Read Ruth 1:1 and Judges 21:25
WHAT DO WE REALLY NEED?
It may just be me, but it seems that the older you get, the more that your
Christmas presents tend to focus on what you need, rather than what you
want.
You even see it in the questions we ask. Think about how we might ask a
ten-year-old child, ‘So what do you want for Christmas, love?’
Now compare that to what I tend to get asked. ‘So is there anything you
need this year?’
Maybe I’m just bitter about last year’s haul of hankies and shower gel!
ISRAEL’S CHRISTMAS LIST
Yesterday, we had a sneak preview of how the book of Ruth finishes. A baby
is born amongst God’s people – and, crucially, we’re told that one of his
descendants will be their future king.
Why’s that significant? Notice again the way Ruth begins: ‘In the days
when the judges ruled…’ (v. 1). At a basic level, this gives us a rough dating
for when the events of Ruth are set – probably 1200–1000 bc. But more
significantly, it also hints at why we need this story so much.
In our English Bibles, the book of Ruth has been conveniently placed just
after the book of Judges. That means we don’t have to look far to understand
our narrator’s opening comment.
Have a look at the final verse of Judges – Judges 21:25, the very words that
set the scene for Ruth…
It’s a revealing analysis of life amongst God’s people at that time. And yes,
we’re certainly meant to draw the connection between the two halves of the
verse! God’s people were without a king – and as a result, it was a horrific
free-for-all. To put it simply, the gift of a king was what they desperately
needed.
But remember what we saw yesterday about how Ruth ends. The birth of
someone who will be the ancestor of this king is exactly what God is going
to provide, albeit through circumstances we’d never expect.
Advent has traditionally been seen as an opportunity for God’s people to
learn to exercise their waiting muscles. But we tend to wait best – and long
most – for the things we know we want and need.
We’re only just beginning our journey through Ruth, but I’m praying its
message will help us to hunger and thirst afresh for our King, Jesus. This gift
of a King in the midst of all the mess of life is the most spectacular display of
God’s kindness. A kindness that, God willing, won’t leave us unchanged.
REFLECTION
Pray that God would help you rediscover your own need of this King, born in a
manger and under Bethlehem skies. Pray that our hearts, naturally bent on
doing ‘as we see fit’, would instead be open to trusting in Jesus’ kind and royal
rule.
Listen to ‘O Come, All You Unfaithful’ by Sovereign Grace Music
Ham, Robin. Finding Hope Under Bethlehem Skies: An Advent Devotional. 10 Publishing, 2021.