book of Ruth

Ok, this is one of my favorite books in the whole bible. It is such a great picture of how God chooses to give grace and work out situations to his ultimate glory. It is just amazing how there are so many "coincidences" in this story. The point is to show how "coincidences" aren't that, they are God soverignly working out our life to His purposes. Ruth decides to stay with her mother in law despite wisdom. She happens to choose Boaz's field. This is in the time of Judges and there weren't many people who were following Yahweh, so that is a truly amazing coincidence, Boaz happens to be a kinsman-redeemer of Ruth, ruth happens to catch his eye... it is just amazing.

I am looking forward to going through this story with the middle schoolers on our BIG WEDNESDAYS. I look forward to looking at the honesty you see in ch. 1. God's soverignity you see in ch.2, and living for God's glory in ch 4. We are skipping chapter 3, because to be honest, i do not know how to interpret that chapter. It seems Naomi is giving Ruth terrible "dating" advice. God chooses to redeem this terrible advice and Boaz acts remarkably especially considering the cultural norm at this time.

There are so many situation in my life that God seems to take my terribly motivated or ill thought out plans and uses them. Perhaps, that is just what God is doing here. For me it is almost comical how i though it was my job to find a wife. God ends up bringing me Courtney, someone i had assumed was to be a friend of a friend and nothing more. All my plans and attempts to take hold of the situation were not wise afterall. I wonder how much of our life where we are actively following God will be brought to us as opposed to us going to try to sieze it. I like to get out ahead and plan, but it seems that God tends to make people cross our path and bring us to ministry situations not out of our planning, but by his soverign planning.

This is just a great story. It's only 4 chapter so go read it...