Dear HBIC Family,

One of the great blessings in our faith are people who have believed before we ever believed. These people have walked with God for longer than we have lived for God. They have stories upon stories of God’s goodness, faithfulness, and lovingkindness. These stories give them a testimony for all of us who come behind them, while also bearing witness to us of a God who is real, alive, and working together for our best.

The story of Naomi and Ruth is a story of believing where Naomi’s foundational faith fosters a new and vibrant faith in Ruth. Both women suffer ultimate tragedy – Naomi loses her husband Elimelek, two sons Mahlon and Kilion, and one daughter-in-law Orpah. Ruth is her other widowed daughter-in-law, yet she is the one that clung to Naomi and boldly proclaimed…

“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. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

Ruth puts her faith in the God of Naomi because of who God is, who God had been, and who God promised to be. She saw the goodness, faithfulness, and love of Yahweh at her midnight – even during death, deep loss, and unbearable grief. She saw the faith of Naomi, and it inspired her to have that same faith. She also trusted Naomi fully enough to leave everything she had known, to submit to her instructions, and to trust in her God. 

This week, I have found myself asking this: Who has been the Naomi in my life? Upon further reflection, I am grateful and feel blessed that God has put so many Naomis in my life…great women of faith who taught me about God, great saints of old who taught me about following God, and great people of the kingdom whose faithfulness still inspires my own. 

Our story this Sunday comes from Ruth 3. It is the beginning of the book’s second half. After Ruth and Boaz’s initial meeting (the book’s center), we now find Ruth at Naomi’s instruction, essentially proposing to Boaz in the middle of the night. Midnight here is not emergence of a people, the redemption of a fallen prophet, the peace and protection of God; it is simply trusting God fully, even when it may not all make perfect sense to us.

As we continue our God at Midnight series this week, I invite you to read and meditate on Ruth 3. As you reflect, I would like to ask you to focus on the following questions:

• How does Naomi’s loss and struggle motivate her actions and instructions for Ruth?
• Why does Ruth (yet again) follow Naomi’s instructions, without questions or hesitation?
• What do we learn about God in this chapter of Ruth’s story?
• What is one thing you learn about faith in this chapter?
• Why is it important to obey and fully trust God, even when it doesn’t all make perfect sense?
• Why do you think God has asked this story to be passed on to future generations?

The reality of the kinsman-redeemer in the days of Naomi and Ruth is very distant and removed from us. This was a provision by God in the Law for families in trouble and especially in danger of being cut off. The goel or designated kinsman-redeemer was a male relative who had the privilege and responsibility to step in and continue the family line. Though removed from this, we still look to and rely on God for direction in who to marry and make life with.

Ruth’s story here is one of faith. She trusted in God to come to a strange land and a foreign people, because she saw God’s blessing on Naomi. She trusted that Naomi would lead her to light, even amidst a sea of darkness. She trusted that Boaz would be faithful, good, and true. I like that the “midnight” in this story is Ruth not knowing exactly how everything was going to work out, but she trusted God through it, anyway. 

Sisters and brothers, praise God who is merciful and whose kindness endures to and for all generations. Praise the Holy Spirit who lives in those who have believed. And praise Jesus who we follow and love, in the light and especially in the dark. God bless you all!

Love in Christ,

Pastor Hank (Ruth 3:18)