joy was gone. Her sweetness had turned to bitterness. She had nothing left. No money, no son, no husband, no inheritance. Naomi was on her way back to Bethlehem with only pain, sorrow, and shame.

Yet in that very moment, Ruth made a request. She didn’t ask for gold. She didn’t ask for a husband. She didn’t argue about inheritance or properties. She didn’t talk about what was owed to her or what she deserved. She wasn’t demanding insurance policies or material guarantees. She made one quiet, weighty, and holy request.

"Entreat me not to leave thee.”

What kind of request is this? This is the request of devotion. The request of covenant. The request of loyalty. A request not made for public applause, not driven by emotions or entitlement, but one that carried spiritual weight. Do you know that this one request carved her name into the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 1:5 says, “And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab, and Booz begat Obed of Ruth, and Obed begat Jesse.” And Jesse became the father of David. And from David came Christ. How did a Moabite woman — a woman with no inheritance, no covenant history — find herself in the bloodline of Jesus? Because of one sacred, selfless, irreversible request.

And while the men may be excited about this teaching, may I humbly draw our attention to something deeper,  the sacred relationship between Christ and His Church. The Bible makes it clear: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5:25). This means the Church is the bride, and Christ is the Bridegroom.

So I ask again. What kind of requests are we making to our Bridegroom?

What fills our vigils, our retreats, our prayer conferences? Are we like Herodias? Always asking for the destruction of our enemies, not for the glory of God but to satisfy our anger and pride? Are we like Rachel ? constantly comparing, constantly competing, constantly pushing and threatening, saying, “If You don’t bless me, I’m done. If You don’t perform, I quit the assignment. If You don’t show up, I walk away”?

Is there still a Church in this generation that will stand like Ruth and say, “Entreat me not to leave Thee.” A Church that is not driven by miracles, not controlled by open doors or breakthroughs. A Church that says, “Lord, even if nothing else comes, I will stay. Even if there’s no spotlight, no husband, no child, no reward, no applause, I will stay. My covenant with You is not up for negotiation.”

Lord, I am not here for what You give. I am here for who You are. I am not defined by what I receive. I am anchored in what I believe. I am not following You because of blessings. I am following You because of love.

Do you remember John chapter 6? Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, “Will you also go away?” Others had left Him. The teachings were too hard. The expectations were too high. But Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” That was the voice of Ruth echoing in the New Testa