While diving into my readings of the Old Testament I have found myself in the story of Ruth. I am finding so many parallels in this story that bring out the wonderful love that God has for us through His Sovereign work in our lives.
At the beginning of the book Ruth is a pagan Moabite, a person who was unlikely to know the one true God. But God brings her into His family by first placing her in the home of an Israelite by marriage, a union which she probably had little say in, and then by bringing her to Israel through a tragic set of circumstances and by her firm determination and loyalty to Naomi. Then the Lord sovereignly works by sending her to the field which Boaz owned and also giving her favor in his eyes. She eventually finds her kinsman redeemer in Boaz, who is kind to her and accepts her despite her foreign race and poverty.
These things are so unusual and unlikely, but God used this particular set of circumstances which were often tragic to bring Ruth to Himself and to accomplish His purpose through her life. This leads to the question, how do you and I view the circumstances that God has placed in our own lives?
I can find myself wishing that I did not have a particular problem in front of me, or wishing that I had started something sooner, or that I had more wisdom with a particular decision. Surely Ruth could have done all of these things when looking back on her late husband, when looking at her despondent mother-in-law, or when moving into a strange land where she was not only unknown to them but also of a race which was despised. But... God uses this unlikely situation to accomplish His purpose and form a marriage which would be a critical link in the chain of the bloodline of Jesus Christ. What a meaningful outcome!
Are we willing to believe that God is able to work through the unlikely circumstances of our own lives? That through struggle and heartache He can accomplish something that is meaningful and powerful?
Surely this story of Ruth illustrates God's ability to do this. But we must have faith that God is working, we must continue in prayer, calling out to Him to deliver us, to sanctify us and to draw us closer to Him during the times of trial and hard circumstances which we encounter.
Psalm 31:24 says "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." Why do we hope? Because God is able. He is able to accomplish good and meaningful things through unlikely circumstances. He is able to redeem sinners to Himself though we were as far from Him as Ruth was in Moab. He is able to use us to further His Kingdom, weak as we are, and no matter our past or the place which we come from.
We hope because God is able. We hope because we have the promises of Scripture. We believe in a mighty and powerful God who can bring dry bones to life, who accomplishes all by the word of His power. Surely the small circumstances and challenges of our life are not too much for Him.
Let us trust in the God who uses the unexpected circumstances of our lives to accomplish His own purpose. The story of Ruth is not an outlier or a strange coincidence. Instead, it is a peek behind the curtain to see the power of God as He orchestrates every situation that we face. May we grow in our trust in Him.
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