Advent Midweek 2: Ruth the Moabite (Ruth 1:6-17)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR
Advent 2 Midweek – December 7, 2016
Text: Ruth 1:6-17

Ruth was a woman without an earthly family.  Sin and its effects had caused her to lose her husband and she also lost her home and inheritance.
 
With Naomi she found a family.
Yet with Naomi’s God she found much more.
 
“Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
⁶ God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.” (Psalm 68:5-6)
 
This is in God’s nature to be a Father.
He is Creator – He is the source of our life and provides all that we need in this life.  Even when Bethlehem, the house of bread, suffered famine, God shows His faithfulness in preserving life.
He creates out of nothing, so that even if we are brought to the lowest point, God is able to raise up.
 
In God, Ruth found a true, heavenly Father.  He is one who above all, cares for her and all who cling to Him by faith.  His faithfulness doesn’t change, even if droughts, sickness, sadness, or death bring change.  Ruth lost everything, but in God she gained it all—a family, a home, a future, and peace.
 
But it didn’t stop for just Ruth:
 
¹³ So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. ¹⁴ Then the women 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! ¹⁵ He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” ¹⁶ Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. ¹⁷ And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. (Ruth 4:13-17)
 
Through her and her kinsman-redeemer, Boaz, a true redeemer was born for all people of the earth.  In Him, everyone who is left poor in spirit finds solace.  Amen.