Life is like a tapestry that we see from the back with all its loose threads, a hint of a pattern but knots and an apparent lack of order add to the scene before our eyes. All our human friendships and relationships; efforts at school and work experience; successes and failures and everything else that makes up the lives we have lived –one day at a time.
Sometimes we gain a sense of perspective on what takes place and on other occasions we are puzzled and confused. Sometimes from the heart we cry out to God why? And may not get an answer like Job of old; the chances of it all ending happily ever after seemed as remote as it could possibly be.
Yet out of the tragedy that had befallen these women God was to bring something good that was beyond their expectations. There are times when we suffer the untimely death of a loved one or maybe the irreversible breakdown of a marriage or a bitterly disappointing business failure in which years of personal investment of our time and efforts and love, in the relationship contexts, or we are in the midst of very trying circumstances that could go on for years it would be unnatural if we never had some difficult and dark days in which we struggle to see how any good could come out of such situations. Or how things could possibly get better for us?
We remember that the scene began with a remarkable young woman in the midst of the wreckage of her personal circumstances who commits her life to the God of Israel who without a glimmer of hope before her begins a remarkable journey into an unknown future, relying only on God. The book ends with a genealogy –not usually most people’s favourite type of literature! But here the ethnic minority woman in Bethlehem becomes part of the family of Israel’s greatest king- David. Her marriage to Boaz produced a son Obed who was the grandfather of King David. What an amazing outcome! We are familiar with the story and know its happy ending, but such an ending was far from the thoughts of these women making the weary trek to Bethlehem. Yet in and through this situation Ruth was a blessing to so many people.
As we struggle to address the fallout from the Covid-19 virus as a society and equally find it so challenging to come to terms with the racism still so evident in our world, and so much more… The story of Ruth reminds us once again of an extraordinary God who takes great delight in using very ordinary people to accomplish great things in His service, Amen
Our song for reflection today is ‘Behold our God’
Brian Talbot