“One day you will see just how brave you have been” said the horse to the boy. (Charlie Mackesy).
Can you imagine living in a country that was hostile to Israel and then marrying a man from Israel? Pretty brave, eh! I expect Ruth’s family weren’t too impressed with her decision.
Then her husband and all his male relatives died and her mother in law, Naomi, wanted to return to Israel. Without hesitation, Ruth determined to go with her leaving her own family, culture, a god called Chemosh, people and everything that she had been familiar with. 2 women traipsed 80 kilometres of steep and rugged terrain with sandalled feet. So brave!
Can you imagine arriving in a new country where you knew people would be suspicious of you because you were not only a stranger but you came from Moab? Can you even think of how hard it must’ve been for her to go out each day amongst strangers and eke out a subsistence living for Naomi and herself?
Ruth was a woman with grit. She gave up her life to follow the God of Israel. It certainly looked like she had no prospects of ever getting remarried and having a better life.
Her past didn’t define who she was, however. With God all things are possible and Ruth caught the eye of an eligible wealthy land owner who subsequently redeemed her. He married her and Ruth bore him a son.
There was another who gave up His home, His family, His livelihood and His life in order for you to be redeemed from your lowly position in life. Jesus, who has Ruth amongst His forbears, didn’t baulk at leaving everything that He had so that you could become a part of His family. His courage inspires us to follow His example.
Jesus asks you to leave everything and follow Him. It’s hard and it needs a lot of bravery, but if God can take a poor hurting outcast and provide for her, redeem her and bring her a man who loved and cared for her, God can redeem you from everything that has gone before in your life. Jesus can offer you a new life.
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