So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the LORD enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the LORD, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!”
Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as if he were her own. The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.
This is the genealogical record of their ancestor Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram.
Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz.
Boaz was the father of Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse.
Jesse was the father of David. (Ruth 4:13-22 NLT)

Okay, so this is a pretty fitting passage for Mother’s Day, don’t you think so? Of course, ancient lineage is traced through the father and that is how this chapter ends; however, It’s important not to lose sight of the fact that there are two very influential, very godly women in this story.

The blessing that the other women pronounce over Naomi and her new grandson is incredible! It’s worth reiterating, “Praise the LORD, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!”

The influence of godly mom’s on the lives of children cannot be overlooked or undervalued. The strength of our families, our church, our community, our nation, and our world is reflected in the lives of our children. Let’s be honest, the values that our children have and their conduct is by and large a reflection of the influence of their mothers and grandmothers.

I’m thankful for my mom and the biblical foundation she built into my character. She provided nurturing that dad wasn’t built for. She laid a foundation of love for God and others which carries into my life today. She pointed me in the direction of godliness and through her guidance helped me develop into a man of deep faith. I’m eternally grateful for that!

Mom’s, never underestimate your value. Never let the thought come into your mind, “I’m just a mom.” Your influence in the lives of your children will shape the course of generations. You never know who you children will influence, who they will grow to be, or what their children will accomplish.

Thank you, God, for godly moms!

Pastor Todd

Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.” (Ruth 4:9-12 ESV)

I enjoy a good love story, and this would make a great chick flick! Boaz has fulfilled the duty of the kinsman redeemer. He has purchased Naomi’s land and along with it the family responsibility to give Ruth a son in Mahlon’s name. When the purchase transaction is done, the witnesses begin to pronounce blessings over Boaz and Ruth.

Even though Perez is one of the great forefathers of the tribe of Judah, the family line mentioned here is one that is all JACKED UP! You have to go back and read Genesis 38 to get the full picture. I hope that you’ll do that. I would also encourage you to read Matthew 1:1-5 so that you can put all the pieces together with this family. This is the lineage of King David and of Jesus. If you think your family has issues, wait until you get head wrapped around this one.

Here’s my take away from today’s passage: nobody has a perfect family or background. There are skeletons in the closet and pasts that aren’t pretty in every family. But when we let the Redeemer step into the middle of our lives He provides us with clean slate. He removes the stigma of the past and gives us a brand spankin’ new future.

The past is a powerful thing in shaping our lives. Even more powerful is the new life we have in Christ! Whatever you’ve got in your past that is keeping you from being everything that Christ intends, why not give that to Him today. Claim his forgiveness. Forgive those who hurt you. Become everything that God intends for you.

By the way, tomorrow is Mother’s Day. Remember to show your appreciation for your mom!

Prayer: Lord, help me overcome my past though your redemption. You paid for that with your blood and I need to leave it at the cross. Give me eyes to see myself as you see me that my life my be an expression of the value to place on me.

Pastor Todd

19 And her mother-in-law said to her, Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you. So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, The mans name with whom I worked today is Boaz.20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead! And Naomi said to her, This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.21 Ruth the Moabitess said, He also said to me, You shall stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.22 And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that people do not meet you in any other field.23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.

It’s amazing to wake up one day and realize that I have no idea how much God is involved in my life. It’s that head shaking, fast blinking moment when you try to bring everything into focus (cue the Stooges rattling sound effect). In that instant, when it finally dawns on you that God really does care and He is working in the situations around you, there is great relief in your soul. That’s Naomi in this passage. She realizes that the man Ruth is working for is a near relative and he has the right to marry Ruth. If that happens, it’s all good. He is potentially their way out of this nightmare scenario.

I love the understatement when it dawns on Naomi that God is still in control. Listen to what she says, “Blessed be he of the Lord, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” Let me paraphrase, “Wow, God bless Boaz, I guess the Lord really is in control.” Hey, God never hits the panic button in Heaven and He never has to go to plan B. It’s all good and all according to His purpose. Why? Because God wants to use you to bring glory to Himself. He deserves it, by the way.

It’s normal to get caught up in the circumstances and lose sight of God’s work and purpose in your life. Take a minute and do a little inventory of your spiritual life. Who’s in control? What do you need to trust God for today?

Prayer: Thanks, Lord for having my back. Even when I don’t see it, you’re at work. Forgive my lack of trust and unfaithfulness. Help me keep my eyes on you today.

Pastor Todd

Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (Ruth 2:9-12 ESV)

What an incredible picture of the love God has for us!

Have you ever received something you didn’t feel worthy of or didn’t feel you deserved? Ruth asks the question of Boaz, “Why have I found favor in your eyes?” In other words, “What have I done that your being nice to me?”

Boaz sees something in Ruth that makes him want to be kind to her. He sees what she has done for her mother-in-law. Beyond what she looks like he sees who she is. He doesn’t see the stranger, the Moabite. He sees the person. He doesn’t see the widow. He sees the person. He doesn’t see the societal outcast. He sees the person.

Jesus sees something in us that makes him want to be kind to us. He sees who we are beyond all the jacked up stuff going on in our lives. He sees past the surface in into our hearts. He doesn’t focus on the sin. He focuses on you. He doesn’t focus on the status of your relationships. He focuses on you. He doesn’t focus on your background. He focuses on you. Don’t miss this. No matter what you have in your past or present that you think is too ugly for God to forgive, it’s not. Jesus loves you. He shed His blood to cover your sin and give you hope. He sees you.

Prayer: God, thanks for seeing me and loving me, the real me. Help me to be who I need to be in Christ and reflect your love.

Pastor Todd

Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.” Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.” Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. (Ruth 2:1-8 ESV).

I love the imagery in this passage. Ruth and Boaz meet for the first time. She is in a place in her life where she has great need and goes to work in his fields. He is in the position to help and sees her need. He had a choice, he could have said no. But he knew that her best hope to succeed was right there with him. “Do not go to glean in another field or leave this on,” he tells her. Stay right here because I will see to it that you are provided for.

Have you ever been there? Rock bottom and no place to turn. You’re grasping at straws and willing to do whatever it takes to get your life on track. You don’t know where to turn and in your desperation cry out, “God help me!”

I love this account from Matthew’s Gospel as he shows the heart of the Savior for those in need, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)

This is a great reminder that we have a Savior who is waiting for us to come to Him. He’s available regardless of our circumstance or need. Let Him bear the burden you carry.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I need you to take this burden and give me peace. I lay it at your feet and give you control. Bring the joy that only you can give into my life today.

Pastor Todd

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return 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 will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. (Ruth 1:16-22 ESV)

As we journey with Naomi and Ruth we travel from Moab to Bethlehem. Naomi has told her friends in Bethlehem not to call her Naomi any longer but to call her Mara, or “Bitter”. Her bitterness is understandable, considering what she’s gone through. The loss of loved ones in a place far away from home would be reason enough for bitterness. But in ancient cultures, a woman’s value and future were tied to her husband or sons. She was alone. No value. No future. She got bitter. In her pity party, she forgot God.

Bitterness is a life changing condition that is actually a choice. At the root of bitterness is anger. Uncontrolled and unchecked anger is sinful. It not only drives a wedge between us and others, but it destroys our relationship with God. When anger is not dealt with it becomes bitterness. Bitterness is the evidence of a hardened heart toward God and others. When seen as the sin that it is the next step is confession and repentance.

Its amazing that Ruth wanted anything to do with Naomi. She was bitter and her attitude reflected that. Ruth must have seen beyond the bitterness back to the true nature of who her mother-in-law was. She stuck with her despite the funk she was in. We all need someone like Ruth. Someone who sticks with us and reminds us of who we are in Christ. Sometimes we need to be Ruth in another’s life.

Prayer: Lord, help me to keep my anger under control, not to get bitter. Allow me to have people in my life that love me and are honest with me. Give me opportunity to help others by being a loving honest voice in their lives.

Pastor Todd

The first 15 verses were originally intended to be split into two days. Due to a typing error (my fault!) there was some understandable confusion with the reading plan. That’s all corrected so I’ll continue with the second part today…

In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband. Then Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah. But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the LORD reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. May the LORD bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept. “No,” they said. “We want to go with you to your people.” But Naomi replied, “Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD himself has raised his fist against me.” And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.” – (Rth 1:1-15 NLT)

Yesterday during our weekly staff meeting, I shared a quote from C.S. Lewis’ book The Screwtape Letters. This is a book is a conversation between two demons: The experienced uncle, Wormwood, is giving advice to his novice nephew, Screwtape. Screwtape’s assignment is to secure the damnation of his charge, a regular young man.

In the first letter from Wormwood this advice is given to Screwtape regarding the young man, “Don’t waste time trying to make him think that materialism is true! Make him think that it is strong, or stark, or courageous – that it is the philosophy of the future. That’s the sort of thing he cares about.”

We live in a world where truth is not at the core of what drives our philosophies and activities. The cares of this world are a strong influence on how we live and what or who we serve.  That how we behave or what we do is influenced by the truth is often times overlooked. This is why biblical knowledge and application are so important.

In Ruth’s story there is something attractive about the truth of God’s character that  keeps her from going back to Moab, her home land. Moab is know for it’s pagan gods and hedonistic service to them. A place without hope or future. Just a place to exist and muddle through life. A stark contrast to the life offered by the God of the Bible.

Naomi continually speaks of the Lord to her daughters-in-law. Even as she is sending them away asks the Lord to bless them. Ruth decides to stay and follow after Naomi. A wise choice. A choice that speaks to the humility of her character and her desire to do what is honorable. A choice that shows she understood that Moab had nothing to offer her but that following the Lord did.

It makes me wonder, do I spend enough time talking openly about the Lord and the place He has in my life? My conversation is a road sign that needs to point people to the Savior and away from the cares of this life.

Prayer: God help me to not be distracted by the cares of this world. Make my life a beacon of truth pointing people to you.

Pastor Todd

We embark on a new reading plan throughout the month of May. We will spend the first half of the month, leading up to Mother’s Day, in the book of Ruth. Ruth is an incredible picture of God’s redemption. It is a picture of what Christ does for us. An amazing story that is a literary masterpiece reminding us that God made the way for sinful people to be rescued from their sin.

At the end of the month, we travel back to the Persian Empire around 470 BC to look at a story of drama, power, romance, and intrigue. The book of Esther is a remarkable reminder of God’s soverignty and loving care for His people. It is the only book in the Bible that has no reference to God in name, title, or even pronoun.

These are the only two books in the Bible named for women. During this month, when we remember our moms, it is appropriate that we read them. I hope that you’ll enjoy this reading plan.

In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband. Then Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah. But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the LORD reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. May the LORD bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept. “No,” they said. “We want to go with you to your people.” But Naomi replied, “Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD himself has raised his fist against me.” And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.” – (Rth 1:1-15 NLT)

There is so much to focus on in the beginning of this book. Let me encourage you to jump in and share your thoughts.

I’m struck by a few things in our reading today as we get rolling with this book:

1. The meaning of the names of the characters – Elimelech – My God is King; Naomi – My Delight; Mahlon – Sick; Chilion – Pining (wasting away); Orpah – Fawn (a young deer or someone with surface love); Ruth – Beauty.
2. That the majority of the story will take place in Bethlehem.
3. That Naomi continued to point her daughters-in-law toward the Lord.
4. That Orpah chose to go back to her people but Ruth chose to follow the one who showed her love and pointed her to God.

I know my name means, ready for this, “fox”. I could go a lot of ways with that but I choose to think that it has something to do my the way I look! Names have meaning and I encourage you to look for the fulfillment of the names in the book of Ruth. By the way, I left out the other major player in this book, Boaz. His name means “fleetness” or “swift”. He is quick to fulfill his role in the plan of God for the redemption of man kind… I’m getting ahead of myself. Don’t miss this book as the plan of redemption is revealed in this amazing story; a story that reveals God’s love for people and His intentional plan for me.

Prayer: God, help me to see you and your plan as it is revealed around me today. I want to remember that nothing related to my salvation was an accident and you saw my need in eternity past. Help me to live in a way that show my life and salvation are no accident.

Pastor Todd