We are wrapping up our series Staying in Shape Through Spiritual Disciplines, and we are getting ready to kick off a brand new series on Sunday mornings! I get excited about opening God’s Word, and I can’t wait to kick off the book of Ruth. Our new series, When Providence Intersects Our Ordinary, may give you a new view on how God is currently working in your life.
Ruth is an amazing story of how God’s providence often intersects our ordinary lives. Our lives may be filled with a fair share of chaos at times, but much of what happens can also be considered normal or ordinary. Sometimes in the midst of our “ordinary chaotic” lives, we need the Lord to intervene in a big way. We need His providential hand to work things out like only He can according to His will for our lives.
We need His providence to intervene in giving us wisdom on how to cope with the loss of a loved one. The book of Ruth reveals this journey for us in what happens for Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law.
There are also times we long to see the Lord step into a desperate situation where we have no idea which way to turn or what step to take next, i.e., family drama, loss of a job, a fractured marriage or relationship, or the need for salvation for a friend or a close family member. Again, the book of Ruth unveils God’s providential hand in many of these same scenarios.
Furthermore, I don’t want you to miss out on the overall theme of the book of Ruth. Is it a love story between Ruth and Boaz? Yes, but the covenantal love of the Lord is on full display in that He stepped down into the ordinary lives of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz, and He provided when they did not see a way forward. Ultimately, because of His love for us, for humanity, the Lord continued the family lineage of Christ, our true Kinsman Redeemer!
Christ loves you. He loves us even in the midst of our “ordinary chaos.” So be encouraged today, because you are not alone. His hand of providence is at work even when we can’t see it with our physical eyes.
Grace and peace,
