The Posture of Redemption
August 17, 2008
Scripture:
Ruth 3:6-13 - And he said, “Who are you?” So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.”
Synopsis:
The redeeming hand of God is the hope of mankind. Remove the redeeming hand of God from the gospel story and you will take hope from the heart of man. This is the primary strategy of the enemy because mankind without hope is easy prey for deception and manipulation. But there is hope because God sent His son Jesus to be our kinsman redeemer, to woe us into the arms of God where we can reclaim protection and provision stolen from us by the enemy. The only price we have to pay is submitting to God’s guiding hand with patient and persistent faith
Today’s scripture is taken from the book of Ruth, a story with a sad beginning but a happy ending. Ruth’s Old Testament story is a type and shadow of the New Testament story of Jesus romancing and redeeming the church. In this story Ruth stubbornly and faithfully clings to Naomi her mother-in-law after both their husbands have died untimely deaths. She makes a covenant of love that positions her to follow Naomi from a familiar place of dead dreams into the unknown territory of hope. She willingly placed her future in Naomi’s hands and for her act of loving faith she was introduced to Boaz, Naomi’s close relative. Boaz, an Old Testament type of Christ, notices Ruth’s character and begins to show her favor. But it wasn’t until Ruth slept at his feet that Boaz purposed in his heart to redeem her and Naomi from a future of destitution.
Among believers the concept of faithful loyalty is preached and taught, but seldom demonstrated. We as a group have adopted the entitlement mentality of our society, thinking that somehow God owes prosperity and blessing just because we say we believe in Him. Mature believers like Ruth know that they must first position themselves in an attitude of humble submission to those God has placed in their lives as spiritual leadership, then make themselves available to serve, knowing that their gifting will eventually make room for them bringing them to the attention of those who can help in their redemption. May we all learn from Ruth’s example and lay down at Jesus’ feet where we will be covered, protected and redeemed.
