One thing that I have had to learn in recent years is to stop trying to be the hero of the story. I’m not supposed to try to be a motivational Nehemiah, or a courageous David, or a faithful Ruth. It’s taken years to learn to read my Bible and see the gospel instead of duty.
In case you may be having a hard time seeing the gospel instead of works-based theology I’ll give you the gospel according to Ruth as I see it now:
Chapter 1) God’s intricate providence shown through the lives of so many.
The Israelites battle against the Moabites, Naomi’s birth & then the marriage to Elimelech, the famine, and the death of her husband and children were all pre-ordained by a loving God with a magnificent plan.
What’s it mean to us? God is leading us to Himself through all time & circumstance. Praise be to the hound of heaven! 🙌🏻
Chapter 2) Hope is renewed as God grants pieces of the puzzle of grace to fall into place. Hard places that Ruth & Naomi had been brought to begin to experience a taste of restoration and the ‘foreigner’ is invited to the ‘Masters table’.
Chapter 3) Once the possibility of restoration is placed in front of them Ruth & Naomi search it out and act on the possibility of being ‘bought’; of having a secured relationship with the only worthy redeemer they know.
What’s it mean to us? Jesus is our only worthy Redeemer who was willing to give Himself up to rescue our fate. There was another redeemer called the Law, but it demanded too much from us and thankfully the only One who could purchase us for the price all our mess cost was Christ, our worthy Boaz.
Chapter 4) The glorious battle between the two redeemers takes place. Ruth is now brought into the home of Boaz, and a couple generations later Christ is born in the situation. We have both the beautiful physical story of Ruth & Boaz AND the deeper more powerful story of the unsaved foreigners, aka us, who are brought to the feet of a willing Redeemer.
Valley Women's Encouragement Conference 