Sunday – May 18, 2014 – Read the Word on Worship
Word On Worship – Sunday – May 18, 2014 Download / Print
Ruth 1:16-18
“But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.”
What a relief it is to leave Judges behind and come to the Book of Ruth! In spite of the fact that Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and his two sons (Mahlon and Kilion) are living according to the spirit of their day (doing what is right in their own eyes), two people (Ruth and Boaz) stand out as examples of those who live by faith in the God of Israel, and whose lives exemplify living in accordance with God’s Word. And one of these two – Ruth – is a Moabite, not an Israelite. In the dark shadows of the days of the judges, we find two individuals whose lives are truly lights in the darkness. Here is a story that not only warms our hearts, it encourages our faith by unveiling the providential hand of God in bringing salvation and blessing during one of the darkest periods in Israel’s history.
The opening words of A Tale of Two Cities are: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Surely these words aptly describe Ruth in the period of the judges. The final chapters of the Book of Judges are certainly the worst of times, and yet the Book of Ruth describes them as the best of times. This shows me that godly character is not only evident in the good times, but even more dramatically revealed in the bad times. Many, including me, are troubled by the times in which we live, but this is no excuse for ungodly behavior. These are the times of darkness when godliness should shine forth as a brilliant light. The story of Ruth and Boaz (yes, and even Naomi) should encourage us to live godly lives in dark days, days of unbelief, disobedience, and disregard for the Word of God.
I am reminded of the sovereignty of God by our text, but unfortunately most of the emphasis on God’s sovereignty in Chapter 1 comes from Naomi, and she is not seeing things as she should. Her God is all powerful, but not merciful and gracious. It is true God also punishes the guilty, but that is not the totality of who God is. God loves to show mercy and compassion. He is slow to anger, and He does forgive sin. He keeps loyal love; that is, God perseveres in His love, and thus He is a covenant-keeping God. If Ruth tells us anything about God, it is that His ways are not our ways. What a mighty, magnificent, merciful, awesome God we serve! I pray that you, like Ruth, have forsaken all confidence in yourself and have cast yourself upon the one true God for salvation.