When the Israelites began losing battles with the Philistines, they sent for the Ark of God and brought it into their camp. They celebrated when it arrived with a great uproar because they thought, despite their apostasy and disregard for God over several generations, that God would now defeat their enemies.

I’m reminded of how we can live our lives without regard for God, yet in our moment of greatest need, call out and expect God to step in and fight our battles for us. He does that. In His infinite grace and sovereignty, He steps in and snatches us from destruction. But salvation doesn’t always look as we expected or in the timeframe we were hoping for. His salvation for Israel began with the deaths of Eli, Hophni, and Phineas.

​His plan continued even when Israel was exiled to Babylon. We cry out to Him hoping for a fast food fix to our immediate problem, but God is a long-term, big-picture God intent on complete restoration. We’re calling out for Him to fix a dripping faucet, but God’s plan is to do an Extreme Home Makeover on our lives. You know the kind, where it begins with “Demolition Day” and ends with an amazing revelation. And unlike a TV show, this reno project will take more than an hour. It will take every single moment we have on this earth. God will not rest until His work in us is complete. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” it meant the plan was complete, the bill was paid, and the outcome is sure, but the project is still in process until we rest in His arms and hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Along the way, we try to help with the project. But what I’ve found is that the wall I put up here or the coat of paint I slap on there often has to be pulled down or stripped off. I have to allow God to fix the mess I’ve made of it. Instead of grabbing the plans from Him and trying to modify to suit me, I need to trust Him and just follow His instructions.
​
The Israelites weren’t interested in God’s plan. They wanted to pull the Ark out like a good luck charm and manipulate God to do their bidding. 

Samuel responds each time he hears the Lord call on him. He responds even though he's in bed and probably exhausted after a full day of serving as Eli's assistant. He responds even after checking with Eli a few times and heading back to bed.

How many times does the Lord call out to me before I realize that it is His Voice? How many times do I feel the urging of His Spirit to reach out to someone, to offer help, to sacrifice my own time, comfort or resources, and I disregard it because I’m busy or have other priorities?

Oh, to be filled with the Spirit so that my response is ever, always, “Here I am Lord! Speak, Your servant listens!”
​
Lord, create in me a heart that is so tender and responsive that at the slightest whisper from You, I would spring into action to follow your command. Father, let not my reasoning or practicality or doubt stand between me and Your Will.

This is a lengthy chapter and we could probably just camp out on Hannah’s song of praise to God for His blessing upon her, but there are some important lessons for us as followers of God, as children, and as parents to be learned from Eli’s sons.

As followers of God, there are no unimportant commands. Choosing to disregard or treat with contempt the Word of God is the same in God’s eyes as treating Him with contempt. We cannot say that we follow God and then choose when and how and which verses we will follow to what extent. When we set parameters upon our worship of God, we are choosing to worship ourselves and our wisdom rather than God. Hophni and Phineas thought they had a better way to worship, one that served them better and did not depend quite so much on the grace and provision of God.

As children, God placed us in the household we are in. Our parents were chosen by God for us, but they are not god. They aren’t perfect. They are going to make mistakes and have their own sin nature to lay before the Lord. Their failures are not an excuse for us to follow them and neglect following God, but they are also not a valid reason for us to treat them with contempt. Their sin nature is no more despicable than our own. We are prone to see the sin of others with so much more clarity than we see our own, but our responsibility is to repent of our sin not to make our priority the conviction of others. We are wise to follow Jesus’ admonition to “first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” In His wisdom, God understands that if we seek to remove the sin from our own life first, that will keep us much too busy to dwell on someone else’s failures.
​
As parents, we may wonder where Eli went wrong. Although he followed God devoutly, how did his sons take such a different path? God’s Word says that Eli honored his sons more than God, but it tells us that he confronted them about their sin. In his confrontation, we see a style of parenting that is pretty familiar today. It seeks to point out wrong-doing, but neglects to correct it. How many times do you see a parent in a mall repeating the same instruction to a child time after time, with the child blissfully ignoring the instruction without consequence? As parents, God has given us a sacred responsibility not only to raise children to adulthood, but to train them up in the way that they should go. To teach them the vital life lesson that there are consequences to our actions and that even when we say, “soooo-rrry,” that doesn’t always allow us to avoid the consequences of our actions.

I never thought about why I believe God hears our silent prayers, but this chapter is confirmation that He does. Though her prayer for a son was silent, and even when confronted by Eli, she didn’t speak her desire aloud, God heard and knew the desire of her heart.

What prayer have you kept just between you and God? Do you wonder if He heard you? We don’t know how long Hannah waited for the answer to her prayer, but we know that Sarah waited many years. Trust the Lord’s timing and keep on praying.
Hannah’s prayer was accompanied by a promise: a vow to give the child to the Lord all the days of his life. How much easier that must have been to say than to do once the baby was snuggled in her arms!

But how amazing it must have been to remind Eli the priest of their encounter and to testify to the miracle God had done in answer to her prayer! God hears our silent prayers, but our testimony of His answer should be anything but silent.
​
What silent prayers has God answered for you?

When Jesus sent his disciples out, He told them, “Be careful, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Be as wise as snakes but as innocent as doves.” That’s a great description of Boaz’ shrewd negotiations with his kinsman. He plans the meeting carefully, ensures he has witnesses to their agreement, starts the conversation with the land that would be involved so there is no room for accusations that he married Ruth to get the land without revealing the land to the nearer relative. In short, he has thought of every possible hindrance and has moved the obstacle before it even arose.

This is the same strategy Jesus commended to His disciples. Wisdom takes knowledge and applies it in practical ways. Wisdom requires us to consider the probable outcomes and be proactive in removing obstacles to our success.

Today is Thanksgiving (when I originally wrote this), so let’s make some practical applications. If you know Aunt Susie and Uncle Jack are prone to heated political debates over the Thanksgiving feast, plan your seating with extra space between them. If Lula Mae is never on time, give her a “special” arrival time to ensure she arrives before the meal is served. On a more spiritual note, if seeing happy families on Facebook makes it hard to be thankful in your singleness, give it a rest for the day. If empty seats at the table this year distract you from the joy of those present, invite a friend who’s alone to fill those chairs. If the din of bad news is drowning out the chorus of giving thanks for all that God has done, spend some time in silence and allow Him to remind you that when we have nothing but Jesus, we have all we need.

As Ruth was rescued from poverty and desperate circumstances, we have been rescued from death. As Boaz planned his redemption of her to be foolproof, so God’s plan for our redemption is perfect and sure.

May God fill your heart with gratitude for all that He has done out of His great love for us!

This chapter is difficult to put in perspective when we live in a time where laughing off advice from your mother-in-law is the storyline of sitcoms and being told to lie at a man’s feet would inspire a march against misogyny. There are plenty of studies written on the cultural norms related to the book of Ruth and the meaning behind Naomi’s advice and Ruth’s actions.

Less has been said about Boaz’ response. In light of current events, it is worth noting that he was presented an opportunity to behave less than honorably. He had all the power. As both a widow and a foreigner, who placed herself in a position of great vulnerability, Ruth could easily have become a victim. Her apparent youth compared to him (v. 10) and the fact that he noticed her in the field the very first day she was there suggest he found her attractive.

Yet he does not take advantage of her vulnerability. He advises her well to protect her from any accusations. He also doesn’t bypass established standards and ignore the rights of the nearer kinsman-redeemer. He follows the absolute letter of the law to ensure the best outcome for Ruth and Naomi and to honor God. He demonstrates a desire to  follow God not only when others are watching, but even when they are not.

Desiring to earn God’s favor will never produce this level of obedience. Our very best efforts fall short when we act out of obligation, fear of consequences, or a desire for reward. Only overwhelming love based on the love that was first shown to us and the power of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives to will and to do good can create this kind of character. Everything else is merely hypocrisy, wearing a mask of righteousness in the hope of impressing others or God.
​
We are discovering that many men who rose to positions of respect wore only a mask of respectability. Their real character was far different. The reality is that many of us are also wearing a mask. We may be hiding different sins, but the result is the same. When we hide our sin behind a mask and refuse to acknowledge it and recognize the price Christ paid for our failures, we remain imprisoned by it. We gain freedom by admitting to ourselves our desperate need for forgiveness and grace and allowing God’s Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out.

The Book of Ruth tells such a beautiful story of God’s love and care for us. His sovereignty over the circumstances in this book is evident in this chapter as Ruth happens to go to Boaz’ field on the first day she begins gleaning in the fields, and Boaz happens to come by and see her.

Our circumstances can often appear random. It may seem as if there is no rhyme or reason to the difficulties we face or the blessings we enjoy, but God sees the end from the beginning and is “working all things together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Don’t get confused and think that God working things together for our good means a health, wealth, and prosperity gospel. God’s perspective on what is “good” is an eternal one that is often difficult for us to comprehend. What will help us grow closer to Him? What will make us more Christ-like? What will draw others into relationship with Him? These are the good things God desires for us and they seldom come from a life of comfort and ease.

God’s plan for Ruth began before she was born. Although Elimelek was not living in obedience to God or trusting God’s promise to provide for Israel in the land He had given them, God’s plans included sending Elimelek to Moab and bringing Ruth back. His plans for Ruth included giving Boaz a soft spot in his heart for a foreigner, an outsider, because his own mother (Rahab) had been an outsider. His plans for Ruth’s future include the honor of being one of three women named in the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1).
​
You and I have no idea the history God has orchestrated to bring us to this moment. We have no clue the future He has ordained for us as a result of what we are going through today. We see only this narrow sliver of seventy or eighty years. It’s a bit like dumping out a 5000 piece puzzle, selecting a single piece, and trying to understand what the completed image is. God is creating a masterpiece for all eternity, and our piece is essential, but it isn’t the whole picture.

Sometimes I find it challenging to read such a familiar passage and find undiscovered gold in it. I’ve mined this particular chapter many times before, and it is rich with symbolism, doctrine, and application. But I’m seeking to learn something new each time I read God’s Word. I’m asking God to show me a new perspective that I’ve never seen before.

Elimelek’s name means “God is King,” but he failed to live up to that name. When challenges came in the form of a famine (the result of Israel’s disobedience of God), instead of repenting and returning to God, he led his family far away from God. Running from God seldom improves our situation, and that was true for him and his family as both he and his sons died in Moab.

Left with no means of support, his wife Naomi learns the situation in Israel has improved. She decides to return to her people, to God. What I see anew today is that for all the time they had spent together up until this point, it is not until Naomi takes a stand and decides to return to Israel that Ruth makes a decision to follow her.

It’s hard for people to follow you if you aren’t going anywhere.

Only when we follow God boldly do others see something worthwhile. If we are living an average, ordinary life, not so very different from those around us who don’t follow God, why would anyone want to emulate that? There is nothing special or worth following.

But when we step out in faith to do the impossible or when we cope well because we are leaning on God through adversity, others wonder what is different. What gives us the courage to dare the impossible? What gives us the strength to go on despite painful tragedies? What gives us joy in the midst of sickness or peace when we are surrounded by turmoil?

Ruth had seen something in Naomi. As Ruth watched Naomi lose her husband and then bury her sons as well, Ruth had seen a strength that made her want to know more. Even Naomi’s choice to move home - an arduous journey on foot which was no doubt dangerous for two women traveling alone - inspired Ruth to sacrifice everything she had known to follow.
​
Am I living a life that would inspire others to join me on the adventure of following God?

The chapter is summed up in the familiar refrain that closes the book of Judges: “In those days there was no king in Israel; each person did what they thought to be right.”

We live in a time and place that is not so very different. We are surrounded by debates about what is right and wrong - and in the end, most people do what they believe is right, disregarding both the governmental and religious authorities, and even disdaining to seek God’s guidance in their decisions.
The book of Judges, and this final chapter in particular, illustrates the consequences of such philosophies. Morality is not relative. There are moral absolutes, and they are determined by the only One capable of judging rightly, the One who created the heavens and the earth.

If you try to measure something using a yardstick that has been broken and taped together, you are unlikely to get an accurate measure. Our human ability to judge right and wrong is as skewed as that yardstick. Each of us is broken or warped in a slightly different way, so we get a different result when we try to evaluate something with our flawed instrument. We look at one another and scoff over the foolishness of those around us trying to make sound judgments despite their brokenness, but fail to see how flawed our own judgements are.

Instead of comparing our poor judgment to others around us and boasting because we are better than someone else, we need to compare ourselves to the perfect One, to the Christ, and recognize we have more in common with the drug addict, the murderer, or the thief than with the One who died for each of these.
​
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6