Elimelech died and Naomi was left, she and her two sons. The two sons took Moabite wives; the name of the first was Orpah, and the second Ruth. But the two brothers, Mahlon and Kilion also died.. (Ruth 1:3-5)
How can a widowed, impoverished and alien woman turn around and be named among the women in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ? Indeed the story of Ruth is one of an unlikely superstar for all the odds were against her yet, with God’s favour on her side, her life was positively turned around. Halleluyah!
Ruth was an inconsequential outsider whose life tells the story of God’s miraculous ways, love & intervention in the affairs of ordinary folks. The Lord promises to be father to the fatherless; friend to the friendless; hope for the hopeless; and husband to the widow. His favour is able to lift the poor out of the dung hill, and to place them with princes (Psalm 113:7-8).
At some stage in her life, she began with the little endeavour of gleaning for left over crops at other people’s farmland; then God made her the owner (through marriage) of plots of land. Her story began with that of a widow and ended thus, Boaz married Ruth, she had a son called Obed, Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David
(Ruth 4:21-22).
May the Lord’s rich blessings and favour avail for you and your families; and may your small beginnings be transformed to great endeavours, in Jesus name, Amen.
Pastors Marcus & Norah Chilaka