Our faithful and generous provider
Every day we’re asking four questions about part of the Bible. Today Liz Nixon answers:
What did I like about today’s passage?
Ruth is a short book, only 4 chapters, and set in the time of the Judges. It is a story of a Jewish family, who leave behind their homeland of Israel during a time of famine and move to Moab, a non-God-fearing country, leaving the land of their God to seek provision, rather than trust Him to provide for them.
I love the story of the widow Ruth. I love her faithfulness to her mother-in-law and her boldness in declaring “your people will be my people and your God, my God”. What a devoted woman, both to her in-laws and God.
I also love watching the way God works, not in an obvious way but in a subtle, behind the scenes way in some of the ordinary moments of life. Ruth and Naomi need food and Ruth “happens” to end up working in the field of a man called Boaz, who “happened” to be related to Ruth’s husband’s family. Not only is he related to her through her marriage, but Boaz is a godly and kind man who “happens” to be very generous in allowing her extra food as well as protection. Given the favour they receive, Ruth and her mother-in-law hatch a plan to see if God might grant them more favour and give her a new husband in the shape of Boaz. God’s provides so much favour that Ruth remarries, and has a son with Boaz. God generously works things together for their good.
What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?
God does not use the most obvious people to partner with Him. Here, He chooses a gentile, widowed woman, someone who would have been poorly regarded in society, due to her being both non-Jewish and a widow. So, this non-Jewish, widowed woman called Ruth displays remarkable faithfulness to her husband’s family’s God and He rewards her by not only grafting her into His Kingdom, but into the lineage of Jesus. Ruth is the great-grandmother of Israel’s true King, Jesus. He chooses the insignificant and makes them significant. Isn’t God amazing?
This book clearly displays the generous provision of God and His faithfulness. Naomi and her family left Him to seek a better life far from Him and yet God lovingly brought her back, restored her and provided for her. It reminds me that God is always faithful, even when we turn our backs on Him, and He is working things together for good, both to brings us back to Him and restore us, and to give us a future.
What am I going to do differently as a result?
I’m going to keep an eye out for the “God-incidences” in life – things that are easy to view as a co-incidence – and choose to see that God is working all things together for good. I’m also going to remind myself that faith, faithfulness, loyalty and devotion are things that genuinely please and delight God!
Who am I going to share this with?
My young children – that God loves our faithfulness in the things of life and that He is always working things for good. We should always be on the look out for what He is doing!