After some pretty rough weeks in The Story as we read about battles and God seemingly being pretty hard-nosed about the rules (for example, Moses didn’t get to cross over into the Promised Land because he struck a rock to bring about water rather than just speaking to it), we some real gems through the book of Ruth.

Unfortunately, there are Christians who think of the Old Testament as simply informational or historical – “It is about life before Jesus; therefore, it doesn’t contain the gospel and is irrelevant for my life now.” If we see the Old Testament in this way, we miss so much of what God is up to!

I encourage you to take time this week to read the book of Ruth. Throughout this short book, you will see where God remains faithful and committed to His people regardless of how they feel about Him (follow Naomi who changes her name from one that means “beautiful” to one that means “bitter” but ends up joyful and fulfilled). Think about that … how many times have you been mad, frustrated, and even apathetic toward God. That affects how you see your life, but does it affect how God sees you? Does God pull away or change His behavior?

Then Boaz, who would become Ruth’s husband. After Ruth’s first husband died, Boaz (read up on Levirate marriage, gentleman-redeemer or guardian-redeemer or kinsman-redeemer) took her under his wing offering her protection, food, and eventually marriage. This was especially risky because Ruth was a Moabite – a foreigner who worshiped other gods and an enemy of Israel. But Boaz was able to see through all of this. Why? His own mother was a Canaanite who worshipped other gods, and, as if that wasn’t enough, she was a prostitute. Her name was Rahab. She was the woman who sheltered the spies sent by Joshua to investigate the Promised Land. You’ll find her name listed among the generations between Abraham and Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17).

This is grace, which we can define as “love beyond what we deserve.”

Are there judgements that we make, labels that we use, lines that we draw that separate or denigrate people? As Christians, we may feel that it’s our job to hold the line and protect God from those who are not “true believers.” Is this what God wants and what God has called us to do (consider the Great Commandment as stated in the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18)? Is this what Jesus came to do (consider John 3:16-17)?

References

Sermon @ 8:00am The Story | The Faith of a Foreign Woman

Sermon @ 11:00am The Story | The Faith of a Foreign Woman

CNN Belief Blog: Why the Pope’s embrace of a disfigured man is so powerful