Ruth and Jezus: the way of God

Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God

Ruth is the next gentile in the bloodline of Jesus. An extraordinary story of a woman from the land of Moab, which nota bene was a cursed land. And Ruth was divinely placed in the lineage of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God works in a special way, His way, and that we do not always understand. But if we stand behind it, we see that God's plan eventually works out well.

For what had it not happened to Ruth and Naomi. Both have lost their husbands and life in a famine they shall have given the necessary worries. Naomi decides to return to her country and Ruth goes along. What Naomi does try, Ruth is not to get rid of her thoughts. She follows her mother in law to the land of her people and her God. So Ruth with her, and not only that, she even wants to be part of the people and God. Yes, the living God, the God of Israel, which wants Ruth as her God.

And so God works in the lives of gentils. He calls and gives everyone the opportunity to turn to Him. Even Orpah had that chance, but turned around and went back to her own country and their own gods. But Ruth listened to the voice of God and want to follow Him. And Ruth does with conviction as we read in Chapter 3, when Ruth remains they are not seduced him at the feet of Boaz, but behaves chaste. This reveals the clear will of Ruth, to live and to listen to Gods voice and to the commandments of God.

That obedience we see in God's own Son, Jesus. He was in heaven on His throne, and God gave him the command to carry the punishment for the people. Jesus had to go to the earth and there He would be received as a stranger. He would get even hatred and opposition, but that did not withhold Jesus to fulfill His mission. He came as King, but was born in a stable and laid in a manger. But Jesus was obedient and accomplished his task. Likewise, Jesus shows that He obeyed God and what do we do?

Because we may like Ruth are grafted to the stump of God's covenant people. Jesus came to earth to make this possible and will work through His Gospel in all of us. So we may go the way that God has for us. That is, first of all to become His child and then to live for Him. That we may be doing this Advent. Not only fun, with lights and candles, but rather with God! Advent lives towards the feast of Light and then let us relieve our hearts so that we may live to His honor and glory.

We are sometimes as misfits known here on earth, because anyone who follows God and his Son Jesus. But we have a future, a future in the light of the Christmas Child will shine around us as we will soon be in heaven. We must prepare ourselves for it and cling to the words of Ruth: thy people shall be my people and your God be my God. Let's get up and go in the ways of God, enlighten the world through the birth of the Light!