The Light of Restoration
The newest study in the Women of the Bible series, Ruth: Experiencing a Life Restored, released last month. Over the course of six weeks, you’ll take a closer look at the book of Ruth and watch how the restorative love of God shines in the lives of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. Here’s a sneak peek:
Imagine you’re driving home from a long trip. You decide to try a different route and enjoy some new scenery. The GPS says it should take about six hours. After four and a half hours of driving, you realize you’re on the wrong road, one that’s taken you almost the opposite direction of where you wanted to be. Would you just shrug your shoulders and keep on going? Of course not! You’d turn that car around and start in the right direction. How long the trip takes is no longer important. You need to get back where you belong.
When we’ve strayed from God’s plan for us, it might be easy to think we’re too far gone to turn around. Yet it doesn’t matter how much we mess up; God is waiting for us to come to our senses, repent of our sin, and get back on the right path of following Him. This week, we’ll see Naomi take her first step on that long journey. She didn’t know what awaited her at the end of the road; she just knew that Moab wasn’t where she was supposed to be.
Whether you’re coming back to the Lord from a far-off place or continuing along the path of following Him, may our study this week encourage you to stay the course. The commitment to follow Jesus isn’t always easy, but the joy and rest we find in Him is completely worth it. —Excerpted from Ruth: Experiencing a Life Restored, Week 2