His work in the midst of chaos

I have always known that God works in ways we do not understand. Each call and action of God in the Bible is very particular. I would like to highlight one of the books that have had the greatest impact on my life; that of Ruth. Its outcome shows us that God's purposes are eternal. He is the only one capable of working in the midst of chaos.

The story of Ruth takes place in the time of the judges, a very hard time for the people of Israel. Ruth and Naomi were at a social disadvantage because they were widows. There was no way for Naomi to continue her lineage, since she would not be able to have more children. Naomi was full of bitterness, and without hope. In any case, Ruth decided to be faithful to Naomi and leave with her for Bethlehem. Neither of them imagined that the almighty God would work on their behalf.

There are several things that should draw our attention when reading this book, I will highlight two. First, Naomi had no hope, and felt that God had abandoned her. However, Ruth decided to follow him; and among the words he said to Naomi he highlighted “…your God will be my God.” (Ruth 1:16). Even though moments before Naomi had told her “…the hand of the Lord has come out against me.” (Ruth 1:13) Without a doubt, Ruth must have seen and experienced the presence of God during the years she lived with Naomi and her family in Moab. God's action had an impact on Ruth's life, to the point that she knew that being in Moab without God's presence made less sense than following Naomi to a foreign land. We must daily recognize God's work in our lives, and give faith to others of what He has done and will continue to do for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). So when the test comes, they will remember that He who worked on our behalf can work on their behalf.

To understand the second point, it is necessary to read the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1. There are many names mentioned, but I will only highlight four. “…begot of Tamar…” (1:3), “…begot of Rahab…” (1:5), “…begot of Ruth…” (1:5 ), “…Joseph, husband of Mary, of whom “Jesus, called the Christ, was born.” (1:16). We only see the complete genealogy of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew. Only the names of four women stand out in it. Tamar, the one who dressed as a prostitute and deceived her father-in-law; Rahab, the prostitute who helped Joshua and the people of Israel; Ruth, the Moabite; and Mary, the virgin of Nazareth. For the author of the gospel it was important to highlight them. When I read their names in the lineage of Jesus, knowing the history of each one, the passage that says “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and He chose the weak things of the world to shame the powerful, took on another meaning. God also chose what is lowest and most despised, and what is nothing, to nullify what is, so that no one can boast in his presence.” (1 Cor. 1:27-29 NLT)

God had purposes with Ruth. Through her would come King David, a man after God's own heart. But above all, Jesus would come into the world. Ruth may not have been able to see the fruit that came from her, but she certainly was able to experience God's favor in her life. She decided to be faithful to him, she decided to remember God's work even when everything seemed lost. God did not forget her. She was part of his plan.

The book of Ruth shows us that God works at all times. God works even when we cannot see him. God works even when nothing makes sense to us. God uses every event in the Bible to prepare the way for Jesus. God worked in the midst of the chaos that the people of Israel experienced. God worked in the midst of Naomi's bitterness. God worked in favor of Ruth's faithfulness. God worked in the past, and continues to work today. Everything that happens is in the middle to give glory to His name.

Photo: Missionary trip to Haiti (July 2019)