Moving on to the Book of Ruth with my YouVersion “Essential 100 Challenge” readings.
Day 30 – Ruth
It’s been a while since I have written here and there are several reasons for that, but since these “reasons” double as “excuses” I won’t even go there. I want to confess that the Holy Spirit has convicted me of my need to be more of His ~ more faithful ~ more prayerful ~ more hungry for God’s Word and power in my life.
Some of this has come as a result of the season of Lent. I am serving now in a church which observes and teaches about the true meaning of Lent. I say ‘true meaning’ because my previous understanding of this season has been, at best, incomplete, and at worst, just plain wrong. There is so much more to Lent than just ‘giving up’ something like chocolate or soft drinks, while avoiding the real purpose of Spirit-led ’self-examination and self-denial in preparation for the celebration of the Lord’s resurrection on Easter.’ The season mirrors Jesus’ 40 days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness, but unlike our Lord’s experience, for us there is a strong emphasis on heart-felt repentance, lamenting our sins, acknowledging our wretchedness and clinging to the God of all mercy and forgiveness. It’s not something we do ‘just’ during the calendar days of Lent, but something that we ‘especially’ do then. And, in my case, it is something that the Holy Spirit has led me to do in my walk with Him.
But what does this have to do with the Book of Ruth? I confess also that I have come to this point in my blogging with very little to say. Don’t get me wrong. I love the book of Ruth. I have read it many times. I recently heard some excellent preaching on Ruth and I know the story well and appreciate much about the book. It’s just that I have been dry and distant from any inspiration as to how to approach blogging about it. And yes, distant from the source of inspiration ~ which brings me back to my need for Lent. What I do want to say is that Ruth, Naomi and even Boaz all illustrate to me aspects of the emptying, the self-examination, the falling on the mercy of God that should be a part of the observance of Lent and the Christian life in general. I would encourage each one that reads my thoughts to go back and read Ruth – preferably in one sitting, and see if God will speak to you about these things as well. Or, for that matter, read anywhere in the Scriptures, prayerfully seeking the Spirit’s conviction and assurance of restoration and you will be blessed.
Naomi
Her’s was not a self-emptying or self-humbling. In her own words, “I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty.” (1:20) But for her to willingly return to her home town where she was known was a very humbling act. In spite of the fact that she and her husband disobeyed God’s law in going to live in a foreign country and taking foreign wives for her sons, she must have exhibited faith in God in her tribulation because her daughter-in-law, Ruth, the Moabite, came to trust in Jehovah God with all her heart.
Ruth
Her commitment to Naomi and to Naomi’s God was definitely a self-emptying experience. She could have returned to her family and her people and her gods, and probably could have found another husband, but instead she threw herself completely on the mercy of the God of Israel. I don’t think she, any more than Naomi, thought that there would be any blessings awaiting them in Bethlehem. She identified with Naomi and became an outcast with her. Her only hope was that she would be able to stay with and serve Naomi for the rest of her years of her affliction. (1:16-17)
Boaz
He had a lifestyle of putting others first. He greeted and blessed his workers, and showed concern and offered protection for the stranger, Ruth, even sending her home with extra grain. He continued to care for her throughout several harvests because He knew what she had done for Naomi. (2:11-12)
Now, all these things are not strictly in the spirit of Lenten self-examination but it says to me that all three were people who loved, trusted and, yes, feared Lord Jehovah. Their lives to some degree were shaped by their practice of repentance, of lamenting their sins, of acknowledging their wretchedness and especially of clinging to the God of all mercy and forgiveness. And that’s what I understand Lent to be about.