This Sunday, our Church family will begin a study through the Old Testament book of Ruth. In many ways, Ruth is a marvelous story about love, redemption, restoration and future hope. But, it is also a story about disobedience, suffering, pain, bitterness, and loss.
As we prepare ourselves for the journey through the book of Ruth, here are some questions the book itself raises. Perhaps you can identify and relate with some or all of these…
-Questions that the book of Ruth raises-
Questions about God Himself.
-Does God care about His people?
-Does God punish His people?
-Is God sovereign over all things?
-Does God truly work all things together for good for those who love Him?
-Does God use the routine details of my life to bless me?
-Does God use the routine details of my life to fulfill His cosmic plan for the world?
-How should I understand the nature and display of God’s love?
-Is God doing something big in the world? Am I a part of that somehow?
Questions about Suffering.
-Can I trust God in hardship?
-Can I trust God in discipline?
-Can I trust God in loss?
-Do my hardships and sufferings mean something?
Questions about the Life of Faith.
-Is God at work in the “meaningless details” of daily life?
-Does my personal obedience to God really matter? Even in the little things?
-Should I trust God and obey Him when another option seems more beneficial?
-Should I get mad at God?
-What is true love and how is it shown?
Over the next few months, our Church family will set about exploring this beautiful book in God’s Bible, and seeking to listen as God answers these questions for us.