THE STORY OF JESUS: Ruth 3-4
“He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age.” (Ruth 4:15)
Naomi returned to Israel bitter because she had been emptied of life and hope (Ruth 1:20-21).
Her husband and sons dead, she was essentially homeless and destitute.
Life for widows and orphans in that day was terrible, they bared lived off of charity.
But this story does not end with empty despair, but with overflowing hope.
This is the back story to the birth of Israel’s greatest king, David (Ruth 4:22).
But more than this, David is the back story to the coming messiah, Jesus the Son of David!
If Naomi’s story moves from emptiness to fullness, how much more OUR story in Christ.
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.” (Colossians 2:9-10)
Through Jesus, the promise to Naomi is also fulfilled for us.
God has renewed our lives, and beyond old age He has guaranteed eternal life!
The story of Naomi and Ruth assures us that God has a ‘guardian redeemer’ for us.
He has rescued us from emptiness and destitution; He has claimed us as His Bride.
This is how my story ends, this is how your story ends – my cup overflows!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, in You have have life, life to the full! In You my soul is satisfied, and I will dwell with You in the house of the Lord forever!
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
A foreigner?
Here Ruth has been accepted as an outsider to become an insider, according to God’s plan that Christ Jesus may be born. God moves among the people in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. His family is beyond human reasoning. His ways are beyond our limited thinking. His blessings are upon whomever He chooses. And I, can’t fathom His ways. I need to celebrate His goodness.
In this story I see once again the fall, followed by love and restoration and new life which all comes from the Lord. Seeing the Lord at work in this family, can I also see Him at work in mine?
I need to celebrate His goodness and His gifts also today.
VERSE 1
Whenever I consider just where God brought me from
The life of emptiness I lived without God’s son
My heart cries “hallelujah” cause the savior rescued me
Without his precious love where would I be?
CHORUS
I would be lost
I would be drifting like a ship on stormy seas
Without the sacrifice that Jesus life affords
I would be dead within my sin
Forever longing to be free
If it had not been for the goodness of the Lord
If it had not been for the goodness of the Lord
VERSE 2
Since the day he saved me, just look where I’ve come from
I’m now being made into the likeness of God’s Son
I have this blessed assurance, cause the savior rescued me
Without his precious love where would I be?
CHORUS
I would be lost
I would be drifting like a ship on stormy seas
Without the sacrifice that Jesus life affords
I would be dead within my sin
Forever longing to be free
If it had not been for the goodness of the Lord
If it had not been for the goodness of the Lord
BRIDGE
Jesus brought me out of darkness, into his marvelous light
And placed me on a solid rock to stay
I’m now walking with my savior and I’m fighting the “good fight”
Because of Jesus I can truly say…
CHORUS
I would be lost
I would be drifting like a ship on stormy seas
Without the sacrifice that Jesus life affords
I would be dead within my sin
Forever longing to be free
If it had not been for the goodness of the Lord
If it had not been for the goodness of the Lord
The goodness of the Lord
The goodness of the Lord
The goodness of the Lord
He saved me, he raised me, he kept me
If it had not been for the goodness of the Lord
He saved me, he raised me, he kept me
If it had not been for the goodness of
The Lord, The Lord, The Lord, The Lord
If it had not been for the goodness of the Lord