God's Presence in the Midst of Suffering

What will let you know as I was listening to that last songs we sing are living hope. I just had to stop singing. You have those moments where you just won't stop contributing to the worship and just come experience it as such. When the states I just stop for a moment and just listening to how you saying that song and Emily Zelman was about the best story I've ever heard. Just hearing you seeing the gospel that our victory has been sealed, death has been defeated Chrysler living hope that was just amazing, that's what.

Thank you for let me be a part that was a sweet time. I will share with you today. As we get into our Mother's Day discussion era. I mentioned to the guys earlier this really the worst Mother's Day sermon you've ever heard. It may be because it's delivered in the worst way is just the message is not your typical Mother's Day sermon. I thought about labeling it not your mother's Mother's Day sermon, but decided to go with that some of the book of Ruth is were going to the Bible were here at the place now in our story of the Bible were written the book of Ruth and as I was looking the book of Ruth preparing for this week, I started thinking we love stories do not do all this just love stories. I will spend 850 to go see a story on the big screen okay will do that will read books over and over again how you guys have a favorite book that you read and you read over and over again are some of you once on the book it's gone. I put it on the shelf like a trophy to say yeah I read that once, but I don't want to study biomass out of it okay.

We love stories today were we may spend time in sorest days we spent on the models. I love family stories and I loved it. Sometimes the stories are better. Depending on the storyteller degree. It might be the only one who thinks this might think every audiobook should be read by alum Lakey.

I mean, I like all those tech not technically others technical books I've read, you would make a great books like my theological since my theology textbook charge. Love to hear you read if you have a story to go along with everything and if you have never met Alan get a stories now before you leave today. Is there a good right that we like and are famous until Thursday. So for example some of my favorite stories, my family stories.

I love to hear my mother here with me today. I'd love to hear how my dad and my mom met.

They both worked the same place and my dad was completely infatuated with my mom and his supervisor rescue both of their supervisor said going try. She's utterly a man right like can get every husband here say we all married up.

Yeah right. You never hear woman say that I did notice that is always desperate. Graduation was coming. I had to do something.

It was just him and the cat writes so. I love to hear that story. Dad was like no nervous about it when I favor source hear about how like my grandfather met my grandmother. My grandmother, my grandfather was from Boston. I lived in Massachusetts area and he came down in this area and found a small church where he sat on the end of the pew and as he was apparently not paying attention in the sermon.

We've all been there. He looks down the road and sees this when he describes it as I saw this beautiful dark-haired one and I don't have a clue with Patrick talk about. That's Looking down and she she was there with her mom.

She looked over noticing because you have a feeling you know you consider that so grandmother knew that she's looking down and I never hearing the story from grandma for the school was staring me after church.

But my mom. She said her mom is like killing patent Tickets and I kept looking down way that are like grandpa euros and how creepy that is, by today's standards. He didn't care, but we love good stories like that you can get around your family, your stories, you may get all types of stories they you may get some uncomfortable stories you may want to look at Mongo stop your stop teenagers you rerun your mom. The concert tell stories or to the boyfriends with me you stop right now will tell us when later we all love good stories we enjoy these family stories because through them. We see our family and sometimes our personal history, so every time I feel like I'm not paying attention church.

I think that my grandfather had it and do it either so rigid it works for him or we those moments where we we might hear from our parents is struggling with through us. I think I love my mom and dad when they share the stories about when they first got married, but that you have the TVs and things they did and just work on house they had and they said they'd spent most of the time they enjoyed the best parts of your time to spend time over a card table just plan Romney and things like that. That was how they spent three pieces of some sweet times. Now my dental say, well sweet was Nonny and show, not going out like like the TV a little bit you. You cheat on gone card gives its own citizens come moments where we enjoy those stories being told it if you ever looked on old photographs or old family album with old photographs and seen members of your family never met and notice similars between you and them that like nice he looks like me. This was a lesser great-grandfather and great-grandmother those things you might see similarities in their appearance. You also might see similarities if you hear the stories and what they went through, you might hear about a grandfather or great-grandfather, a great uncle who went through something that she went through so we get around the stories, what they do is they cannot take us into a bigger world. Hear Yourself getting in a couple small world. We think you're the only one the, matters, and every body in your life are the extras that God put in your movie I think sums as we see those big stories.

We realize that there's a bigger story out there. We can start seeing ourselves rightly in those moments, the ancient Jewish people shared their history to storytelling within the family.

Sometimes the father of the family would write the story of the family on a staff and it would keep it near the door so when it was story time, the patriarch, the father would bring out the staff and tell the story of their family. There was always room for more stories to go see it through the spelling in the retelling of family stories that they found their identity as a people as a nation and all good stories have an arrangement or an order give her a story told completely out of order was those are horrible stories Ruth.

The book will get today is a story. It's a narrative is an Old Testament narrative and what that means is, it has order to it and Ruth may be divided into four acts with bookends at the first part of the last part was called prologue and epilogue and with this story. Now that the theme of the story moves through this way. It moves not like a normal story like I was giving the story of your life will start at what your birth that was good.

It was our life birth and organ in your story, death, and whatever happened later not to you, but the people you influenced. That's how stories normally work roots different. It starts with death, and it ends with life is a reason why the Old Testament author of this book.

The narrator did it that way.

He's trying to convey something to us, just dig and look at this text today first. The prologue, the family line ends. Look at Route chapter 1 verses one through 520 on the screen or read this out loud here for you to get the scene here. So what this does is it sets the stage for the story says here in the days when the judges ruled. Her second a promise I'll do this too much of it I want to get through today but about the time of judges, which we spoke on last week. The problem with the book of Judges and problem at the time. The judges was that every man did what was right in their own eyes because there was no king at that time that there is no king in Israel.

So every man did what was right in his own eyes.

They were only following law they were doing what felt right there doing what they thought was a good thing to do so work right away.

The authors telling us this happens at a pretty low time in Israel's history. He says in the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab. He and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was a linoleic in the name of his wife was Naomi in the name of his two sons were my lawn and kill you they were even. They were Patrick Seitz from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there, but a limo like the husband of Naomi died and she was left with her two sons. Now the sonnet.

This scene took a tragic scene of the sword to attract scene but to go to bed because of who she still got right now. She said her two sons.

Her two adult sons here. Check out is what happens these the two sons took Moabite wives. The name of the one was ORPA in the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about 10 years so there there in this land is just the house that the two sons, Naomi and the two dollars they lived there about 10 years and both my lawn and killing on died so that the woman was left in us knows the phrasing is of the women assist the woman was left without her two sons and a husband who's the woman in that passage talk Monday on this one folks on her today focus on Naomi's story. If you see this story even though it's sad by modern standards. This will make a running log is horrible or great or how you feel about Hallmark movie, the tissue box movies okay those that that's a channel that keeps Kleenex in business. You do understand right so this like a great one of those movies it's it's sad by modern standards but is heart wrenching when seen in the light of the culture. The time of the judges you see before the kingdom is doing what was on his own eyes they have a law, even throughout the kingdom. As we look through the texts of the Old Testament we see that their future the woman here when one married a man she left her family to join the family of her husband their future of the woman's future was completely wrapped up in her husband and her subsequent children.

That's the way it worked matter fat when a man would go to a propose to a woman at that time he would agree on a bride price with the woman's father and that bride price.don't look at that think that's kind of sad work you're treating us like like property.

Note what we find is that the money that the man would put into this investment of his wife would rival today a new house for timeout $203,000 okay so what he's saying. By doing this is he's willing to go in debt forever to to have her as his wife. All I was late for that. I for those who happen totally missed that. Q all right.

So this is something he's willing to go in debt for her forever. He's taking his job to take care of her provide for, but worse were see here Naomi now has a hopeless situation with her husband is dead and about the percentage of debt that takes us this next president exit chapter 20 tells us something soft about this. You know this quote we try to make you appear to make your kids memorize this honor your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land of the Lord your God is giving you read that sometimes maybe sometimes you can't hurt.

As the threat look double take you out if you listen to me. So the dudes go do the dishes.

That's not what's being promise that passage because what's happening here with understand by those ancient Jewish standards for the people of Israel to have heard this statement.

Honor your father and mother's of your life as long the land which I'm giving you they would've understood it this way. Take care of your elderly mom and dad as they get older so that your life is long in the land changes doesn't know why would a person's life be long in the land if they take care of their aging parents who's watching them take care of their aging parents, their kids, so he saying is if you take care of aging mom and dad. Your kids are watching you take care of aging mom and dad so that when your aging mom and dad will take care of you.

That's how your life reliably is that works and what's happening here is what we see is that it was the duty the responsibility and I'll go and throwing of the privilege of a son to take care of his mother and father. So when when a limo like dies. Naomi still has hope because she still got her voice and her boys are gone and that leaves Naomi and these two women and a desolate place dangerously in dangerous poverty here right so let's go. The next thing here Naomi's loss of her husband and her sons leaves her in a hopeless and shattered state. I can imagine what she's feeling but then she thought we find out some things. As the story progresses, we find out the famine that was in the land of Judah is now over so they can go back, so Naomi decides to go back to her nation and she wants to send the two sisters to her two daughter laws.

ORPA and Ruth back home. You know the story. After some prodding ORPA goes just go right away, but she does go but Ruth stays let's read chapter of chapter 1 verse 15 through 18 is on his command screen here and she said this is mainly talking see your sister-in-law has gone back to her people into her.

God's return after your sister-in-law, but Ruth said do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you for where you go I will go and where you launch, I will lodge your people shall be my people and your God my God she singers not going back to the pagan gods, your God is my God. Where you die I will die, and there will be buried.

May the Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts me from you and when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her.

She said no more. You see, Ruth, Ruth, you refuses to rejoin her family and she refuses rejoin their pagan religions. She devotes herself to post Naomi and to Naomi's God, Yahweh, the God of Israel.

We see in the story is she's doing.

Even though she does not have the law, she's a Moabite she's doing what the law would require. She's taking care of Naomi.

Now go back to Naomi just for second queue management name is expressing her son she just lost everything she's lost her husband, her two boys, and now she's got this Moabite woman she's gotta drag along with now we would call this a doubt that I do here. This is a shattered dream she's experienced everything she hoped forever that she was longing for if they should put everything into is now gone and I would get her in the text a little ski rehearsal to further us refers 19 to 21 here so the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem and when they came to Bethlehem the whole town was served because of the now what why was old hamster. Why was in there. It was their input. This way is because Naomi's back is because name is back. She brought Moabite weather is going on here locally says was that here.

The hotel circles them and the women now there's a report of the minute their important character somehow can't forget them. Their important hold onto that that that character group. The women Selena said is this Naomi. She said of them do not call me Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

Listen to her heart. I went away for in the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me as a play on words there. I'm sure you probably know Naomi's name means the work pleasant means happy. Did the light for to be around where Mara means bitter right there's it is a set of noun from a verb that means to be bitter to make better now that's a name that's toughness and other names, reflect your character.

Usually people named joy have they don't look sad too much right but we might know what our names mean my name is Richard which means King fits me perfectly right.

We named Elisha's easy lobby named him Elisha which means one from God to salvation a week. We used wheat we call her that we named him that we named Alice shall tell you we named her after a friend's dog. Not really true. We named her after Ella Fitzgerald, who a friend named her dog. That's neither here or there, but the hello idea here is, is that we name sometimes we have names. It does right so Naomi just coming pleasant that's gone that that train is left. Call me bitter because God is dealt bitterly with me and look how she says again with those words. I went away full and the Lord brought me back empty. You see, based on her circumstances.

Naomi thinks bitter is a more fitting name for her than pleasant. Naomi does what we have all had and have the tendency to do we define God based on the circumstances were going through. We define God based on the circumstances were going through.

We let our circumstances often define our theology.

We do this when life is good or when circumstances go against what we want at graduation. God is faithful right we had graduation for the Pima students couple weeks ago, and men and women walked across the stage and some shout hallelujah most of the people who shut how we were the people there to pay for it right but there was lots of God's favor was Me but the lack of job opportunities post graduation. God is sometimes seen as distant and detached for going through what would God let me pay all this money not to get a job when a child is born, we celebrate God's protection of life, the when a miscarriage occurs where we get the news.

The conception may be impossible. We question his motives. We wonder how if you loves us could take or keep from us the joy of new life when he provides a romantic relationship for us that is loving and exciting. We overflow with gratitude when that relationship ends, we question his heart because ours is now broken. We get a good report from the doctor. We praise him for his care and/or healing. When the prognosis is not good. We can doubt his concern for us to see friends.

This is the reality of living in a sin cursed world blessings and pain are inevitable in this life there going to happen.

Naomi experiences is deeply claiming that God has brought all of her pain upon her there.

She says again.

I went away full and the Lord has brought me back empty for Naomi.

Listen, this God had shattered her dreams right for Naomi God had taken everything she promissory she wanted and destroyed in France. The scary thing about this is even in the midst of her pain. She's telling the truth. That's what that's the tension that we live in and I wasn't. You see, if God is in control of all things, and there's nothing outside of his control.

Naomi is verbally living out the tension of living in a sin cursed world that is under the authority of an all-powerful and all-knowing God.

We've all been there, why God if you're this. Why would you let this at those moments. Pat answers don't help us all doing. I mean I share with you earlier store to my grandfather and my grandpa's Greg. I love my grandfather manifestoes just thing about this week I was walking I saw the church office and their mowing and there's something about the smell of a lawn being mowed, there might be my grandfather because he taught me how to mow yard algorithms on his house and we would. He was at the age where he would like a little ground everyday. My grip on you to rush to mow every day right like he is and he and I'm like that we most want, we know that's it's done I can like how dad that it grandma's like I will go mow some like just did that but most I would mowing to reset their lawn chairs just talk drinking that really nasty Shasta: your have that stuff is like slapping children aren't so that the discount said the smell of the law and the lobbing notes and instill diet soda makes you think about my grandfather house thing about my grandpa today and I remember I was about 16 he passed number be in the funeral and her people, to be going. It was a better place. Yeah, shut up all my grandfather here. I'm great, I'm glad he's better.

Glad he's happy. I'd rather be here in I'd rather go mow the yard with him running. I'd rather drink some stale Shasta cola with them right. Well I know what you're saying is true about the punch you see me walk aflutter from the funeral just given their where even though I know this is true, it's us to walk in some tension here with with why we do things his way. We've all walked there the next two shows up. Now here's the thing. Sometimes we never get Act II in this life, so make sure we understand that you got her thinking.

All right if thinks dark you're not one for my life.

But Act II's comment may not get Act II got me let you live out of that one and give you the answer later but in the story we get Act II, Act II, Ruth meets Boaz Anza a big section of text. What I'd like to do is to read the text, but then will put a passage on the screen for you seasonal read chapter 2 verses 5 to 13 says this then Boaz said his young man who's in charge of the reapers in his lap. Ruth had to go out provide for her mother-in-law so she does what all the poor in Israel. Due to that time they would go to the field. It was a law that if you had a field but a rectangle size you were not able. If you want to feel you were not able to glean your harvest from the corners so that the poor could come and get that you get everything else, but the corners belong to the poor so Naomi goes out for Ruth goes out and she because the harvest among the poor in this course the ground.

Boaz sees her, he shows up, seizes field then Boaz said his young man who's in charge of the reapers version 1 is this the servant who's in charge of reapers answered. She's young Moabite woman who came back Naomi from the country of Moab. She said please let me glean and gather on the sheaves after the reapers, so she came and she has continued from early morning until now suffer short rest and blessed Ruth Ellison my daughter do not glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women.

Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping and go after them have I not charge the young men not to touch you and when you're thirsty go the vessels and drink what the young men drawn she fell on her face bound to the ground and set him, why am I found favor in your eyes, they should take notice of me, some foreigner Boaz answered her all that you've done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me and how you left your father and mother in your native land and came to a people. You did not know before the Lord repay you for what you've done and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel understood whose wings you've come to take refuge that she said if I found I found favor in your eyes.

My Lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly your servant. All though I'm not one of your service now is look at this text will focus on 219 to 20 slabs this she's there to take care of even Boaz puts extra grain in her bag to take home. Now remember Naomi's capture Naomi's and they're just, just heartbroken why my back here. I can hear my people.

God, you've taken everything from me also and here comes Ruth showing up dropped the bag of barley or read on the table and her mother said her word you going today where you been and where you work.

Blessed be the manager most of you. So she told her mother-in-law with whom she works and said the man's name with whom I work today is Boaz. What happens just threatening and Naomi said her daughter-in-law, may he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living of the dead. Naomi also said her this man is a close relative of ours. One of our Redeemer. So here's what happens. The term Redeemer you keep his mind used here refers to the idea of what we call a kinsman redeemer or the Hebrew word is a go well with the goal L would do would be to his job would be to redeem land that had been lost. Bible teacher John Barry writes this he says the responsibilities of a Redeemer or go well, according to the law included buying back family landed and sold as in Leviticus 25 buying a family member who sold himself in slavery.

Leviticus 25, 470.49 or marrying the childless widow of a family member Toronto 25 before we get to how weird this sounds like it might teach the students. They always cohabit at a key factor when this happens so like if a man was married to a woman he had a brother.

If the job. Here's how it works on the second three kids and my property which is not a lot less advised that property in the three chunks of my death, my gold lecture wife was my kid's job to do. Take care mom. She's good right so I divide the sum of my family is also one of my sons gets married, but he doesn't have chilled.

He dies before he's able to have children and now we have this widow and her family does that land now go to the next in line does not works that land still belongs to that one son so so what's the job.

Now we have what's called a kinsman redeemer. It could be one of the brothers.

It could be at another family member looked further back but had to be someone catch me here. He had to be available to be married yet be willing to be married and she had to also be willing to be redeemed, catch that it wasn't like she was probably just got passed around Chevy willing to be taken in and married by this other person so this wasn't like forced stuff here.

This was contracts will things are what happiness the first son, born of that new union would be officially the air of my son who died in that property would be his. Any other sons would get the property of their dad semi-since is how it would work so right here discount this concept is essentially saying he's on our Redeemer's check this out this chance encounter. Notice the air quotes this chance encounter between Ruth and Boaz gives Naomi hope. This hope energizes her to see beyond her present situation and the possibility of seeing her dreams restore.

That's why the next passage happens in chapter 3128 Act III is Ruth sleeping a Boaz feet and Naomi gives her this this idea now depending on who you read on this one looking was having his passes. If you read it, just a plain ring of this callous, weird but Ruth goes to Ellis read the text of Ruth goes in. Naomi tells Ruth to go and fix herself up and lay it Boaz's feet was that was that meaning. I heard some people say that what she she's Ashley proposing. But if you look at different resources on that's not really accurate.

One was probably more likely is that she's telling her she's when she's there. She's telling Boaz Boaz.

If you'll have me, I'll be your wife. She's saying unavailable, and I cannot care about you want to be your your husband so scout all plays out. Chapter 3 verse 8 to 13 says this at midnight. The man Boaz was startled he turned over to behold woman laid his feet. He said who are you and she answered on Ruth, your servant spread your wings over your servant for your Redeemer. That was a way that the husband of the man which show interest in marrying the woman he would take his and sings his wings is like the corner of his garment. He was spread over her right basically scum like giving her a promise ring. Accounting is not engagement ring yet. That comes later. We begin her promise ring like I tend to marry you someday, so she same do that. She's a do that for me to make a promise to me for your Redeemer, and he said, may you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter, you've made this last kindness greater than the first and leave not gone after young men were the poor or rich. And now my daughter don't do not fear I will do for you although you ask for all my fellow townsmen know that you are worthy woman and now it is true that I'm Redeemer ready for music… Yet there is a closer erring the a Redeemer, nearer than I there someone closer in this redeeming list that has the opportunity to redeem you, he's closer than me and I don't want to do the wrong thing and jumped over him right must follow the right way here remain to nine in the morning if he will redeem you good, let him do it. But if you will not or if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you lie down till the morning so see this passage as it is here is Boaz make a promise, he says, look, I would love to redeeming love to be the one with you forever, but the law says it's got it's my closer than who I am and there is someone closer and if he will be willing to redeem you, let him Boaz is doing here is I look back, I want you as my wife but I can't go against what God says so. Look, it's better for you to obey God.

The two by your heart for that is a twee will phrase ever is better. He's telling her it's better for you to obey God and obey your heart. But listen, he's, like a thick picture looks and look maybe that's what big girl. If he won't I'm coming in. I will redeem right so what happens we see not for Boaz redeems Ruth he goes to this man and tells him about the story, the man says okay I'm good all redeem it. I'm good with an Boaz goes but wait a minute. If you redeem this land. You've also got a Mary Ruth and the man says. All I can do that is on Jeff is my own inheritance so you go ahead after she was not sure you cool T-shirt got sure as alright, so they exchange it doesn't take 16 sandals observe a shaken hands back then they exchange that and an Boaz redeems Ruth and we had that story at all, happy ending but not done yet was about the epilogue in this epilogue with the family line. The prologue, the family line ends here in the epilogue the family line continues we take a look with me. In verses 13 through 17 of chapter 4 so Boaz took Ruth she became his wife and he went to her and the Lord gave her conception, she bore a son. What happens then the women there they are again member they were earlier there saying hey arch your back, and how she responded the comic book only pleasant call me better Lord led me away full and brought back empty so the women said Naomi. Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a Redeemer. Now you might would I go out Boaz no literacy text, and may his name be renowned in Israel. He whose that he here is a God he shall be to your store of life and a nurture of old age for your daughter-in-law who loves you who is more to you than seven sons has given birth to him who is the Redeemer and the restore of life for these women in Naomi's life this baby, this baby, how love this scene because he real difference. Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse in the women of the neighborhood gave him a name. Satan knows her names and the women to one of never gave him a name saying a son has been born to Naomi. They named him Obed was he what he was the father Jesse. The father Dave is here in verse 13 to 17. The narrator shows us at the end of Naomi suffering hope in which she was waiting she gets and asked for she gets in epilogue we may never but she gets one earlier Naomi and share the women the God had dealt bitterly with her. Here the woman. The women I should say, point out that God has been with her the whole time and has now provided a Redeemer. Notice the phrase a son has been born to Naomi, who bore the shop roosted whose son a court of law. Is it Naomi's was having here, although the child was born to Boaz and Ruth it would continue the line of Naomi and her deceased husband and son old bed would fulfill the responsibilities providing care for Naomi as she grew older. Now the genealogy in these final verses reveal the significance of the narrative to Wise's whole story. There the rest of it, read the last part again. They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse who was the father Dave old bed was King David's grandfather cc Obed's birth does not simply offer a satisfying resolution to the story of Naomi and Ruth, the redemption of Ruth leads to the birth of King David and the people at this time and in most people agree not hold this you that this book was written during either during the reign of David or during REM Solomon to show the spiritual lineage. The heritage of David look like a man. David was look what kind of family had got a man like Boaz was his great grandfather who said no what obey God more than your feelings. You haven't a ladylike Ruth.

His wishes are great-grandmother who said you know what I don't have any Attachment to this mother-in-law go with her or she will go I'll go when she dies, I'll dial be buried with her.

Her belly, my God, you see the spiritual heritage. There and that's what the authors try to say here so the redemption of this of Ruth leads to the birth of King David. Now here's the key.

The and ultimately the events of this story lead to the coming of the universal Redeemer, Jesus Matthew chapter 1 verse 526 is this salmon father Boaz by Rahab is another name we know Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth Obed father Jesse. Jesse father, King David, the times and the genealogy of who Jesus's right in the middle of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. You've got Ruth in our minds can just break up here for a minute. Let's have that moment if they did never gone to Moab if they than they would've never met Ruth Ruth would never come back with the sunset not died. Ruth would they would net made it of never come back.

She would've never met Boaz never fathered Obed hope she was having.

I'll go one further, if there never been a famine in the land, they were never going to she was having. Here God is letting us cut fire up tarnishing the battle been see what of at least one of into one of into what event and that's what a narration is supposed to do is process Tempest bag. Okay, now I see the big picture. Now I know why that happened because our know why this happened because this is the effect of that cause religion. We don't sometimes get the luxury doing. Like I said earlier would always get in at five symptoms were stuck in Act II.

So while this story was meant to show the spiritual legacy of King David for the audience to which it was written. It shows us something special today so enjoy doing you I like to end any, study of Scripture, they were to question number one what is the story teach us about God's thought about what tossed me so much but Reuther Boaz is nothing we can find good examples. And those men I've heard even sermons preached about men via Boaz for ladies find a Boaz. I think it's good, but you also point to stories, not how to find a good guy.

The points or is God solicitations my God here is number one is the painful and sometimes God shatters our dreams so that he can rebuild his planets place.

Sometimes God shatters our dreams so he can rebuild his plan. In its place. I use that illustration, sometimes not share my testimony.

People like to sometimes people should attest when telehealth Bandar life was the got Satan else in the sounds are likenesses of fun anymore. Always outcomes ahead. Yet God wrecked my life just ruined everything but what he did he ruin everything. I do plan. He said no to Galway.

Are you not sad because God built something in the ashes of the rubble is more beautiful than I could ever competent but good knows that God gave me led to the enjoyment that I have now using.

That's the idea got some time shatters our dreams so they can rebuild his planets place you Naomi was correct when she poured out her heart. The women chapter 1 is saying that the Lord dealt bitterly with her in her understanding God had crossed her dreams of growing old with her husband and cared for by her sons, but is worse as we see the shrimp fold we see that God had a bigger plan for Naomi and her dreams could even imagine through old bed God or bring the great King David and through Obed God also bring the future king, the Messiah, Jesus Naomi stream had to be shattered so that God's plan to come to fruition.

Second part we always learn God is always working now. The book of Ruth is unique in that its narrative contains no direct statements as to the work of God will see appearance of an angel will see a voice from heaven. We have no burning bush like experience, nothing like that. However, the narrator waits until the very end to show his audience that God has been working behind the scenes to arrange the entire story to its conclusion's house working we are we, as readers, we are left at the very end with that. Now I get it, moment we now we see why did that. Now we know what we do not see him working we can clearly see is working at the end of next? I replied. We just on my God. He shatters her dream sometimes to rebuild his plan in the rubble is always working, how do those things because that knowledge of God apply in our lives. Here's we may not see him working directly as in the case Naomi, but it's obvious we get to the end that he's been orchestrating all the events for his good, pleasing and perfect will.

We may like Naomi get to see the end of what his plan was for all that suffering. The rendering now. We may not we not women I could see that I'm we had went when my wife's mother passed away.

We were at the funeral we heard the people came to know Christ. After Linda's death.

The sky was great didn't help then helped hurt, the pain we are feeling God let us see though hate that this is a plan we may not still know what why God lets things happen. We happens when you not know why God lets that diagnosis be that way. Or let's that relationship in the way does or that opportunity passes by. We don't know we may not ever get to see that his we do ready. The question for us today is will we, like Naomi in chapter 1 let our circumstances define archaeology. God's dealt bitterly with me. He told me wasteful and let me back empty do that organ like the the different end organ letter understanding of who God is and how he works define our present circumstances are.

You let our circumstances define our theology or you let our theology define her circumstances is a you okay I know I'm going to do this because good news is he's perfect is will is pleasing and perfect is working for his glory and my good.

I don't feel it right now this guy work that we know God like that. Why because that's what I know from Scripture you live that way or will be Naomi chapter 1 will we like the women in chapter 4. Realize that God is working behind the scenes of our shattered dreams to build something that will result in his glory and our greater good lashes by your head with me right now, close your eyes shall have you do some business with the Lord revenue like a said this is not the best Mother's Day sermon, but I love the story of Naomi is one who God shattered dreams to rebuild his good perfect and pleasing plan in the rubble you are dealing with. And we said before, a lot of times here. We used to use phrases like, whatever you brought into your whatever busyness this week were struggles and strife you got next week leave that outside and come and worship you. I don't think that's that's accurate. I think we bring that before the Lord and we worship him in the midst of the rubble. The people in this room are now worshiping God in the midst of shattered dreams, relationships of ended opportunities.

A passerby goddess. Seems like he's not letting you have what makes you happy. My challenge my question concerns. This we honor God in the midst of Rigoletto circumstances define theology or you let what you know about God from his word.

Define how you view the circumstance. I will answer now, as we pray.

If you want talk to anyone were here I'm here Pastor harbors here sexier pressure doing here.

We want to help you when I pray with you, we can sweep as we pray here a minute and we close our time and worship will have another snow time of worship.

Later let's worship that God who lovingly breaks our dreams so that he can rebuild his good, pleasing and perfect will. In this place we pray with me. Follow me love you but as Pastor Kevin always tells us.

We only love you because you first loved us. Our sinful hearts cannot love you rightly and we were pursuing our own hearts are our own desires own thoughts.

But God you and your grace broke our dreams or thank you for shattering my dreams almost 21 years ago and or thank you for continuing to do that. My life every day. Thank you Lord for keeping me from things I want because is not what you want or keep me from getting the things I feel I can need because of you know, those are the things it I need Lord I pursued a life without you. I thought whatever my desires were would make you happy but God you broke my heart.

You show me that the only way for a satisfied life in this life and the one to come is through faith in your son Jesus, thank you for use for the Savior. Thank you for how he changes everything.

Thank you Lord.

We cannot save ourselves. Only Christ saves us think you Lord that we put our faith in Christ we trust him to be true in everything he says were made new in your spirit, because work in us and making us more and more more like your son or in our commit that out to my friends now got her hurting people in this room. There are people walking and rubble in their lives, helping them know that you're with them the whole time you're holding their hands through your walking the rubble and you got a good and perfect pleasing plan for them. We may not see in this life will we know and faith that is awaiting us.

We look forward to the day we can be round your throne and see exactly I was saying earlier that hallelujah sin is lost its grip on me, Lord. You may you be our living hope forever. We pray this in your son's great name. Amen