Ruth - Darkness to Light

God is a God of order, and he relates to us in an orderly way. He presents certain terms to us and says, 'I will be your God if you accept those terms'. He covenants to be our God through the work of Christ, and he calls us to have faith in Christ. Some of us grow up with that; others discover it later. Ruth is an example of someone who discovered it later. She and Naomi had suffered greatly, but God forced Naomi to make a choice - stay in a strange land or trust in him and return. She then compelled Ruth to choose between the familiarity of Moab and and the God of Israel. Someone hearing about God's kindness in Christ is compelled to make a similar choice. And they may have to make with little information, as in Ruth's case. The writer turns our attention to the man Boaz in a way that suggests he is the principal character. Ruth 'happens' to find herself working for the only person who is able to help her, and this happens while she is helping Naomi. She is beginning to experience God's covenant kindness. That is a picture of a needy sinner being cared for by God and drawn to Christ (John 6:44-45). Even the laws of the land reflected God's kindness to the stranger, and Boaz went beyond obedience to law - he showed great love in the way he treated her. Here is a reminder of Christ ,fulfilling his Father's command for our salvation but doing it out of a spirit of love. We think about our own experience. What were the chances of us finding Christ? But when we did, we discovered God himself, and the orderly, covenant faithfulness and kindness that overcomes our sin.