ruth- a story of redemption & faith
This week I wanted to focus on an influential woman in the bible—a woman whom God used as an example of what it means to have unwavering faith and bravery. There are so many women in the Bible who fit this description but this week my focus is on Ruth. Ruth was widowed early in her life, for women in the Bible this was not good. Yet Ruth stuck with her mother-in-law and followed God fiercely every day. She believed God would provide for her, and He did.
So who was Ruth? Ruth was a Moabite immigrant who married the son of an Israelite family. Unfortunately, her father-in-law, husband, and husband’s only brother all passed away. Can you imagine the pain they were both feeling? This left Ruth with a choice. She could either remain in her home in Moab or go with her mother-in-law, Naomi, to Judah a place Ruth had never been.
Ruth chose to go with her mother-in-law. She adored Naomi and after seeing her lose her husband and sons, Ruth had a lot of sympathy for Naomi. Ruth embarked on the journey to Judah to the city of Bethlehem with Naomi. This is where the story begins to turn. Ruth’s testimony begins to spread, and a man by the name of Boaz hears about her faith.
Farmers would not completely harvest their fields. They did this so that the poor and needy could come and glean the remains for themselves. Ruth found Boaz’s field. She had set out to glean in the fields to support her and her mother-in-law. In the scripture, it says she “happened” to come to that place. But it was no coincidence, Ruth came to that field because God was guiding her.
One of the supervisors noticed what a good job she was doing gleaning the field, and he reported this back to Boaz. Boaz then blesses Ruth with his protection.
“Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
Ruth 2:11-12
Look at the way Ruth responds– she is thankful. She doesn’t reply with “Well it’s time someone noticed!” Ruth is humble. Throughout the story of Ruth, we never see her asking why all the hard things occurred in her life. Instead, we see her ask why the good things have come. This is a powerful attitude to have.
You see Ruth pressed into God. Ruth was a fairly young believer, meaning she was newer to the faith. Yet through all the hard circumstances, she had faith that there was still a purpose for her ahead. She never doubted the journey God was taking her on, even when she couldn’t see through to the other side.
Boaz acts as a redeemer. He buys Naomi’s land back, he marries Ruth, and he fathers a son who keeps the family line alive. Ruth’s position as a Gentile in the ancestry of David signifies that all nations will be represented in the Kingdom of God. There’s so much to learn in the story of Ruth. Ruth’s story is a story of redemption, a story of bravery, and a story of unwavering faith in God.
Through Ruth’s faith, God was able to provide so much for Ruth and Naomi. Ruth had no reason to believe she had earned anything but believed God was everything she needed. Ruth believed God would provide and in that place of faith, God did a miraculous work to redeem Ruth. God took a poor, hurting outcast and healed her, provided for her, and brought her great love with Boaz.
Takeaway 1: Even (and especially) when things seem uncertain remain faithful. Like Ruth, have faith to believe that God is who he says he is, and faith to believe that he will provide. You might not see what God is doing but have faith that He is moving.
Takeaway 2: Redemption is possible. No matter where you come from or what you’ve been through, God has a plan for you that surpasses all of that.
