Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Ruth and our own stories.

At connecT we are looking at the story of Ruth. It is a simple sad but happy story. Ruth loses husband, follows Naomi, her mother in law to Naomi's country, finds a man and marries and lives happily ever after. Well that's the abridged version, any way. But what interests me is how God moves in the lives of simple and un-spectacular people. So often we think that God only chooses the heroes but in the lives of these two women we find God at work through the pain & loss, plans & plotting, encounters & commitments. It reminds me that God is involved at the grass roots of our lives. A reminder to me to take notice and see where God is involved in the contours of my mundane existence.

Where does God show up in your journey?

Chris

3 comments:

Sophie said...

It can be hard to find positive biblical accounts of female power and guile- we are more often use to hearing that this is the error in the story of the beginning of the end. Even here in Ruth there are some genuine difficulties for feminist exegetes, having said this...the friendship of the women and their loyalty to one another is the redemption of the family and the story. As you say Chris, this is the mundane and hum drum of every life. If for no other reason than to celebrate the friendship of Ruth and Naomi, their loyalty to one another and God, it is good to read the story with an open mind.

Paul Miller said...

I too have been intrigued by the way God blesses the most unobvious people to reveal his nature and character of love to the world. (In this case, a foreigner, a tribal enemy to Israel and a woman living in poverty with her mother- in- law!!!).
But then again, who of us would have thought that God would use the Apostle Paul, (a strict Pharisee, murderer and persecutor of Christians) to establish His church!!!!
From now on, everyone I meet, I will see as possible advancers of God’s revealing story here on Earth….especially the one’s who are not obvious in status in our current culture.

Chris McLeod said...

Thanks Sophie & Paul.