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Well, good morning. Glad that you guys are here with us. If you've got your Bibles with you,
go ahead and open up to Ruth chapter 4. All right, this is where we're going to begin as we begin our
series in the book of Ruth. Now, if you're wondering why we're beginning and we're going to the last
chapter in Ruth, we're going to do some things a little bit differently this morning. This past
January, we started our series in 1 Corinthians. And I don't know if y'all remember that day,
it was like, we're going to have a 200% chance of deadly ice storms. And then it lightly rained that
Sunday morning at like 45 degrees, all right? And we had made the decision ahead of time to go ahead
and just go through Zoom and Facebook Live and all the different things that we have and YouTube
and just do worship from home that day. And so, since we couldn't jump straight into 1 Corinthians that
were attached to our small groups, I made the decision that morning when I got up and doing my study
to kind of give us just an introductory lesson into 1 Corinthians so that we all could have an
understanding or groundwork of what we're studying in that letter. And what I heard back from everyone
or that gave me feedback on it was how beneficial it was to kind of see and understand and that we can
take those things and build from them and grow from them. And so, as we were looking at starting into
the book of Ruth, pretty much every spring, the beginning of the summer, I like to jump in and
kind of walk through one of these shorter Old Testament books with us together as a church.
And as I was looking at doing that, I thought, you know, that might be beneficial for us to do that
and to take a Sunday morning and just walk through that. And so, that's what we're going to do today.
Now, also on the rows that you're seated on, at the end of each one of them,
it is a card that's going to walk through each Sunday how we're walking through the book of Ruth
together on Sunday mornings. And so, I would just challenge you and encourage you to take that and
to use that, maybe build that into your weekly quiet time of reading that. I would also like to
challenge you to take the opportunity, if this isn't something that you do, to maybe begin to work
through and journal through that. See what the Lord's teaching you. See what the Lord's drawing out of
His Word and how God is going to use that and bless that this morning. Now, what I want us to do today
with Ruth is to give an overview of there's three different themes that are going to flow through
the book of Ruth. Now, I told you to open to Ruth chapter 4, and I promise at the very end of the
message, we will get to Ruth 4. All right? And then, but what we're going to do, and if you try to turn
with me, you're not going to get there. Kevin upstairs, who runs everything that you see on the
screens this morning, he was like, man, I don't know that I've ever seen you have this many slides.
I'm like, man, well, you better do your finger stretches this morning, right? Because you're
going to be clicking through really quick on this. So, if you try to stay with me and turn with me,
you're not going to get there. So, if you want to just jot those down, but I promise we'll get to Ruth 4
at the very end of this. I read an author this week who said this, and it was a very interesting
short line that caused me to think on it all week. And he said, Ruth is one of the greatest
short stories ever written. And then he went into his commentary to explain why he believed that.
And it caused me to pause to think that sometimes there's groups of people who read some of these
stories, particularly in the Old Testament. You have people who claim to be professing Christians
who will read these stories in the Old Testament, and they'll think that this was a made-up story
that God gave someone to help teach us this moral lesson. And so, I want to talk about that
before we even get into the themes. And what I would like to say is that this is a beautiful short
story that's written. But packed into these four short chapters is a beautiful story that is both
historical and inspired. What we're going to read together over the course of really five weeks,
if you include today, is a beautiful story that is both historical and inspired. And what I mean by
that is this, the events that unfold in this story are true. There's not some author sitting down creating
this story in their mind like one would write a sitcom or a movie or a book in a hope that it'll teach
all of mankind or everyone who reads it a lesson. That we as Christians believe that this, on top of
everything else that we read in Scripture, even if our mind, it seems like, and this couldn't possibly
be true, but it is. And that we believe that just as you and I are sitting here today is a historically
true event, that the events that we're going to read and that will unfold through the book of Ruth are
historically true, so that you and I, we can believe not just in a story, but we can believe in the events
in the story and that they happened. All right? Now, the next part, it's historical, but it's also inspired. Now,
the book of Ruth, we do not know who the author is. There are people who have thoughts and theories, but they are
simply thoughts and theories. We do not know who the author is, but what we do know is that the person who wrote this,
when they wrote it, was inspired by God to write this historical account. And so what you and I read
is both something that happened and took place in the time of history, but was also in the miraculous
nature how God would inspire individuals to record and to write these things onto pages so that later you and I
could open God's word and study them together so that our hearts will be drawn closer to him.
And that's what we find here. And that's what we read. So yes, the book of Ruth is historical. And yes,
the book of Ruth is inspired as well. Now, whenever I go into one of these kind of, some of the books
and the chapters in the Old Testament can give us like a character study that feel. And Ruth is
definitely that. You're going to meet some characters throughout. We're going to look at some of their
tendencies and their traits. We're going to look at the pieces about their lives, and we're going to study
those, and we're going to talk about those. And our tendency when we do these things is to look at these
characters and to make these individuals the main focus of the story, all right? And our tendency could be to do
that with Ruth as well. I mean, if you think about it, that's kind of our tendency in a lot that we read.
If we're not careful, we can read the story of David and Goliath and make the story of David and Goliath all
about David. If we're not careful, we can read the story of Moses and the Exodus and all that happened
and all that took place, and we can walk away from that, and we can make Moses the main story, the main
focus of the story. Now, with Noah and the ark and everything, and the danger in that, right? And we're
going to look at these people, and we're going to look at their characteristics, and we're going to look at the
things that they did. The main danger that I want us to kind of wrestle with in our hearts, the tension that we
need to have, is that at the end of the day, you and I can read about this. We can read about the story of David
and Goliath and walk away from it with a posture of our heart that says, well, I just want to be more like David.
I just want to be more like David.
We could study Ruth and walk away from this and just say, well, I just want to be like Ruth.
And then that will miss, and then that will fall short.
And what I want us to get to before we get into our themes, and that'll be next as we go through
this, and this is not just for the book of Ruth. This is for every book in God's Word. This is for
every event of your life. It's this, that God is the hero of the story. That God is the hero of the story.
That when we read the Bible, that when we read Ruth, and we see the details that are unfolding,
it is the declaration of who God is, and it's the declaration of what God is doing, and even the
character traits that it reveals of the individuals in the story, of what does it teach us about the
character and the heart of God, and how is it making us long to love Him more? How is it stirring our
hearts and our affections toward Him more? And so that's what I want us to be mindful of as we go through
this, is at the end of the day, we're not going to stand up here and sing songs to Ruth.
We're not going to walk out of here, and I want to be more like Ruth.
We're not going to walk out of here and say, God, stir my heart for Ruth.
But God, how can I proclaim who you are, right? How through your wonderful servant, Ruth,
can you stir my affections for you? And Lord, as I see in the lives of individuals like Ruth,
Naomi and Boaz, and all that happens and all that takes place in their life, Lord, how can I understand
that they are just like I am, and that, Lord, what I need more of is not more of them, and what I need
more of is not more of me, but what I need more of is more of you, right? And so that's going to be the
heart as we walk through this, all right? Now, there's going to be three major themes that go
through here that we're going to focus in on week in and week out. And so this morning,
Smokey and the Bandit, right? All right, y'all just bear with me as I chase this rabbit, okay?
Smokey and the Bandit, there's that song, I got a long way to go in a short time to get there,
right? That's this morning, okay? So these themes that we're going to have, that we're going to go
through, by no means are we going to unpack all of that this morning and the richness and the
goodness of God's Word in understanding these, but what it'll do is it'll begin to work our palette
into what God's going to have for us to taste in weeks to come, all right? And so as we go through,
as we talk about these, it'll help us build week in and week out of what God has for us and what God
is going to teach us. And so three different themes that we're going to look at, and the first one is
this, the providence of God. All throughout Scripture and a primary focus of Ruth is going
to be on the providence of God. And what I want us to understand, kind of a simplified definition of
the providence of God is this, is that God is in control of all things and that He is sovereignly
in control. And what this doctrine is going to stand against is the idea that the events of this
universe, the events of this world, and the events of your life and my life happen by chance or fate.
And that's not how God works, and that's not what God is doing. And instead, what we're going to find
through the providence of God is that God uses divine providence to accomplish His will and to ensure
His purposes are fulfilled. So that as we read through and as we begin in chapter one here next
week, and we see the devastation, and we see the pain, and we see the suffering, that in the midst of
that, God's still in control. God didn't say, nope, I'm done, I'm out, hands turned loose.
That God is working, and that God is moving, and at every single point in this, there's a greater
thing that is playing out, a greater purpose that is playing out, and we have the beauty of being able
to see that and to go with that, all right? And that is not just true in the life of Ruth, but that's
true for us. It's true in our life. My favorite verse, I feel like I quote this verse almost every
week, right? Romans 8, 28. And we know that for those who love God, say those next two words with me,
all things, all right? All things work together for good for those who were called according to His
purpose. Not some, but all. That in the events of your life, as joy-filled as they can be,
and as painful as they can be, as confident as you can be in walking in some and in others where you
feel like you're lost and wandering aimlessly, in those, we know that God in all things work
together for good for those who were called according to His purpose. And for us as believers, this brings
so much hope to us. Because this means that every bit of struggle, every bit of pain, every bit of
suffering is not wasted, that God is using that for a greater good that you and I oftentimes can't see,
can't understand, can't comprehend, but God's working in it, and we just got to trust Him through it.
There's a question that comes up with the providence of God, and it's this.
The battle that seems to exist between divine providence and human sin.
And the question that arises is this, is how can humans choose to sin, but God still be in complete control?
That's a legitimate question. If God's in control, and yet we see, we live in, we experience, and even though
we're saved, you and I oftentimes still choose sin, how can that, these two things that seem to be at war
and that contradiction with one another still exists to be true? And here's what I just say. That in this
tension that we live in of the divine providence of God and the human sin that we see, that we still
have to understand that God hates sin, and God will judge sinners. Got to understand that God is not the
author of sin, nor does he tempt anyone to sin. And in what we can't understand, because our minds,
mine, yours, all of us, is limited to the perspective of this world, God hates sin, but allows a certain
measure. And I don't know why.
Now, I can't look at every event and line these up and say that in my brain, this makes sense, this makes
sense, this makes sense. But it's what we see, and it's what we trust, and it's what we know. And what
God does graciously throughout scripture is he reminds us the beauty of how he works and the beauty of what
he does, even in the midst of humanity, who tries to come in and mess it all up.
I want to kind of tell you the story of two stories in scripture that you're going to have heard, and
hopefully that you know. One is the story of Joseph that begins in Genesis chapter 37. Now, I'm way
going to shriek the whole, like, numerous chapters down into a couple of sentences, all right?
The story of Joseph, God allowed Joseph's brothers to kidnap him, sell him into slavery,
and lie to their father about it. That's a really short summation of what happens.
God allows that to happen because God had a different plan. And then that Joseph ended up
in Egypt. And we're not even going to get into all the struggles that he faced in Egypt,
but God gets him in Egypt, and he became a prime minister. He used his position within the government
to sustain the people through a seven-year famine. Get this, even his own family benefit from it.
And in the midst of the unfolding of this story, when Joseph stands in this moment before his family,
there are two verses I want to read to you. Genesis 45, verse 5.
Joseph says this, and now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here
for God sent me before you to preserve life, is what Joseph said. Look at chapter 50, verse 20.
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.
To bring it about that many people should be kept alive as they are today.
And this is what we see in the life of Joseph.
This is what we see in how God works.
This is what we see in God moving.
And what God does is God says, hey, man intends it for this,
but watch what I'm going to do.
Who could do this? No one else but God.
Only God could take these events and turn them and say,
but man, watch how I'm still in control.
Watch how I'm still in control.
The other one, what we just looked at last week,
I'm sorry, last week, the crucifixion of Jesus.
Sinfully betrayed by Judas.
Deserted by most of his followers.
His own words spoken to him and not believed.
Innocently murdered on a cross,
but for a purpose.
For a purpose.
Luke 22, 22 says this.
Jesus' own words.
For the son of man goes as it has been determined.
But woe to that man by whom he is betrayed.
Right?
It was what we see, the truth of this.
The consequence of sin and the determined plan of God.
And what we see unfold in this.
And what you'll see throughout the story of Ruth
is the divine providence of God continually working and moving
in the events of life from tragedy to everyday encounters.
And as I was thinking through this this week,
and as I was praying through this this week,
it just reminded me that in every moment of my life,
we can trust and know that God is in control and that God is working.
No matter the news of devastation that you get.
Or no matter the news of hope that you get.
On either spectrum of life and everywhere in between.
God is in control and God is working.
And here's what we do in that.
Here's what we do in this wide scope of life.
We trust, we obey.
We trust, and we obey.
And what I found in that is that when we trust,
and when we obey, and when we go where he calls us to go,
and do with what he calls us to do,
it's so much more peaceful to live in that wide gap of life.
It's not always easy.
It's not even, it's not even always fun.
But we can find the peace and joy of God in that.
When we trust him and we obey him.
Another theme that's going to come up in the relationships between people
that we're going to see in the relationships between them and God
is also the concept of covenants, right?
So a covenant is a chosen relationship or partnership
in which two parties make a bonding promise to each other
and work together for a common goal.
And as you read through the Old Testament and the New Testament, right?
What we think, you know, Old Testament is all the covenants,
but as we read through Old Testament and New Testament,
as we read through that,
what we're going to see is that God is a covenant-making God.
This is what he does.
This is who he is, right?
At least 280 times in the Old Testament,
the word for covenant is used.
And maybe that's why we associate it so much with the Old Testament
because we do hear it more.
But at least 33 times in the New Testament,
the word for covenant is used as well.
And not necessarily in correlation with Old Testament covenant
and explaining that.
And so we see that all throughout Scripture,
it's a concept that continues to unfold of who God is.
In fact, the word testament that we get for our Bibles,
the Old Testament and the New Testament,
is where we get the word covenant from.
So that when you open it up, you're looking at the Old Covenant,
you're looking at the New Covenant.
And what we see is that God is a covenant-making God.
Now, I wanted to prove that to you,
and not by going through every covenant that is in Scripture,
but I wanted to just draw out really quickly,
or as quickly as I can this morning,
several of the covenants that I think will point us to
a great understanding of what's going to happen
and take place in Ruth and who God is
and what God is doing.
The first covenant I want to talk about this morning
is the Noahic covenant, which is found in Genesis 9.
And I'm going to read verses, start in verse 18.
And then God said to Noah and to his sons with him,
Behold, I will establish my covenant with you
and with your offspring after you,
and with every living creature that is with you,
the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you,
as many as come out of the ark.
It is for every beast of the earth.
I will establish my covenant with you
that never again shall all flesh be cut off
from the waters of the flood,
and never again shall there be a flood
to destroy the earth.
And God said, this is the sign of the covenant
that I will make between me and you
and every living creature that is with you
for all future generations.
I have set my bow in the cloud,
and it shall be a sign of the covenant
between me and the earth.
And when I bring clouds over the earth
and the bow is seen in the clouds,
I will remember my covenant
that is between me and you
and every living creature of all flesh.
And the water shall never again become a flood
to destroy all flesh.
When the bow is in the clouds,
I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant
between God and every living creature
of all flesh that is on earth.
And God said to Noah,
this is the sign of the covenant
that I have established between me
and all the flesh that is on the earth.
And so what God does in this
is because of his faithfulness
to always do what he says we will do,
we will know that with all certainty,
there will never be another worldwide flood
as there was in the days of Noah,
no matter how wicked man becomes.
God says, this is on me
in my faithfulness with who I am, right?
The world is still wicked,
man is still wicked,
but God has made this promise.
And so he even gives us a sign
to remind us of that,
that when we see the rainbow after the storm, right,
it is not reminding us of how good we are.
It's not even reminding us
of how beautiful the world is.
It is reminding us how beautiful God is
as the hero of the story.
But God also in Genesis
will give the Abrahamic covenant.
Now, this is on several different passages in Genesis.
I'm gonna read the first
and then speak to several others.
In Genesis 17, seven through eight,
God says, I will establish my covenant
between me and you
and your offsprings after you
throughout their generations
for an everlasting covenant
to be God to you
and to your offspring after you.
And I will give to you
and to your offspring after you
the land of your sojournings,
all the land of Canaan
for an everlasting possession,
and I will be their God.
And so we see this relational aspect
that is developed here.
And as God continues on
in his covenant with Abraham,
God makes the promise
that these people will be a great nation
and that Abraham will be the father of these nations
and that from this nation,
that this nation will be
and from this nation will be a great promise
and from that will come redemption for the people.
Beginning to point and continuing
to tell the journey
and the story of pointing to Jesus.
And so God continually makes covenants
and God continually fulfills what God said he would do.
We can continue on the Mosaic covenant
in Exodus 19.
God says,
Now therefore,
if you will indeed obey my voice
and keep my covenant,
you shall be my treasured possession
among all peoples
for all the earth is mine
and you shall be to me
a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation.
These are the words
that you shall speak
to the people of Israel.
So Moses came
and called the elders of the people
and set before them
all these words
that the Lord had commanded him
and all the people answered together
and all that the Lord has spoken,
we will do.
And Moses reported the words
of the people to the Lord
and the Lord said to Moses,
Behold,
I'm coming to you
in a thick cloud
that the people may hear
when I speak with you
and may also believe you forever.
Right?
And so we get this Mosaic covenant,
this covenant made between God
and the nation of Israel
and that this will be centered
around God giving his divine law
to Moses
and then Moses to the people
so that they'll understand
what it means to follow him,
they'll understand
what it means to honor him,
they'll understand
what it means to glorify him.
And so what we see in this
is not just God saying
what he's going to do,
but God also commanding them
of what they're to do
in response of the covenant.
And then one that's going to be
really big for what we see
is the Davidic covenant.
In 2 Samuel 7, 16,
it says,
And your house and your kingdom
shall be made sure forever before me.
Your throne shall be established forever.
An unconditional covenant
made between God and David
through which God promises
is David and Israel
that the Messiah,
Jesus Christ,
would come from the lineage of David,
the tribe of Judah,
and would establish a kingdom
that would last forever.
That would last forever.
That David would live his life
and rule here on earth
and die.
And the lineage would continue on.
But that Christ would come
and he would reign
and he would establish his kingdom
and this kingdom would continue on.
And this kingdom would be one
that wouldn't go away.
And for you and I
who are a part,
for you and I who are saved,
the kingdom we're a part of.
Which brings us to the New Testament,
to the New Covenant.
And Jesus,
the night of the Last Supper,
what we talk about
of what we take in Matthew 26,
says,
Now as they were eating,
Jesus took bread
and after blessing broke it
and gave it to the disciples
and said,
Take, eat,
this is my body.
And he took a cup
and we give him thanks.
He gave it to them saying,
Drink of it, all of you,
for this is my blood
of the covenant
which is poured out for many
for the forgiveness of sin.
I tell you,
I will not drink again
of this fruit of the vine
until the day
when I drink it new with you
in my Father's kingdom.
The New Covenant,
the promise that God makes
with humanity,
that he forgives the sin
and restores the fellowship
with those whose hearts
are torn toward him.
And Jesus is the mediator
of the new covenant
and his death on the cross
is the basis for this promise.
And this is who God is.
And this is what God is working in.
And this is what God is doing.
So you and I
are in a covenant relationship
with the Lord.
Not because of our behavior.
Not because of,
we go to church.
Not because of how many good things
we feel like we can do.
But we've been brought
into the relationship
with God
through the new covenant,
through the blood of Christ.
And that's why it's through Christ
and Christ alone.
And what we see in covenants
and what God wants to show us
in covenants
is God's faithfulness
to his people.
And their reminder
to be faithful to him
because of who he is,
because of what he's done,
and because of what he promises to do.
And so that when we look at
covenants,
it's more than an arrangement.
It's more than an agreement even.
It's deeper than that.
It's not based in who I am.
It's not based in who you are,
but it's based in the very character
and nature of God.
And the last theme
that we're going to talk about this morning
is the theme of redemption.
And this is going to be big throughout Ruth.
And the word redeem
in a biblical historical account
means to buy out.
It was commonly associated
with indentured servants or slaves.
That there was a debt that was owed
that needed to be paid.
And who would step in
and pay this debt
and redeem this individual.
And we'll talk about a lot more of this
throughout the book of Ruth.
But what we're going to see in Ruth
is this concept
of the kinsman redeemer.
And the concept of kinsman redeemer
it probably isn't something
that we talked a lot about
in church
that we haven't heard a lot
or experienced a lot.
But the kinsman redeemer
is a male relative
who according to the laws
of the Pentateuch
had the privilege
or responsibility
to act on behalf
of a relative
who was in trouble,
in danger,
or in need.
And this was given
in Leviticus
as the standard.
In Leviticus 25, 25,
if your brother
becomes poor
and sells part
of his property,
then his nearest
redeemer
shall come
and redeem
what his brother
has sold.
The Hebrew term
for kinsman redeemer
designates
a person
who delivers,
who rescues
or who redeems
a property
but also
a person.
A person.
And in the story
of Ruth,
this will be Boaz.
But for us,
it's Jesus.
And this is how
we're going to see
the telling
of the gospel
unfold.
I don't know
if you know
this or not.
And if you don't
know this,
and I hope
that every single
one of you do,
but if you don't
know this,
if you're lost
in your trespasses
and sins,
the Bible says
that you need
to be redeemed.
Romans 3, 23,
and 24 says,
for all have sinned
and fall short
of the glory of God
and are justified
by his grace
as a gift
through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus.
Where we find
ourselves
is we are either
former sinners
who have been
redeemed
and made new
by the blood
of the Lamb
or we're sinners
who need to be
redeemed
and delivered
and rescued
for our sin
because there's a debt
that we can't pay.
There's a debt
that we owe.
And you and I,
no matter how hard
we work,
no matter what
we try to save up for,
we can't do that.
And so what we celebrated
last week,
what we proclaim
every Sunday,
what we live for
in every moment
of our life
is so because
of this debt,
because of your debt
and your debt
and my debt,
God sent Jesus.
In Galatians 3, 13,
Christ redeemed us
from the curse
of the law
by becoming
a curse for us.
for it is written,
everyone who's cursed,
a curse is everyone
who is hanged
on a tree.
Jesus in his own words
says in Matthew 20, 28,
even as the Son of Man
came not to be served,
but to serve
and to give his life
as a ransom
for many.
So God sent Jesus
who redeemed us
by dying for us.
The death we deserved,
he died for.
And it's the story
of the scripture.
Because you see,
I can never
be the hero
of the story
because I can't
save myself.
I can never
be the hero
of the story
because I can't
save you.
I can never
be the hero
of the story
because I can't
get it all right.
I can never
be the hero
of the story
because of the sin
that I choose
in my life.
But Jesus
never chose sin.
Jesus walked
in holiness,
in perfection,
and it's who he is.
And that's why
in every single moment,
in every single piece,
he's the hero
of the story.
It doesn't mean
that there's not
men and women
in my life
who didn't pour out
the grace
of the gospel
to me,
but it's the story
of Jesus
who saved me
and who made
me new.
And so he's
the hero
of the story.
And so I told you
we'd get there.
Look down at
Ruth chapter 4
verse 13.
So Boaz
took Ruth
and she became
his wife
and he went
into her
and the Lord
gave her conception
and she bore
a son.
And then the woman
said to Naomi,
blessed be the Lord
who has not left
you this day
without a redeemer.
and may his name
be renowned
in Israel.
He shall be
to you
restorer of life
and a nourisher
of your old age
and your daughter-in-law
who loves you,
who is more to you
than seven sons
has given birth
to him.
And then Naomi
took the child
and laid him
on her lap
and became
his nurse.
And the women
of the neighborhood
gave him a name
saying,
a son has been
born to Naomi
and they called
him Obed.
He was the father
of Jesse
and the father
of David.
The line of Jesus.
And you don't
have to turn there
but today
you're going to read
Matthew chapter 1.
I'm just going to
read the first verse.
The book of the
genealogy of
Jesus Christ,
the son of David,
the son of Abraham.
What God
said he would
do
because he
is faithful.
As we read
through the story
of Ruth together,
I pray that we
celebrate as we
see all that
God has done.
And I pray
that we long
for and to see
more of what
God is doing.
As we read
through and study
the story of Ruth
together,
my prayer for you
and the prayer
for me
is in the midst
of our uncertainty,
in the midst
of our chaos,
in the midst
of our suffering,
in the midst
of our struggle,
we will trust
his plan
even if we
don't know it.
Even if we
don't know it.
And that we'll
know that he's
in control.
My prayer
for you
and I
is that
because God
is a covenant
making God
who holds
his word
and fulfills
what he says
every time
that you
and I
will lean
in more
and trust
on his promises
more.
And that
what we'll see
throughout
the book
of Ruth
of what
God is doing
is laying
out the
salvation
of the world.
His plan.
To save
his sons
and daughters.
I hope
that
it's not
just the
introduction
but that
in a time
and a period
where there's
lots of things
that want to
pull us
different ways
that we can
make the choice
to be here
to journey
through
to open up
and to read
this
historically
inspired
account
about
Ruth
that
tells
the story
of our
God.
Let's pray.
Lord we
come to you
this morning
thanking you
and praising you
for who you
are Lord
and for all
that you've
done.
Lord we
thank you
that what
you're doing
in the life
of Ruth
what you did
in the life
of Ruth
what you're
doing in
our life
you're
taking us
through
events
and
circumstances
to build
our trust
in you
and to
show your
faithfulness.
Lord I pray
that as we
walk through
these we
will choose
to obey
and choose
to trust
that we
will remove
ourselves
from what
we feel
and Lord
and instead
respond to
who you
are
Lord and
what you're
doing
and what
you're
teaching us
and what
you're
showing us.
Lord I
thank you
that in the
sovereignty
of your
plan
every tear
matters.
Every moment
is a lesson
for us
that you're
using it
all
not just
some
not just
parts
not just
the good
not just
the bad
but all
of it
all
of it
to draw
us to
you
and to
declare
your name.
God
thank you
for being
a God
who is
in control
thank you
for being
a covenant
God
who we
can trust
and thank
you
for sending
your son
Jesus
to die
on the
cross
to be
resurrected
again
so that
we may
find
forgiveness
and
life
thanks again
for listening
to the
Willow Ridge
Church
weekly
podcast
we hope
that you
enjoyed
listening to
this week's
message
if you'd like
to learn
more about
who we are
or explore
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