I don’t know what troubles, addictions, pain, obstacles, or agony you’re dealing with in your life right now but I can promise you that the God I serve is big enough to overcome all of them.
How do I know this? Oh, that’s right. Don’t take my word for it. In fact, take Ruth’s word for it. I have spent the last month digging into the scripture of Ruth and I wanted to present what I thought were the main takeaways I got from my study. (this is not an exhausted list; I learned so much about myself and about God-I highly recommend it!)
A quick summary:
Ruth, after losing her husband, is loyal to her mother-in-law Naomi and returns with her to Bethlehem. By doing this, Ruth adopts Naomi’s God as her own. She begins to glean in the fields of Naomi's relative Boaz. Boaz extends great kindness to Ruth. She eventually follows Naomi's order to lie at the feet of Boaz and ask him to take her as his wife. After verifying that there was no other close relative that wanted to take Ruth as his wife, Boaz agrees to the marriage and they have a son together. The baby is named Obed and becomes the grandfather of King David.
1. God is faithful.
Do not underestimate the power of God. If the God of the seas and the winds cares about feeding the birds, then he most certainly cares about you. (check Matthew 6:26) God DOES have a plan for you despite your current circumstances and he is faithful in providing for you in His timing. If God’s provisions are never-ending, I can rest in the fact that God has complete control over the next step of my life.
Naomi was widowed and just lost both her sons. But God did have a plan for her. He connected her with Ruth and provided them with protection through Boaz. Naomi's grandson Obed becomes the grandfather of King David leading to the lineage of Jesus Christ. The bottom line is, Naomi's sufferings had a purpose.
2. Even though our current life outlook may look hazy, God is moving in ways we couldn’t have imagined.
Often times it’s when we feel that God is inactive in our lives that He is moving the most. In chapter 1, Naomi said “‘Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.’” Naomi was blinded by the state of her circumstances and she couldn't have imagined how God was going to use her life.
For one, Naomi played an important role in bringing Ruth to God. Second, she bestowed wisdom upon Ruth in providing for her a new husband who could offer her protection. In the end, we can see that God is at work in every detail because Naomi becomes the grandmother of Obed, the grandfather of King David. Our choice to obey, follow, and trust in God, like Ruth did, will impact generations to come.
3. If God can transform Ruth’s life, He can transform your life too.
God brought Ruth from desperation to hope. He brought her from mourning over death to being full of new life. God brought her from famine to an abundance of riches.
If you feel broken, lost, or even depressed, God is not done with you yet. Put your hope in the Lord for He works for the good of those who love him. (Romans 8:28) If you're enduring difficult hardships right now, God not only promises that He will provide for you, but He also has the power to change hearts. He is the ultimate healer and if He can transform the life of Ruth and Naomi, He certainly can transform yours too.
In death, in heartbreak, in mourning, in suffering, in pain, Jesus wins. Every time. Meditate on this truth today and allow God to transform your life.
