When All Seems Lost…

The book of Ruth is a beautiful story of God’s ability to make lemons into lemonade.

I have always loved how ugly caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies and I’ve always loved the expression, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” It’s kind of been my life’s motto.

I recently followed along with a Bible study on the book of Ruth on the website, #Shereadstruth. Ruth is a short, easy read. I had read it before, but this study pointed out things I hadn’t thought of. If you are a “happily ever after,” fan, this is the book for you. It’s a story of tragedy and of redemption. It’s a love story. It’s a story of God’s ability to take any mess and make it beautiful. It’s a story of hope.

The gist of it is a husband and wife move to a foreign land with their two sons to escape famine. While there, the husband and both sons die leaving the wife, Naomi, alone with here two daughters-in-law. Naomi has nothing left and women couldn’t just go out and get jobs in those days, so she decided to return to home to Bethlehem. Remember who was born there?

She encouraged her daughters-in-law to return home to their fathers. Both objected, but one agreed. The other, Ruth, refused to leave Naomi’s side. Ruth tells her, “Your people will be my people and your God, my God.” This profession of faith would seal Ruth’s fate in the end, as well as Naomi’s.

When they arrive in town, the people are happy to see Naomi. However, Naomi is filled with grief. She has even changed her name to Mara because it means the Lord has made her life bitter. She is still a believer in God, but she believes her life is over. At this point, the writer in the study said, “Don’t put a period where God has put a comma.”

I never really thought about it that way. I have always focused on Ruth in this story and her obedience to Naomi, but Naomi was the one who was most hurt, and God provided for her too. First, he gave her a wonderful daughter-in-law, who became her daughter in every sense. Ruth stood by Naomi and she loved her. She followed all of Naomi’s instructions. She fed her everyday after she was able to gather grain.

The field that Ruth just happened to end up in was a close relative of Naomi’s, named Boaz. (Yeah, right, there are no coincidences where God is concerned. He was working on this story from the very beginning.) Boaz was very kind to her; also God at work. Finally, when Ruth let it be known that she was interested in marrying him, he went through all of the proper channels and made it happen.

The women were saved. Ruth and Boaz married and had a son. The Bible says that Naomi laid him in her lap and cared for him. Have you ever experienced the joy of holding a newborn? The women of the town praised Naomi and she realized God had indeed provided. He didn’t replace what had been lost, but He provided something new and just as special.

And the baby? His name was Obed. He would have a son named Jesse and Jesse would have a son named David. Yes, that David, the one who slayed Goliath and united a kingdom. Isn’t God amazing?

He was at work in this story and He is at work in yours, even when you can’t see it. Have you ever had a time when you thought all was lost, but are able to now look back and realize God was at work?  I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂