April 6th, 21

The Book of Ruth is a love story from beginning to end. But it doesn't look that way at first. It looks like a cruel tragedy with famine, displacement, exile loss death. Naomi thinks her story is one giant dead end. She tells people not to call her Naomi, but rather call her Mara, which means bitter. She believes that her story is one bitter, cruel, tragic loss. Some of you might be tempted to think the same of your own story. And after the year we've had, I'd have a hard time blaming you. hardships have come. You've experienced loss. You've experienced death. We've all been displaced. We feel like we're in exile. When we look back on our story and try to piece things together. It's easy to feel bitterness well up. But Ruth teaches us something really important that when we respond in faith to God, as Ruth did. A story that started out so tragic, looked like a giant dead end grows into something completely different. Ruth, the Gentile chooses the God of Naomi, even though Naomi had given up on that God. The story in the end, becomes an epic love story that moves beyond and forward into the future with eternal ramifications. Out of this love between Ruth and Boaz, the kinsman redeemer is born the grandfather of King David, and from King David will be born the Redeemer of the world. Jesus. You and I are invited into this story. God has shown up in our lives in ways far more important than Boaz. He's come to be the kinsman redeemer of all, but all of us can learn from Ruth, by responding in faith as she did. When we do that, it becomes possible for us to see what God has done and what he is doing. God is at work in our lives. I know it might be really hard for most of us to really see that, but amidst the loss. There's a story of God's love being written and you might not see it now. But hold on to him and you will discover our kinsman redeemer was there all along? Let us all learn from Ruth today. 

You are loved!