The Bible doesn't ever say, once upon a time but Ruth comes close. This is a story about things that happened during this time...and it is a love story.
Ruth...a daughter-in-law, a widow, a servant to her mother-in-law ( on a side, that must have been one amazing mother-in-law for Ruth to forsake all just to be with her) a provider, a pursuer, a bride, a mother ... a wife. She was resilient, obedient, kind, loyal, beautiful, unselfish, strong and kind.
Ruth is a story of great loss and bitterness, struggle, resilience, survival and redemption. In every step, God was worshiped and honored.
Once upon a time everything was really bad, then everyone trusted God and they loved happily every after.
Ruth 4: 11 Then the elders and all who were at the gate spoke. They said, "We are witnesses. The woman is coming into your home. May the LORD make her to be like Rachel and Leah. Together they built up the nation of Israel. May you be an important person in Ephrathah. May you be famous in Bethlehem.
12The LORD will give you children through this young woman. May your family be like the family of Perez. He was the son Tamar had by Judah.”
Here we are in Ruth and we are pulled back to Tamar...that other resilient woman: Happy ever after. How does this prepare us for Christmas? Have you been seeing the same themes over and over again in these stories of women? It is beauty for ashes...redemption stories ...every one of them.
This means, that this Christmas all my ashes are not worthless. My story is not a mismatch of events, or losses disorganized and haphazard.
My story today, your story today is being written in the ink of redemption. That is the always story of Christmas.
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