My Redeemer
Posted by Dion Todd January 15th, 2023 3,081 Views 0 Comments
My Redeemer from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
The book of Ruth is about a woman who lost her husband while they were living in Moab. Naomi, her mother-in-law, had lost her husband and both of her sons. After their death, Naomi returned home to Bethlehem as a childless widow with no income or means of support. Widows with no children to support them were among the lowest, most disadvantaged classes in the ancient world.
(Ruth 1:1–2 NKJV) Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there.
(Ruth 1:3–5 NKJV) Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.
Because Naomi had no family in Moab and no one else to help her, this quickly became a desperate situation. So she decided to return home to Bethlehem. She told her two daughters-in-law, who were also widows, to return to their homes. Orpah did, but Ruth clung to Naomi and refused to leave her. Ruth gave one of the most endearing pleas of all time:
(Ruth 1:16–17 NKJV) But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever 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. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”
So Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth traveled back to Bethlehem together. The future looked pretty dark for them. Ruth had nothing. She went out to glean wheat and barley in the fields after the harvesters had passed through them so they could have something to eat. Soon a wealthy relative to Naomi took notice of Ruth. He was Boaz, a kinsmen redeemer. He stepped in, redeemed Naomi's property, and married Ruth. They had a child named Obed, who was the father of Jesse, the father of King David.
The Lord didn't speak a word in the book of Ruth, but He was working behind the scenes and putting things into place for her. Ruth's great-grandson was David, the king. She would have been proud. Though she faced dark times, her end was better than the beginning.
The Apostle Paul wrote:
(Romans 8:28 NKJV) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
The Lord had a plan for Ruth long before it was ever revealed. She did her part, and the Lord took care of the rest. This is the way. We do what the Lord has put in front of us today, and He works behind the scenes to take care of things we cannot.
The book of Esther has a similar theme, the Lord does not say a word in the whole book. Yet, you can see His hand at work behind the scenes, moving things into place. Esther fasted and prayed, and the Lord gave her favor. Esther was in the right place, at the right time, with the right things to say. She came to the kingdom "For such a time as this."
(Matthew 6:26 NKJV) Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Consider the millions of birds that inhabit Earth. Every morning they wake up with the same needs, and every day the Lord provides for them. He has done this century after century. They have to do their part in seeking it out, but the Lord takes care of His creation. It may not come to them as a giant miracle because the birds don't have a barn to store it in. It is provided daily, as in, "Give us this day our daily bread..."
The Lord provided manna for the Israelites for forty years in the wilderness. Every morning except the Sabbath, manna covered the camp like dew, and the Israelites would go out and gather it. They are our example, and the manna was used to teach them to rely on Him.
(Exodus 16:35 NKJV) And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.
(Exodus 16:17–18 NKJV) Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need.
The Lord built anti-hoarding rules into His provision system. If the Israelites tried to hoard the manna and keep a pile of it overnight, it rotted:
(Exodus 16:19–21 NKJV) And Moses said, “Let no one leave any of it till morning.” Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.
Trust in God. Do what He has given you today, and don't worry about tomorrow. The Lord has taken care of you until now, and when tomorrow comes, His help will arrive with it.
You can pray this with me if you like:
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for taking care of me! Please guide me and let me see Your path for me clearly. Make what is important to You important to me. Please help me find my destiny. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!