Page 30 - News Spring-Summer 2025

Look out for the Ruths!

Region 6 Director Martin Hooper and his wife discussion Orpah agreed saying goodbye, but Ruth
Alison are very fond of the story of Ruth, so clung to her mother-in-law.
much so that they gave their firstborn the “Go back!” said Naomi to Ruth. But Ruth replied as
middle name of Ruth. Martin explains why recorded in Ruth 1:16-17 with these beautiful words
the story of Ruth has such significance and rich in meaning for the Christian:
relevance for today. “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.
Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay.
You might know this seemingly tragic story which, Your people will be my people and your God my God.
in God’s providence and plan, had an extraordinary Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.
outcome both for Ruth then and implications for us in May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,
our ministry. if even death separates you and me.”
The backdrop to this story is that during the time of the God in His mercy had revealed Himself to Ruth and
Judges, Moab and Israel were at perpetual loggerheads she is affirming that she has turned from her old ways
because Moab did not worship the one true and living and was the Lord’s. That was quite remarkable for a
God. Not only this, but there was a severe famine across foreign woman.
this region of the Middle East.
Is that your story? Do you know tragedy? We may
A Bethlehemite – Elimelech - his wife Naomi and their two ask ourselves: is the Lord making use of that pain and
sons decide to travel to Moab to live there. For these three suffering? Our gracious, kind, loving God provided
this was perhaps an unwise move as they were venturing salvation for Ruth and then provided food and a
into a foreign land. And so, it proved to be. Tragedy struck husband as the rest of the book of Ruth tells us.
three times when Elimelech died and ten years later both
of Naomi’s sons, who had married Moabite women, also And, more than meeting her immediate needs, God had
died. So, widow Naomi was now living alone with her His hand upon Ruth for an even greater purpose. In His
widowed daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. great plan of salvation, Ruth, this immigrant woman,
was to become King David’s great-grandmother and an
Then there was some good news! In God’s mercy, the ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ.
famine was over and there was food again in Judah.
So, the three of them set off back to Bethlehem. Are there people who you think are the most unlikely to
want to know God and become Christians? Ruth would
Along the way, no doubt talking amongst themselves probably have been one of them.
about their future, Naomi thanked the women for
their support and then urged them to go back to their Who is God calling you to speak to about the LORD?
own homes to find other husbands. After some kindly Might they be a ‘Ruth’? Do look out for the ‘Ruths’!

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