07-23-20

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 23, 2020
Scripture: Ruth 4:13-15

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; 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 borne him.”

Thought for the Day: Two days ago I wrote about hope in what must have felt like a completely hopeless moment. But here at the end, like any good story, the book of Ruth comes to a Disney-like conclusion with all the main characters living happily ever after. Though moving beyond fairytale endings, I believe joy emerges from rough and real-life experiences. Yes, there was giddiness in a marriage and the birth of a child, but I’ve got to believe that joy began to emerge much earlier amidst the difficulty. That may sound strange, but joy, among other things, is the conviction that all the ups and downs of life will not impact or diminish the love of God. Our life story may not go the direction we had planned, and there might even be great sadness beyond our control, yet the love of God is like the keel of a boat. The storms will rock the boat, yet the keel steadies it and keeps it from being lost. In our own lives, we might speak of our trust in God, yet the life experiences reinforce that belief. Those experiences may not be as dramatic as that of Ruth and Naomi, but there is joy when one is able to say with confidence, “I know I was never alone, even in the worst of it.”

Prayer: By faith and love, O Merciful God, provide me a steadiness within my spirit. Let me declare how there is nothing in all of creation that can or will separate me from your love. Amen.

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