Those of you who’ve been around for a bit, do you remember what happened to Tori and I Almost 3 years ago? We boarded American Air ight 410 in Nashville with Bogota Colom- bia as our nal destination. Somehow we managed to snag 1st class seats and though our bodies were comfortably at rest in those nice leather chairs, our minds hardly were. We were on our way to complete an adoption. What would it be like? Will they like us? Will it be awkward? 4-6 weeks in another country. This could be really cool. OR So we thought. 2 days later we would meet face to face the 3 of the most beautiful kids who we’d only seen via skype. That day began the process of making Isabella, Emery, and Shepherd our chil- dren. Many of you know how it ends. After 9 week, I repeat 9 weeks, of what felt like being apart of an episode of Locked up abroad, The adoption was complete and we came home.

Now, while we were there we felt like sh out of water. There was no rest. We would put the kids to bed around 7-8pm and then we would stay up to watch that great TNT rerun, Iron- man. We DVR’d that movie and watched it at least 10 times over 9 weeks. We also, instated rest time. And every day when we would say “es el momento para una siesta”, for you grin- gos that’s It’s time for a nap and then we’d hear a volley of “No, papi. No quiero. No quiero tomar una siesta”. They didn’t want a nap but Mami and papi desperately needed rest. But as many rest times as we had we never got it. Rest never arrested us.

When we came home, So much had changed. In the midst of incredible generosity demonstrated by many of you and in the presence of 3 kids living within our house, We felt alone. We felt crazy for the things we thought. We were tired. We were completely and utterly exhausted. We had to deal with tantrum after tantrum after tantrum and then there were the kid’s tantrums. It would take nearly a year after we returned to feel like our bodies were rested.

In the middle of all that I learned that even though there might not be physical rest that I’m still responsible for what I’m telling myself. Even though I’m worn out and tired and can’t imagine going another day when everything around me is falling apart that I’m still in control of what I think about and the storyline that I tell myself. I took truths and maligned them to believe the worst about my kids, my wife, myself, and others. I took lies and twist- ed them and made them truth.

My soul is a chatty Kathy. Your soul, my soul tells us a story. It tells us the story of how life should be. It lays the groundwork for your desires. It reminds you of all that has happened to you in the past, how people have hurt you and wounded you. It reminds you of the good things you’ve gotten and sometimes the good things you’ve gotten in the wrong way. It takes all those things and formulates for you what you think the good life will look like and then it whispers to you what the future should look like. Your soul chatters. Do you know this is happening? It’s happening all the time.

I want you to see that this morning what deep soul rest looks like and how to get it.

The last couple weeks we’ve been in the book of Ruth and that’s where we’ll be today. If you don’t have a Bible...otherwise the scripture will be up on the screen behind me.

First I want to us to remember where Ruth comes from because that will help us better understand what’s happening in Ruth 3.

Ruth is a Moabitess whose just returned from eating tiny marshmallow treats from Sonic. She’s a descendant of Lot. Look at how she and her people come into existence. Genesis 19 shows us that.

Genesis 19:31-33, 37

And the rstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” So they made their father drink wine that night. And the rstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

The rstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.

Lot and his daughters have just escaped Sodom and it’s just the 3 of them and his daugh- ters begin to worry about what will happen to them. Lot is old and near the point of not be- ing able to care for them much longer. They’ll be lonely. These thoughts consume them. So they come up with a plan. They scheme together. They decide to get their Father drunk, take him in the tent and lay with him. That’s a euphemism for have sex with him. They do this not only one night but two nights. Both daughters scheme together to get their Father drunk so he won’t have a clue what he’s doing and the bible says he was so drunk that he couldn’t even remember what happened. And then look there in vs 37. The Moabites were born.

What’s your story? Where do you come from? A lot of the person you are today comes from who your parents were and unfortunately who your parents weren’t. How have people treated you in the past? Were you bullied by some kid in elementary school? Were you or are you being taken advantage of sexually? Were you or are you being emotionally mis- treated?

Look at the junk in Ruth’s trunk. She’s the descendent of an incestuous relationship. Her many times great grandmother was responsible for raping her many-times great grandfa- ther and this is where she comes from. I wonder how what her soul is chattering to her?

She didn’t have food but now Boaz has generously supplied her with food. She still has no family. Let’s look and see if her soul is at rest.

We’re going to walk through this story and like last week, we’re going to draw out some things for us to understand.

Last week we left off with Noami being astounded by Boaz’s generosity. Naomi basically says well Boaz is taking good care of you, stay close to his servants and keep gleaning where you have been and so she does this until the end of the barley harvest.

We’re told in Vs2:23 and she lived with her mother-inlaw. She waited. She kept on doing. She kept ling the les and processing the claims. It was clickety-click on the mouse for her. And she worked hard

Now somewhere along the way, Naomi comes alive. It seems that the generosity shown to her shakes off her bitterness and she begins to Hope again. Hopeless people don’t plan and if they do it’s not the sort of plan we see here.

Ruth 3:1

Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek krest for you, that it may be well with you?

Now the left over Carrabas that Trevor talked about last week was long gone and Naomi still with an incredible amount of love for her daughter-in law knows that something must be done or else Ruth will be alone the rest of her life. At the moment she might have
food but she still doesn’t have security. She doesn’t have a family. This phrase right here “seek rest that it may be well with you?” was a way of saying, “Now, Ruth I want you to be at peace about your life. I don’t want you to have to worry about how you’re going to survive. I want you to be safe and sound.” Ruth’s ancestry would be ringing in her head right here. “I remember how grandpa Moab came about, will I need to take matters in my own hands?”

And then Naomi says,

Ruth 3:2

Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing oor.

Ruth, Boaz is going to be winnowing and nay naying on the dance oor tonight and it’s time to make your move. Now during winnowing all the barley stalks would be taken to an area out in the open generally on top of hill where the wind would be blowing a little more and they would beat or have oxen drive over the stalks while it layed on the ground. This would separate the grain from the chaff and then they would take a pitch fork like instru- ment and throw all that up into the air and the chaff (the useless part) would blow away with the wind and the grain would be left. This very hard work. And Boaz would be there to keep an eye on things and to celebrate the harvest. And actually there might be a little whipping and nay naying bc this was a time of celebration.

So Naomi gives Ruth the following instructions verses 3-5:

Ruth 3:3-5

Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing oor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has nished eating and drinking. But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” And she re- plied, “All that you say I will do.”

Excuse me? Wait! What? Ruth is to do what? This sounds scandalous at best. This is a prime example of what not to do.

Naomi says, Now Ruth, go ahead and get cleaned up. Put on some of that lavender in- fused olive oil and put on your snuggie and go down to the threshing oor.

We’re not sure how long the mourning period would have been during this time but this conversation marks a turning point. Noami is gently nudging Ruth that it’s time for her to begin the next phase of her life. Now some of your Bibles might say that she told Ruth
to put on her best clothes but that’s most likely not what was meant here. This cloak that Ruth was wearing was basically the black dress she had worn to the funeral. This type of garment would have covered her entire body with the exception of her head so it was ba- sically a Hebrew snuggy. Naomi says it’s time to show Boaz that you’re available. It’s time to show Boaz that you’re no longer in mourning. So change your snuggy and get a bath. You’ve been working and we can tell, If you know what I mean.

Now I can’t tame down the next bit.

Boaz is going to be eating and drinking but Naomi tells her to secretly wait in the shadows while all this is going down. Now, when he lies down, go uncover his feet and lie down and wait for his instructions.

City Church, this is scandalous. Lie down, that’s a euphemism for sex. Uncover was a euphemism for removing clothes. Foot was a euphemism for male genitals. If you’re one of the early Hebrew hearers and you’re gonna be like “HOLD THE PHONE. SAY WHAT, NAOMI?” Ruth has got to do what? She has got to go uncover what and do what?

This sounds like Genesis 19. Here we go again. This is a great example of why we say that the Bible is mainly a story about God and not a rule book for you to follow because there’s no way in the world I would ever say this should be the rule single women should follow.

Naomi tells Ruth, now be sure to watch where he goes to lay down. You’ll want to make sure it’s Boaz and not some other man you approach.

And Ruth replies, “You got it. I’ll make it happen.”

Now this is such a gamble. This was happening in the days of the Judges when everyone did what was right in their own eyes. How would this go down? Naomi was de nitely con- cerned about Ruth’s security. We saw that in chapter 2. Why would she recommend this?

Boaz could interpret this wrongly. There were no oodlights or nice-colored LEDs light- ing up the threshing oor. It was dark. Furthermore, prostitutes were known to travel to threshing oors at this time to offer their services. Or perhaps, Naomi knows something that we don’t. Or better yet trusts someone. We’re left on the edge of our seat at this point.

Now I love how much Ruth trusts her mother-in-law. The deep loyal love they’ve shown one another already is the foundation for that trust. I could only hope that we as church can have this kind of stubborn love for one another that’s not dependent on reciprocity that when someone comes to us to deliver wisdom, rebuke, or encouragement that we can say, “I trust what you’ve said is true.”

I wonder what Ruth’s soul was chattering? I wonder what she was believing? We’re left hanging here.

Ruth 3:6-7

So she went down to the threshing oor and did just as her mother-in-law had com- manded her. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down.

So, Ruth goes, She hides in the shadows watching, spying for hours probably. Have you ever tried to spy on someone, I mean in a good way. Not in a weird stalker kind of way.

I do this sometimes with my kids. Sometimes when they get up out of bed early and want to come down to see what daddy is doing. at that point I hide never to reveal myself and then I hear them scamper back up the stairs and I’m safe for another 30 minutes.
Other times it’s in fun. We play hide and seek and I’ll hide and I like to scare my kids when they get near me rather than let me be found but that moment that I’m waiting for them, I can hear my breathe and the anticipation is intense.

OK Ruth’s situation is amped up times 1,000. She’s wearing that snuggy-like garment which shows us that it’s likely to be a cold night, she might have to train herself to slow her thumping heart down and not breathe so fast because someone might see the frosty air that her breathe makes. Slow, deep breathes Ruth. Breath, Breath.

As I said before this was a joyous occasion. Boaz would have been enjoying the fruits of his labor and probably would have been enjoying a little merlot and he would have felt good and thankful to God for his harvest.

So Boaz nally gets ready to turn in for the night and wouldn’t you know, he goes the opposite side of the threshing oor and lays down. Come on Boaz, why couldn’t you have laid down over here. But Ruth makes her move and she quietly dodges the workers who’ve turned in for the night and she uncovers his feet and lays down.

Ruth lays there for hours. Hours. And then,

Ruth 3:8

At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet!

I love this part, something startled him. It’s probably the combination of his feet being cold and feeling the stare of someone on you. It’s kind like you’ve settled in for a nice nap on the couch on a Saturday afternoon. The kids are playing up stairs, it get quiet for mo- ment and you close your eyes and then, then you feel it. You know what’s happening. You dare open your eyes bc you know what’s there. But you do it anyway. Behold, there’s a kid starting right back at you from 5 inches away.

Boaz wakes up and behold, a woman is at his feet. He doesn’t know who, he just knows it’s a woman because who else would steal the covers in the middle of the night anyway.

Ruth 3:9a

He said, “Who are you?”

I wonder if that was “WHO are you? Or who ARE you? Or as my granny would say “Who in the Sam Thunder is this?” and btw I still have no idea what that means.

Ruth 3:9b

And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”

Now we get to the heart of the matter. Notice a couple things about Ruth’s response. She’s no longer the Moabitess, she’s not the widow from the land of Moab. She’s Ruth.

Furthermore, she’s Ruth the servant. This word servant is a different Hebrew word Ruth used to describe herself back in 2:19. There the word she used was a word used to de- scribe her lowly stature. She was calling herself a slave girl. BUT Here she says Boaz I’m Ruth your Handmaiden. And then again, Boaz I’m your handmaiden. She repeats who she is bc she wants to clearly communicate that she’s available for marriage.

Now THIS IS NOT what Naomi told her to do. Naomi told her to steal his covers and sit there and he’d tell her what to do. Ruth’s going off script.

Boaz, Spread your wings over your servant for you are a redeemer. To spread one’s wing over someone was a way to say, Let’s get married. This was the Hebrew way to say it. Here’s Ruth a woman proposing to a man, a younger person proposing to an older, a eld worker proposing to the eld owner, an alien proposing to a native. THIS was bold. I’m hoping the next time one of you propose you’ll use this phrase.

Remember, Boaz prays something very similar to this for Ruth back in verse 12. Boaz asks that God would reward her because she’s now come to nd protection and security in the God of Israel and he’s able to protect her.

NOW with a little swagger, Ruth turns that around and says, Boaz, will you be those wings of protection? In my best estimate, Boaz you are God’s instrument for this. Can I nd rest in you?

What’s more, she tells him oh and yeah, you’re a redeemer.

Ruth takes it up a notch and also gives us one more peek into her character. If she had just asked Boaz to spread his wings over her that would have been enough to ask him to marry her. Then it would have been settled. She would have had food and she would have had family which would have brought her security.

But here we once again get to see her sacri cial and sel ess character once again. And it directed to Naomi. You see, Ruth doesn’t NEED a redeemer. She can get married and ride off into the sunset and all will be well in her. BUT the redeemer bit is about Naomi. She
is committed to showing love and kindness to her mother-in-law. She’s still putting her needs secondary to Naomi’s. Do you see how beautiful this is? This is love if I’ve ever seen it. And Boaz notices.

Look at what he says in verse 10

Ruth 3:10

And he said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than sthe rst in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich.

And here’s where we know that what happened between Boaz and Ruth was completely pure and they never once lost control and had their lustful desires get the best of them. He calls her his daughter. His love and affection for her is not lust lled.

I can tell you that I’ve never made love to my wife and then said, “my daughter”. Perhaps if you want to kill desire that’s what you say.

Let me say something to my brothers this morning perhaps some of you men who take advantage of other women by viewing porn on your computer could begin to see these women as your daughter or perhaps your future daughter and you might wake up to realize that the women you’re getting cheap pleasure from are young women with fears, longings, dreams and are made in God’s image. They aren’t tools for your grati cation.

But look Boaz is astounded by Ruth’s character. When he says you have made this last kindness greater than the rst, he’s saying, Ruth, You’ve completely outdone yourself.” Not only did you stay by your mother-in-law’s side but you’ve asked me to be a redeem- er for the bene t of Naomi. You’ve shown kindness, you’ve shown a deep sacri cial love. You’ve shown love that doesn’t have an exit strategy.

You see, Boaz realizes here that she could have gone after any young man she wanted. Boaz is not young. He’s not using a walker but he’s not doing cross t down at the gym.

She could have had anyone she wanted but she set her eyes on a redeemer so not only could she have marriage but so Naomi could have security. She puts her love for Naomi ahead of handsomeness, strength, status and wealth. Ruth could have had the pick of the litter but she chose him.

Do you see how Boaz turns the compliments back to Ruth? This reminds us of what has already been said back in 2:1. Boaz is a worthy man who goes into the eld asking God to bless his employees. Boaz is a humble man who takes this fact that Ruth has asked him to marry her and showers her with beautiful compliments.

This doesn’t come from a man who is full of himself. He’s not a proud jerk who says, it’s a bout time you chose a good man. Get over here and give me some lovin. Get me a beer while you’re at it. No, Boaz sees the character of Ruth and he sees she’s not a shallow. You’re not going to nd her on an episode of the Kardashians. She’s operating from deep conviction, love, integrity.

But we’re still waiting for an answer from Boaz.

Ruth 3:11

And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are ta worthy woman.

I wonder what Ruth was feeling in this moment. It wasn’t like she and Boaz had been hanging out for hours at their favorite male-owned coffee shop ”Hebrews”. She’s just made a BIG request but Boaz again assures her.

You know...It’s one thing to compliment someone on their choice of you but it’s complete- ly another to say yes. Take for example if I get the call and get nominated to be on the cover of that great magazine “early balding men in their young 30’s”. I’m attered but I’m

going to have to decline such a privilege.

Remember here’s a woman proposing to a man, a younger person proposing to an older, a eld worker proposing to the eld owner, an alien proposing to a native.

And Boaz says “don’t fear.” Don’t fear. I’ll do everything you ask. You’re a worthy woman, Ruth. You’re the talk of the town. All the men at the City café have been talking about you and the word has been spreading about how hard you work. They see you going out early in the morning and getting home late at night. They see you coming home carrying all that barley.

And this right here is a good indication that what took place between Ruth and Boaz that night. Ruth and Boaz didn’t give in to their desires. They remained pure. They were both worthy individuals.

Do you remember how Boaz was described in chapter 2? He was a worthy man. A man of worth. A man of character. Here after their interaction Ruth is described as a woman of worth. Boaz is not going to call her a worthy woman if she’s just prostituted herself.

But instead Boaz now sees her on the same terms as himself. Do you hear that? She’s an outsider. The lowest of the low. Now, she’s an equal. This phrase “woman of worth” is only used two other times in scripture. One of those is proverbs 31. At one point the book of Ruth came after the book of Proverbs in their placement. Proverbs 31:10-31 sounds like Ruth verse 10 “A worthy woman who can nd”? verse 11 ”The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of grain.” Verse 14b “she brings food from afar.” Verse 15a “she rises while it is still night”. verse 17b [she] makes her arms strong.” Verse 23a “her husband is known in the gates.”

Boaz looks into her eyes and says don’t fear. Your past no longer de nes you. Quiet your soul, my daughter. Let your heart rest. You’re the woman for me.

Now we hear wedding bells in the distance. The orchestra starts to pull the heart strings with a beautiful melody and then everything is lled with dissonance. The bells fall off the bell tower.

Ruth 3:12-13

And now it is true that I am ua redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. Re- main tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, was the LORD lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”

And just when you think the story is resolved. Boaz drops this news. There is another man who is a closer relative to your husband. But look at how calm and collected Boaz is. “if he’ll redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he’s not willing then I will.” This helps us un

derstand how grounded Boaz is in trusting God with the matter. He doesn’t “have to have” Ruth. The affection that he has for Ruth is rightly ordered. “If he had said “no matter what happens with this other guy, you and I are going to make this happen” then we’d know that Boaz has made Ruth an idol and unless he gets her he will not be well. BUT that’s not what we see. Both Boaz and Ruth trust that God will work out the matter.

Ruth 3:14-16

So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize anoth- er. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing oor.” And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city.

So they laid there until right before the sun comes up. I doubt either of them slept. They probably stared up into the starry night sky wondering how all of this would work out. Waiting with anticipation.

Now if I haven’t shown you already, this is the antithesis of what happens in Genesis 19. Lot is so drunk he doesn’t have a clue what happened between him and his daughters. BUT here Boaz has complete clarity on what’s happening. He’s aware.

Boaz has her depart with yet another generous gift of barley seed. He loads down her snuggy with grain and off she goes back to her mother-in-law.

Ruth 3:16-17

And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daugh- ter?”

In the Hebrew this phrase is literally, Who are you? Who are you now, Ruth. Are you Boaz’s?

But we don’t know why Boaz gave Ruth more grain Until we’re let in on this next scene. Ruth knows but she waits until now to tell us. This is so beautiful.

Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’”

It’s like Boaz is saying, “Remember when you said you were empty Naomi, well not any- more.” This is just a prelude of what’s to come in the next chapter of Ruth. Boaz wants Naomi to see God’s provision for her in the present. This is the way that God is working his plan in the background of this story. He won’t leave Naomi empy. He’s providing for every need of hers.

Ruth 3:18

She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”

Now, what’s Ruth to do? Well, more of the same. Wait. If Boaz said he’ll handle it, he’ll handle it. He’ll do it today bc Boaz is a worthy man. But for now, Ruth wait. Let your heart rest.

Now what are we to do with Ruth 3? Here’s the rst thing I want you to see.

1) Your heart is like a self-propelled compass. It sets the direction and then moves you towards the destination.

This chapter is supposed to bring you to a place where you begin to think Oh no! Ruth is going to mess this up just like it happened back in Genesis 19. You remember that? Two women scheme to get their Father drunk. They get him drunk, have sex with him. He doesn’t remember a thing and thus the Moabites are born. Their heart tells them they won’t make it unless they make something happen. Survival at all costs is the goal. That’s Genesis 19 and Lot and his daughters.

What’s your heart telling you? Your heart was made to worship. You are made to worship. You are FOR something. Your desires de ne what you want and what you really worship. They will lead you somewhere. They will either lead you to God or away from God. You’ll either place your Hope in God and trust where he’s taking you or you’ll abandon hope and nd another way. You’re nd another way to salvation.

This is what happens when you are hopeless. Hopeless people have to lie cheat and steal to get what they want. Their heart chatters to them that there is a way to life that can solve all their longings and the way to get it is to do whatever you need to do. Do you realize that this is worship? Whatever you stake your hope in is worship. Whatever you believe will bring you unbelievable happiness is the thing you worship.

Now some of the things we go after we don’t have to get them by lying and cheating and stealing initially. We take the things that are meant to bring us good and we turn them into instruments of our demise. It’s nice to be good at our work. It’s a good thing to be healthy and t. It’s a good thing to have good relationships. BUT What if you didn’t have them? I bet if you’re near losing them then you might resort to hopeless behavior.

This is what’s interesting about Ruth 3, Ruth didn’t have physical rest. She worked it harder than Jillian Michaels but she’s at Rest. I think we often automatically assume that if we’re sitting at the house on the couch watching our favorite rerun that our heart is at rest or if we could just get that week long trip to some white-sand beach then we’d be able to rest and

be at peace with our life.

That’s not necessarily the case. Here’s the thing about your heart, your soul is always chat- tin to you. It’s not just setting up facts and information. It’s painting pictures of a kingdom you should be a part of. Where there’s a lot of Fill in the blank and no more ll in the blank. What you say you worship just might not be what you actually worship. And that can be scary.

What you see, what you watch, who you hear is the solution for politics, where you shop, all create a beautiful landscape of that kingdom in your mind and your heart begins to move in that direction. That’s why you have to meditate and ask where your heart is leading you

But you see even in the midst of Ruth’s physical labor she didn’t have to revert back to the ways of her many great grandmother to get what she wanted. Her heart was at rest. Naomi had been tutoring her about the ways of God and she had learned that even when it seems that God is doing nothing and my situation is not getting any better that God is doing 986 other things. He’s working his plan.

That means...

2) If we’re going to be in relationship with God we’re going to have to learn to live in the shadows.

Here’s what I mean. You already know that there is little mention of God in the entire book of Ruth. All we see are individuals struggling through life, placing their trust in a God who has shown himself trustworthy and hoping that he will work out the details in the end.

That doesn’t mean they’re passive. They’re very active but they’re most de nitely not op- erating out of Hopelessness. Ruth, Boaz, Naomi are living with integrity. They’re living in obedience.

Look, We see our present through our peripheral vision, through a kind of fog. Only the past has some clarity and that clarity increases with time. We only know what God was doing in the life of Ruth and Boaz much later.

Now I know this comes very hard for us in the world of twitter, snapchat, instagram, face- book, and microwaves. Just yesterday... Immediacy is expected with everything. We don’t like waiting on anything. Furthermore, we don’t like waiting on God. We don’t like not knowing what will happen to our future. We don’t like the pain that we’re experiencing in our relationships or the pain of not having relationships. We want God to use some type of Star Wars inspired ray gun and zap us to where we want to go

The way God works in Ruth is a mirror to the way he works in our life. It’s very subtle. And this is for our good. Do you really think you’d believe in God more if he worked miraculous things in your life? He did for the Israelites and they wanted to go back to being slaves in

Egypt. Jesus worked miracles in front of great multitudes and many still didn’t believe. God’s hiddenness grows us. It makes us search for him.

Now I know that’s hard. I feel that way often. I especially felt that way when I came back home from Colombia with our kids. I was all out of sorts. My heart was tellin me all sorts of things, and I God kept bringing me back 2 Corinthians 4:17 “For this light momentary af ic- tion is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.”

This pain and loneliness and out-of-sortness that I was feeling was preparing me mainly to experience God in his full glory in heaven. But while he was sanctifying me and preparing me for heaven he was also preparing me to minister to you. He was lling me with empa- thy to know how many of you feel in hurt and brokenness. He was me to really trust HIM rather than the things he gave me. I hadn’t really experienced much hurt beyond having my marriage fall apart after two years in. Now I know why he was doing that. And I’m sure he’s not done with me yet.

I know the shadows can sometimes feel like death. It feels dark. But the darker the night the brighter the stars. Hope will arise. Don’t waste the shadows. There is a way forward in spite of how afar off God feels. He wants you to trust Him.

3) We can trust God because we know he takes messes, turns it on its head, and brings beauty from it.

Ruth would have known the stories of the First 5 books of the Bible. She would have known about Joseph who years after being sold into slavery by his brothers confessed that what his brothers meant for evil God used for good and for their good (Genesis 50). She would have known about God parting the Jordan river so the Israelites could escape the armies of the Egyptians. She would have known about how in spite of being faced with hunger that God provided the Israelites with food in the form of manna. Her own story of being a Moabitess would no doubt be ringing in her heart as she recalled these but her story was not yet complete.

Another mess that was coming to light is Boaz’s story. Do you know what family line Boaz belonged to? Rahab. Rahab the former prostitute of Jericho. This absolutely blew my mind and brought tears to eyes when I realized this. God takes these tragic stories and turns them on their head.

No one is too far gone to be rescued. There is a beautiful golden thread that God is weav- ing all throughout the Bible and he’s showing us that in spite of the choices people make that we can trust him even when those choices negatively affect us.

This is exactly how he’s gone about bringing us into his family. He’s took the messiness of his son Jesus Christ dying on a splintered cross and used it as the means to secure you as a son or daughter of HIS. God has secured for you a way for our hearts to be settled. A way to take the mess of your life and turn it on its head and that’s only by believing this... Jesus’

heart never chattered to himself about a false kingdom he could build without God the Father. Jesus took your sin, your kingdom building , he took that sin on himself and then died bearing that sin FOR you.

He took your place so you don’t have to be separated from God. And his resurrection se- cured that it was the real deal. Now you get, a relationship with God.

When you place your trust in Jesus, the father looks on you like you’re wearing a Jesus snuggy from head to toe. He can’t tell you apart from his son. You’re completely hidden in Christ. And because you have Jesus you don’t have to be afraid of the shadows. You don’t have to be afraid of the silence. You don’t have to be afraid of your past. That’s all been buried with Christ. You now know that though God feels silent he’s still working.

Now Ruth didn’t have any of this good news. Boaz would have had the expectation of the one to come but they didn’t know his name or the extent to which he would go to give
us peace. The gospel gives us peace. We know that we’re now sons and daughters of the King. It has been settled. No matter what happens to us now, no matter what, we’re prom- ised both now and in eternity to have HIM. This settles us. This is the only thing that will secure you when all the mess of life comes your way.

This morning we’re going to take the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s supper is a physical re- minder of the extent that God went to secure our peace. It makes us look back and thank him. But it calls us forward with anticipation to the day that Jesus returns and wipe away death completely and we’ll party with him celebrating his harvest.

If you’re Christian, take this while praying and meditating together about where your heart is.

If you’re not Christian, don’t take this. It doesn’t mean anything to you. You don’t need to do it to t in. Perhaps today is the day you want to begin your journey of following Jesus, then take it and ll out that card so we can know and so we can celebrate with you. But if you don’t believe don’t take it.

Let me pray for us

Hallelujah what a savior. He’s now our friend. God, Thank you for the cross. Thank you Je- sus even when you felt the shadows of death coming for you in the garden of gethsemane that you stayed the path. You trusted the plan of the father.

Psalm 62:1

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.