Like many young girls, Ruth and Esther were two of my favorite Bible characters when I was growing up. Both were brave and courageous, and both had to make hard choices when it came to following their faith.
I’ve studied the book of Ruth on my own several times, and my husband recently taught a series on her in our Sunday School class. I’ve learned a lot from Ruth, but the overarching lesson that speaks to me is her trust in God.
I first see it in chapter one, when she tells Naomi, “your God will be my God.” We know that Ruth lives out that faith once she’s settled in Bethlehem, because in Ruth 2:12, Boaz says to Ruth, “…and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.”
I’m amazed at Ruth’s ability to leave her future in God’s hands. She willingly followed Naomi to an unknown country and faced an uncertain future. I would love to interview Ruth and find out what inspired her faith, and how she came to know the God she so fully trusted. Was it her husband’s testimony? Was it her mother-in-law’s example? Did she compare Jehovah to the false gods of her homeland?
In my 40-plus years, I’ve come to realize that learning to trust God is going to be a lifelong process. If I want to be a woman who trusts God like Ruth did, here are a few lessons I can learn from her story.
1. There are no coincidences with God. Ruth 2:3 says, “And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz...” Ruth headed out to work, and “happened” to end up in the field of a kinsman redeemer, one of the few people who could provide a better life for Ruth and Naomi. God knew exactly which field He wanted Ruth to be in, and He guided her there. His plan for taking care of her was already at work, even when she had no clue about what was happening.
Just so in our lives, every step is planned, every circumstance is orchestrated. Even when we can’t see or understand the direction our life is taking, He is working behind the scenes to direct us in the way He wants us to go. Philip Yancey said, “I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse.”
2. There is confidence in obeying what you know to do. In Ruth 3:5 we’re told, “And she [Ruth] said unto her [Naomi], All that thou sayest unto me I will do.” Ruth did as her mother-in-law instructed her, and followed the plan for approaching the kinsman redeemer, Boaz. Even though she may not have understood the customs, she obeyed what she knew she was supposed to do.
When I’m doing what I know God commands me to do in His Word, I can be confident in leaving the outcome to Him. On the other hand, if I’m going my own way and doing my own thing, how can I trust that God is going to bless me?
3. There’s value in sitting still and waiting. I’ve long loved this passage in Ruth 3:18. “Then said she [Naomi], Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall…” I can just imagine Ruth pacing around the house, stopping to look out the window to see if anyone was coming who might could tell her how things had gone between Boaz and the nearer kinsman.
I think we’d all agree that seasons of waiting on God to work can be agonizing. We often want to take matters into our own hands, to see if we can move things along in the direction we want them to go. Yet how many references are there in the Bible to waiting on God! One of my favorites is Psalm 27:14. “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Truly, it takes courage to wait, yet this verse tells me that He’ll provide the strength I need while I wait. Just as with Ruth, good things – yes, the best things – can come to us as we’re willing to wait on God.
As we enter this second week of the new year, let’s all seek to follow Ruth’s example of trusting God, with our present as well as with our future!
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Tracey, WOW. There surely are no coincidences with God, because just a couple days ago I shared a graphic about Ruth with my older daughter, and it hooked her on Ruth's story. Now your post echos that graphic and EXACTLY hits three points of truth my daughter and I are living now. I just pinned this and private messaged it to her, and I know she will be stunned at how much this resonates with her reality. Bless you, my friend, and happy 2017!
During my quiet time this morning, I prayed that this post would be an encouragement to someone, so thank you for letting me know that God answered that prayer! You are a blessing!! Happy 2017 to you and yours!!
…AND I am so glad you shared your Top 10 posts list, because it put this piece in front of me again…just in time for the Ruth Bible study I’m facilitating that starts THIS week! There are no coincidences with Yahweh.
Hope your Bible study gets off to a great start!! I’m almost finished The Armor of God (doing the study by myself) and just ordered Priscilla Shirer’s Discerning the Voice of God study to begin next week!
“Discerning” is AMAZING! We just finished it. Maybe our favorite study ever, in a long line of studies we loved. So excited for you!
I love how God shows us over and over in scripture that He can be trusted even when we don't know or understand all the details of what we're going through. Here is my morning reflection from and entirely different passage of scripture. "God's ways are not my own. I need to continue to take steps of obedience even when I don't understand the "why" or see Him moving; walking by faith, not by sight." Clearly He doesn't want me missing this message today.
Thanks for sharing that passage, Janet! I love when I see that God is clearly speaking to me in a particular area of my life!
Great points from the story of Ruth! The waiting part is so hard; I feel like I'm in a waiting time right now, but maybe it's not. Maybe this is it, and changes aren't coming. That's hard to judge, too.
Isn't it exciting to know that when you get to Heaven, you can ask Ruth all of your questions? I bet there's so much more to her story that we will learn when we get there!
Yes!! There are definitely a number of Bible characters that I look forward to learning more about. While God shares parts of their stories in His Word, I look forward to listening to the whole story with the details that we haven't heard yet.
Personally I think the book of Ruth is a rich jewel that gets left out of the teaching lineup. It's such a beautiful love story not just between Ruth and Boaz but between the Lord and those who choose to follow His directions. Thank you for these insights. Chris
Yes – I hadn't thought of it that way, but it does contain both of those love stories!!
I love Ruth's story. Great job today.
Thanks so much, Helene! I appreciate your taking the time to comment!
My middle name is Ruth, and I'm in the middle of a waiting lesson. I need to be more patient, but it is hard. So hard. Thank you for sharing Ruth's wisdom. I needed to remember.
Trusting that God will grant you peace during this waiting season! As I've often experienced myself, it's much easier to talk about resting in the Lord than it actually is to practice it 🙂
Powerful lessons from Ruth. No coincidences with God.I hear!
Blessings
Thanks for stopping by the blog and taking time to comment!! Blessings to you as well!
Ruth is such a godly example for us to follow. Thanks for sharing these lessons with us.
Thank you for stopping by the blog and taking the time to comment! Have a great afternoon!!
I'm about to teach a Bible study on Ruth. Glad I stopped by to read your insights! Thanks
Thanks for taking the time to comment! Have a great night!!
I've always loved the story of Ruth. Thank you for these fresh insights!
Thanks to you for stopping by the blog and taking time to comment! Have a great night!!
Thank you so much, Tracey, for going deep with Ruth. I needed this encouragement! My word this year is WAIT. Ruth 3:18 is definitely His Word in due season. Blessings from your neighbor at Holley's
I admire your word for this year!! I can see how "wait" would apply to so many areas of my life. Trusting that God will give you grace for the waiting, and that you will have many stories of His faithfulness to share in the coming months!
Lots of good lessons here from Ruth. I particularly love this one: "Just as with Ruth, good things – yes, the best things – can come to us as we're willing to wait on God." Amen. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for taking the time to comment! Have a great weekend!!
Waiting and trusting – Ruth does these so beautifully! Thank you for reminding me! Beautiful encouragement!
Thank you! Appreciate your stopping by and taking time to comment. Have a great weekend!
Ruth and Naomi's story is perhaps one of my most favorite stories of faith and answered prayer in the Bible. My kids would say I use favorite to describe everything in the Bible, but I love the way Ruth and Naomi's story becomes one story of two lives and how God blends them both into a promise of redemption.
I can relate to your confession of learning to trust God in all things… isn't it amazing how patient He is with us.
Thanks for reminding me of His faithfulness.
Blessings,
Dawn
Yes, it's fascinating to follow Naomi's story as well, to see how she changes throughout the book of Ruth.
Have a great weekend!
Echoing everyone else! BEAUTIFUL true insights!!!
I stumbled upon this blog in Pinterest and this particular piece about Ruth resonates with my current situation.Ruth is such an exemplary woman and her faith and obedience is amazing.I may be restless and impatient in the wait,but being still and trusting in God is essential.thank you so much.
You’re welcome – and thank you so much for taking the time to comment here! Have a great day!!
Ruth has always been a beautiful and graceful example for me!! She is a very inspiring woman of God. Great points!! Thanks for sharing!!
Yes, the Bible story of Ruth is one of my favorites! Thanks so much for reading here and taking the time to comment.
Have a great day!