Call on God for Belonging - Ruth
Introduction
One of the most disturbing struggles of our lives in America today is the prevalence of loneliness.
A study by AARP found that more than one-third of adults aged 45 and older in the United States are lonely. 35% of adults reported feeling lonely, compared to 20% a decade earlier. A Cigna survey revealed that nearly half of Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone (46%) or left out (47%). Generation Z (18-22-year-olds) are sometimes called the loneliest generation.
It is very important for Christians to learn that they can call on God for Belonging - because everyone wants and needs to belong. It is important for those who are without Christ to know there is belonging to be found in the Family of Faith. Mother Teresa said, “If we have no peace, it is because we’ve forgotten that we belong to one another.”
When we talk about ‘belonging’ - we are thinking about…
-Being accepted by God, no matter what our past.
-Being a part of the church family, using our talents and gifts.
-Being aware of the hurts of others, using our experiences to bring comfort and help
-Being a lighthouse of welcome in a polarized, accusatory, angry world.
-Being aware of the mission of God’s outreach into the world
All of these are addressed in the word ‘belonging’.
Today we are going to approach that subject through the story of two broken-hearted women. The book of Ruth reminds us of the power of love, loyalty, and belonging.
1. Ruth: From Broken Hearted to Belonging
The story of the book of Ruth is a beautiful epic.
Naomi has two sons who marry Moabite women.
Naomi’s husband dies, and also her sons, leaving two daughters-in-law without husbands.
Naomi, in her heartache, desires her daughters-in-law to go home. One does, but Ruth makes the decision to stay.
Naomi and Ruth move to Bethlehem. Ruth gleans in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy landowner / relative of Naomi.
Boaz shows kindness to Ruth, and Naomi instructs her to approach him in a gesture known as "uncovering his feet," a cultural practice signifying a request for marriage.
Boaz, recognizing Ruth's virtue and loyalty to her family, agrees to marry her.
Boaz and Ruth have a son named Obed.
Obed has a son named Jesse, and Jesse’s son is King David. Thus Ruth is the great grandmother of King David.
The most well-known verses in Ruth are in chapter 1:16-17 “But Ruth replied, ‘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.’”
In these words, Ruth makes a radical choice. She chooses to belong to Naomi’s people and God. Ruth’s loyalty and love are the center of this story.
2. Three Lessons of Belonging
*We find belonging in sync with God’s Presence & Mission.
We often cannot see God at work, but he is present in every corner of this story. Naomi feels that God has dealt harshly with her, but she continues to believe in his presence in her heartache. Stewart Jameson: How Naomi refers to God as the “Almighty” gives us something interesting to consider: ... we need the assurance that God still reigns over all - that He’s still in control and still sitting on the throne.”
Whitworth: “Despite what we might think or feel, God never forsakes us on the Bethlehem Road. His silence does not equate to his absence… There is no divine revelation in the story of Ruth, nor are there any spectacular miracles. The message of Ruth’s story is that “God is at work in the darkest times—for our good and Christ’s glory. He will see to it that the glory of his Son fills the earth and that in him we find everlasting joy.”
In the times when you feel God may be absent or He has dealt harshly with you, turn your focus to the reality of His presence and mission - God is at work in / through you!
*We find belonging in the company of God’s people.
Naomi heads back to Bethlehem - to her people - God’s people. Frank Voila wrote a book about Bethlehem and called it “God’s favorite place on earth.” We know that ultimately it is in Bethlehem that shepherds and wise men will see the Christ child first. Naomi and Ruth are a part of that story, long before. When you walk into the assembly, you do not see rows of people who have it all together - you see rows of people who need God, who have faced disaster, who have weathered every storm you can imagine.
Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
It’s a perfect place for hurting people to belong - be loved.
*We find belonging by looking out for others. Ruth gleans from the fields after the harvesters - who have left behind some of the crop for unfortunate and hungry. The fields Ruth worked are left for all who are hungry - an
opportunity that reaches across cultures, races, and generations. The stranger is welcomed and offered love.
One way to find belonging is to look out for others who need help and encouragement.
Romans 12:5 "So in Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
Whitworth: The story of Ruth reminds us that relationships are to be built upon loyalty. Jesus instructed us to be
devoted to one another and to carry one another’s burdens. Ruth is an example of someone like this.
Conclusion
1. This is an ancient story with a vital message for a disconnected and lonely generation.
- Find belonging in God’s presence and mission
- Find belonging in the company of God’s people
- Find belonging by looking out for others
2. Steward: The story of Ruth is not really a story about Ruth, Naomi, or even David. All the Scriptures ultimately point to Jesus Christ.
3. The concept of belonging is What Jesus did for us.
- When we chose sinful paths, God did not abandon us.
- He sent His Son to die for us.
- For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
4. Call on God… For help, For guidance, For belonging.
5. In 1697 Katharina von Schlegel wrote these words we should think about when we are heartbroken, lonely, discouraged:
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be for ever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed, we shall meet at last.
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Discussion Questions
1. How does Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi inspire you in your own relationships? What does it teach us about commitment and support in friendships and family, especially during difficult times?
2. Ruth was a Moabite, not an Israelite. Yet she was accepted into Naomi’s family and proved her loyalty over time. How does the acceptance of Ruth into the community of Israel challenge our perspectives on how we view others today?
3. Ruth is one of the few books in the Bible named after a woman. Why do you think her story is significant? What lessons can we draw from the portrayal of women in the book of Ruth?
4. How does the community support Ruth and Naomi in their times of need? What can we learn from their actions about supporting one another in our communities today?
5. The name Bethlehem means ‘House of Bread’. How does that name fit into this story and how might it describe the church?
6. The most well-known verses in Ruth are in chapter 1:16-17, “But Ruth replied, ‘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.’” When do we most often hear this verse today? How does it describe the kind of relationships we should strive for today in the church? Or how does this address the need for belonging?
7. How does the ending of the book, focusing on Ruth and Boaz’s lineage, offer a message of hope and legacy for the future? How can we leave a positive legacy in our families and communities?
8. What else did you want to talk about from this text?
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Resources
Myerscouth, Richard. My Bitter Life. https://thewaitingcountry.substack.com/p/my-bitter-life
Steward, Jameson. When Your Life Goes From Full To Empty https://centeredonchrist.substack.com/p/when-your-life-goes-from-full-to
Steward, Jameson. How God’s Kindness Was Shown to Naomi.
https://centeredonchrist.substack.com/p/how-gods-kindness-was-shown-to-naomi
Steward, Jameson. Naomi and Ruth’s Faith in Providence. https://centeredonchrist.substack.com/p/naomi-and-ruths-faith-in-the-providence
Steward, Jameson. When Your Life Goes from Empty to Full.
https://centeredonchrist.substack.com/p/when-your-life-goes-from-empty-to
Whitworth, Michael. Bethlehem Road. Start2Finish,
Be Still My Soul Acappella
https://youtu.be/kqKVFYD8Obc?si=PPysemVEj52xWtnC
or
https://youtu.be/jbBYW28JvAc?si=oIwzIvFzDfNqQ8G2
Bethlehem in the Bible.
https://www.gotquestions.org/Bethlehem-in-the-Bible.html
