Redemption: Our Only Hope is Not Just a Cliché
Text: Ruth 4:1-22
“Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer…” —Ruth 4:14
What do you think it will be like to experience redemption from all of your pain, suffering, and hardship? What will you do in the climax of that moment—when every sorrow is turned to joy, every hurt is healed completely, every loss is swallowed up by triumph, and every injustice has been rectified? That day will surely come, beloved, and we do well to picture what our response will be when it happens. It can remedially shape how we “patiently endure evil” in this present time (2 Timothy 2:24).
As we conclude our final devotion in this series from the book of Ruth, we see that God is still at work even in troubled times. The book of Ruth has been described as the story of God “through the eyes of women.” One of its characters, Naomi, has been compared to a female Job. She suffered from a severe famine and the tragic loss of her husband and two sons. It’s plausible she lost even more than Job did—her essential livelihood. She dwelt among society’s most marginalized: the poor and the widowed. Bitterness had taken such a root in her soul that she chose to redefine her existence (“Mara”). What she didn’t realize is that God wasn’t finished writing the story of her life—an epic chapter was still to come!
Naomi’s faith might’ve been wounded, but it wasn’t dead. Even when we have a crisis of faith, God remains faithful. He never abandons us in our distress, or when we struggle with doubts. He never stops rescuing us from ourselves! His extended grace enables Naomi to take those difficult next steps even as her soul is ailing and everything in her says ‘give up.’ It’s likely a pure ‘faith over feelings’ moment when she urges Ruth to boldly propose to Boaz, who was a legitimate kinsman redeemer in accordance with their ancient cultural laws. This was an act of faith rooted in God’s Word. Naomi finds a way to take a “faith step” despite overwhelming feelings of grief, bitterness, and sorrow.
The outcome was favorable. Boaz and Ruth were married and soon had a son named Obed. Naomi’s misfortune turned to joy when she held that little grandchild in her arms. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him” (Ruth 4:14-15). Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. It’s a glorious redemption moment. The child brought great joy to Bethlehem, became the grandfather of a godly king (David), and ultimately the ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
We can learn much from Naomi. Even when we can’t see the bigger picture and life is under duress, God’s plan is still perfect and filled with love. He knows what He is doing. All things do work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
We must also understand who the main character is in this story. It isn’t Naomi. It isn’t Ruth. It isn’t Boaz. The real Hero is Christ, the Redeemer. He is the protagonist in the story of our lives as well. Our stories are not fundamentally about us; our lives are simply a canvas for God to write out His redemption for the world to see His glory. He is the One Who provides a future for Naomi and Ruth, two widows with such little prospects for a future. It is through the canvas of their lives that we see how God cares for the marginalized, just as He commands us to do (Jeremiah 22:16; James 1:27).
The final takeaway is that we need to keep our eyes on our Redeemer, not the bleakness of the moment. It is not a cliché to say that Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, is the only hope for our world today. Social and systemic injustices will never be remedied without true humility and repentance. Bigotry, bitterness, and hatred in the hearts of people will never be holistically remedied apart from the love of Christ. Violence, vitriol, and vindictiveness will never usher in real justice. Legislation will never change a heart. Only God can do that. Our only cure is looking to Jesus.
We must recognize Jesus not merely as some historical figure, but as the living Redeemer of all the restoration and reconciliation God wants to bring about in our world today. Ignoring Him leads to pride. Looking to Him is what humbles us (Philippians 2:1-11). As Laura Gallier, one of my daughter’s favorite authors, said, “Of all the countless acts of injustice committed throughout mankind’s history, none compares to the atrocious beating, scourging and crucifixion of Christ, which he willingly suffered on our behalf, motivated solely by God’s love for humanity. This revelation becomes our foundation for repenting of our own sinful actions and also forgiving acts of injustice committed against us.” Looking at Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice on the cross for our sins humbles us. That’s why so many people ignore the cross—they don’t want to humble themselves. Thus they remain poisoned by their pride, bigotry, hatred, bitterness, and animosity toward other human beings.
Our hope begins at the cross. It is here that we humble ourselves at the feet of Jesus, allow His revelation to transform our hearts, and let him replace our Mara (“bitterness”) with healing. It is here that we find forgiveness and restoration. The cross is where hate is overcome by love, vengeance overcome by mercy, and animosity overcome by reconciliation. It’s where we recognize our humanity with all of its flaws, see a God Who created every person in His very own image, and willingly laid down His life so that His creation can be saved, healed, and redeemed.
Just like Naomi and Ruth in their distress, God has not left you without a Redeemer. He is still writing on the canvas of repentant lives today. Will you trust Him? Will you turn to Him? Will you view your broken world through the reconciliatory lens of the cross? Will you walk, love, and serve others in humility? Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.
PRAYER
God, sometimes there are no words to describe the sorrow, the injustices, and the evil that we experience in this fallen world. It is impossible for us to make sense of it all. People need hope. And the only path toward a redeemed future begins at the foot of the cross. Our bitterness doesn’t engineer a favorable outcome. Thank you for your grace, which leads us to that place of surrender so that we can see you write a better story than we could ever imagine. Grant us humility to turn to you, to release our angst, our grief, our sorrow, and all of our fears and doubts. Save us from ourselves. Holy Spirit, reveal to us the path forward. Though often assaulted and sometimes faltering, may our faith be found trusting you to bring about the ultimate redemption in this story we are living. In Jesus’ name, and for His glory, Amen.
Questions for Reflection, Small Group or Family Discussion:
- What are some of the etiquette or unwritten social rules in your family? What is essential to treating others with dignity and respect?
- What is the central event in this chapter (Ruth 4:1-12)? How is the elders’ blessing on Boaz and Ruth’s marriage significant in light of the rest of the chapter? (Ruth 4:11-13)
- How is this chapter an example of God’s providence in our lives? What can this story teach us about God’s redemption plan for our world today?
- Why do we tend to overlook or ignore the power of the cross in our daily lives? Like Paul, how can we “die daily” so that we can serve the Lord faithfully (1 Corinthians 15:31)?
- What feelings of bitterness, anger, grief, sorrow, vindictiveness, or animosity might you need to bring to the cross today?
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