Ruth: God at Work in Our LivesНамуна

My God is King  

The last verse in the book of Judges, the previous book before the book of Ruth ends with this verse, Judges 21:25 “In those days Israel had no king, everyone did as they saw fit”. And in the Book of Ruth we are introduced to Elimelech whose name means, “my God is king”. But the chapter paints a dark picture of famine in the land and Elimelech decides to leave the Promised Land and go to Moab, a gentile nation for security and refuge. He’s certainly aware of his history where Abraham and Isaac left the land God promised to seek refuge in Egypt and how it turned out for them. This family not only goes to Moab but settles down there, taking wives for their two sons. 

Here is a micro-picture of what Israel looks like when the writer of Judges says there was no king in Israel and they did what they saw fit. 

Does your life reveal that you are under the authority of King Jesus? Or do you live as you see fit? Even when times are difficult, do you claim that Jesus is King by name alone or does you life reveal your submission to the true King? Are you tempted to take matters into your own hand? It need not be something sinful, it can be something as practical as survival and providing for family. 

God calls us to trust Him in the mundane and practical aspects of life even when circumstances get desperate. 

The most mysterious thing about this is that God used the decisions of Elimelech’s family to bring Ruth into the fold of God and eventually be the great grandmother of the Savior of this world, Jesus Christ. 

When we hand over our life into God’s hands, He is more than able to turn even our regrets and failures for our good and into fulfilling His glorious purposes.