Beyond what is Visible

READ Ruth 1–4

A beautiful young woman from Ukraine came to Canada at the urging of her father who is concerned for her safety. She left her homeland and relatives and lives here, attends our church, and with glowing face, she demonstrates her faith in God that enabled her to do what she has done. While her story is not the same and the results will be different, she reminds me of Ruth, a young woman who also obeyed God and became an important person in history.

In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land and . . . . Elimelech . . . his wife Naomi, and . . . his two sons Mahlon and Chilion . . . . were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah . . . . and went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. (Ruth 1:1–5) ‘

Naomi was concerned for these young women. She loved them but could not support them. She urged them to, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!”

When they said they would go with her, Naomi explained, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” At that and weeping, Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her and said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” Naomi said no more. (1:8–18)

This took a great deal of courage for both of them. When they returned, Naomi sent Ruth out to the fields after the reapers to glean any grain they missed. She ‘happened’ to come to a part of the field that belonged to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. He saw her, found out who she was, and offered to protect her, allowing her to glean and telling his workers to leave extra for her. He commended her by saying, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” She replied, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.” (Ruth 2:3–13)

The rest of the story tells how Boaz fulfilled the role of kinsman-Redeemer, acquiring land and also Ruth “to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” Even though there was a closer relative, that man gave up his right of redemption and allowed Boaz to take it. She became his wife and had a son.

The last verses of this short book show God’s hand in the obedience of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. It is a short bit of genealogy and a definite faith-builder!

Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David. (Ruth 4:18–22)

Ruth became David’s great grandmother, and generations later, the line of David produced Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. This is a wonderful encouragement to me and anyone else who might wonder why some events happen as they do. If I question any events or challenges You put before me, God please forgive my shortsightedness!