Dear Prayer Warriors,
It's been a blessing to camp out in the book of Ruth. Much like camping, I freed up my schedule and took my time reading. Similar to the beauty in nature, God's beautiful Words made Himself a place of refuge again for me nourishing me. I'm sure I will reread those four chapters again soon because it speaks well to me in my grief. I recommend, if you are not familiar with the book of Ruth in the Bible to read it before reading the rest of this email.
It's no shocker that I have been paying attention to mourning in the Bible, looking at passages of grief and lament more closely. The account of Naomi is probably one of the most stand-out and comforting passages I have come across.
Like Job, Naomi's loss was far greater than mine. Job took a high road in his lamenting, always eager to hear from God to bring purpose to his suffering. However, it is in Naomi that I see a more "real", fleshly, human road through sorrow. Naomi seemed to lack the expectation that God is pursuing her, or purposing her suffering. She had the clear feeling of being let down by God, expecting misery to be her company the rest of her days. She even goes so far as to assume she is cursed. Naomi went away from the Promised Land with her family of four. She returned empty with a foreigner, wanting to be called Mara instead which means "bitter". She even told Ruth, “My life is too bitter to share." also despairing: "the Almighty has afflicted me." Naomi spends great effort pushing people away, during her grief and no doubt she sees her life as over.
Naomi, like many mourners, has grossly underestimated God's grace. Her bitterness was a lens preventing her from seeing hope and redemption. Thankfully God encircled Naomi with her daughter-in-law Ruth. Who also suffered loss but wanted to be loyal and present for Naomi as she moved back to Bethlehem. Amazingly Ruth grasps onto Naomi, giving of herself. Ruth listened, followed Naomi’s instruction and endured in a foreign land. She had nothing to gain except caring for Naomi, what an example of love.
As I read onward, I was blessed to think of this as a simile. My family is like Naomi, our church family and family have been like Ruth. Ruth was not going anywhere, she brought the food, remained loyal, and gave kind words. God used Ruth to lift up Naomi's head again and again. God used Ruth as a means for love, comfort and provision for Naomi's practical needs. But Ruth could only do so much.
As the short book unfolds, Boaz is like Jesus. This is the landowner who ate with his hired hands, ensured Ruth’s safety as she picked in his field and made good on his words. He cared that the poor should eat. He knew about Ruth and was struck by how kind and loving Ruth was to Naomi.
Ruth returns from gleaning grain in Boaz's field. But it's Naomi who comes alive in remembering God's best for His people. It's Naomi who realizes that Boaz is eligible to be her family’s kinsman-redeemer. She arranges that Ruth would be put in the pathway of that blessing. In further parallel to Christ, Boaz obeys the Israelite law, fulfills it in regards to redeeming the land and the family. Doing exactly what he said he would do. Boaz is the promise keeper and redeemer of Elimelech’s family (Naomi’s deceased husband).
This story ends with Naomi living up to her name which means “pleasant”. She is seen holding and caring for her grandchild through the union of Boaz and Ruth. God did it! She never imagined having, holding and loving a grandchild. That’s grace to her from God.
Phew what a picture of restoration for a grieving person to hold onto. Naomi knew what Boaz could do, likewise we must know what Jesus alone is qualified to do, and ask Him to do it for us, namely the forgiveness of our sins and reconciliation with the Father. For those walking in similar shoes, dealing with loss. I can testify that it is our church family and family acting like Ruth that has ministered God’s grace to us. Allow Jesus to be Jesus, the church to be the church, your pastor to shepherd you, and the fellow believers to minister via the fruit of the Spirit.
Please pray:
- that Christ, like Boaz, would restore life and lavish grace on our family.
-for our night of worship at our house tonight (Oct 31st ) . To redeem the time with the “Ruths” God has given us. These families were mere acquaintances before the death of Simon and now they have been serving us and sacrificing themselves for us for months now. We have a little activity to honor the memory of Simon, that should be sweet.
-for Wednesday as we meet with a Christian family grief counselor to gain wisdom and guidance about raising Renee.
A Poem:
I feel that Jesus is working on my heart with the balm of Scripture.
I see the foundation of Christ holding our marriage through sorrow.
I hear whispers of the Holy Spirit speaking to Renee over her feelings.
I smell the pleasing aroma of sacrifice the saints make to support our family.
I taste heaven and eternity right off of the cooling rack of death.
Thanks for Praying and being a Ruth to us,
Nic, Lindsey, Anna, Renee, Victor
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