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[0:00] I want to extend a very warm welcome to everybody this morning as we meet together at Stormy Free Church. And our prayer is that we will all know the blessing of God as we come under his word.

[0:13] We're going to begin by singing. It's a recorded singing of Psalm 48. Psalm 48a and at verse 9. We contemplate your steadfast love within your house, O God.

[0:27] For, like your name, your praise extends through all the earth abroad. All that you do is righteous, Lord. Mount Zion's joy is great. And Judah's towns rejoice as they your judgments celebrate.

[0:41] Round Zion walk and count our towers, view every citadel, so that to children yet unborn her story you may tell. For God the Lord, who is our God, forever will abide.

[0:53] He is our God forevermore unto the end. Our guide. So we're going to sing these verses of Psalm 48a, We contemplate your steadfast love.

[1:03] We contemplate your steadfast love within your house, O God.

[1:20] For like your name, your praise extends through all the earth abroad.

[1:34] All that you do is righteous, Lord. Mount Zion's joy is great.

[1:49] And Judah's towns rejoice as they your judgments celebrate.

[2:02] Mount Zion's joy is great. Round Zion walk and count our towers, view every citadel, So that to children yet unborn her story you may tell.

[2:33] For God the Lord, who is our God, forever will abide.

[2:47] He is our God forevermore, and to the end our guide.

[3:02] Let us now bow in prayer. O Lord, O Lord, our gracious God, as we bow before you this morning, we pray that we might know you, that we might know you more, even than we knew you last week.

[3:20] We give thanks, Lord, that your word reminds us that we are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. And we pray that that might be true in our experience, and that we will grow in that grace and grow in that knowledge.

[3:37] That we will always be seeking and searching in your word, so that we will come to a greater understanding of who you are, that your word will shed light into our hearts, so that by our own experience married to your word, there might come within our lives a greater understanding of the majesty and the dominion, the authority, the glory, the power, the grace, the love, the peace, just so many aspects of your being, that this may become more understanding in our own thinking, and that you will richly bless us.

[4:18] We give thanks, Lord, for every day that we can come under your word. And we pray that every day it might be part of our lives, that every morning we may begin with your word, because it is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy you.

[4:33] Help us, Lord, to look to you, to guide us as we journey through life, as we face all its challenges, sometimes difficulties, sometimes things that really perplex us and confuse us, times we really don't know just what to do.

[4:50] There are times we come to a standstill, we face a wall of difficulty and we're just not sure what to do. We feel we can't go forward and there doesn't seem to be a way to go either other way.

[5:01] So we ask, Lord, that you will help us at these times. We live in strange times, difficult times, where so much of life as we knew it has been turned in its head.

[5:13] And we find that life is very restrictive and it causes with the restrictions so many added new problems and new challenges within our lives, things that we took for granted, things that we didn't even think about before, are now things that sometimes we can no longer do.

[5:32] And we find these restrictions difficult. And so we pray for grace. We need lots of grace at this time and that you will help us through everything.

[5:44] We pray in particular for those who mourn and we're just so aware that there have been so many deaths of late. And again, even in the whole area of death and bereavement and all that that entails, the restrictions make things so difficult.

[6:03] So that many of the ways that we're used to, the ways that we want to express our sorrow and our sympathy with others, we're no longer able to do.

[6:14] But, O Lord, we ask that you will give an abundant sense of your grace and help and hope to those whose hearts are broken. And so we ask for healing and for help upon every broken heart today.

[6:29] We pray for those who are ill and those who are laid aside through all the different illnesses of life. And particularly remember all those who have been affected by the COVID pandemic.

[6:42] And here again, even in the Western Isles, which for so long we felt a sense of maybe we were taking things for granted at how few cases there were.

[6:54] But as this outbreak has taken place, Lord, we pray for your protection. We pray for your strength and grace to be given. And we pray that your healing hand may be upon us, that you will deliver us, and that we will look to the God of heaven and earth.

[7:08] O Lord, may your helping, upholding, healing hand be upon each and every one. We pray for all who are ill. We commit them to your care and keeping. Pray your blessing upon all hospital staff and upon all our carers, those who are working, particularly those who are working, putting their own, often their own lives at risk and just the whole knock-on effect that that can have.

[7:33] And we ask, Lord, for protection. We pray, Lord, upon us nationally and internationally at this time because it's not only here, but the whole world has changed.

[7:44] Help us to remember that we live in a very fragile world. and help us to remember that you are God of time and God of eternity, that you are God of the nations and that you raise up one nation and you cast another nation down and that you alone are the one who rules and overrules everything.

[8:04] Help us to understand that. May our leaders understand that. Lord, may those in authority over us come to an understanding, just like Nebuchadnezzar did, that the God of heaven and earth rules.

[8:16] That great monarch in Babylon who refused to acknowledge the God of heaven and earth. There came a time when he had to say that the God of heaven and earth, that he does according to his will with the armies of heaven and with the inhabitants of the earth and who could stay his hand.

[8:36] May our leaders come to realize this as well. O Lord, our God, we pray then that you will bless us. Bless your word to us. Bless our young people. Bless our Sunday schools.

[8:47] Bless all the work that is done in homeschooling. Bless our teachers and all the extra pressures that they are under. And we pray that you will be with all. Be with parents as they seek to teach at home and be with our children because it's a strange experience for them.

[9:06] It's something we've never experienced. And as they're cut off so much from their own friends and all the interaction that they're used to. And we pray, Lord, that you will bless them.

[9:17] Keep them strong in mind and in body. And we pray then that we might hear your word, that you will open the word of truth to us today. Have mercy upon us and cleanse us from our sin.

[9:27] We stand confessing your sin before you today. We sin against you in thought and word and in deed. And we have to confess that even our very thoughts are twisted.

[9:39] There's so much corruption within us that we give thanks that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. Then we ask that you will be gracious and merciful to us and forgive us our sin.

[9:51] In Jesus' name we ask it. Amen. And just a wee word to the young people. This week I was looking for a wee piece of paper.

[10:04] Something that I had written on. It was actually a very important piece of paper because it was something I really needed to have. Now, if you came into my study, one of the things, if I was to open the drawers of the filing cabinet and to open the drawers of the desk, you would say, whoa, because there is an awful lot of paper in there.

[10:26] Sometimes it's been so card. Sometimes it's not paper. Sometimes just ordinary sheet of paper. But I have written so much. There are, let me tell you, there are thousands of pieces of paper, of card, of notes, of notes, various things in there.

[10:44] And sometimes there's things scattered all over the study, much to my wife's, Dolly's, horror. Sometimes she comes in and, oh, she says, what a mess, all the papers.

[10:56] And I would love to say, I think somebody came in and scattered them all over the place. It wasn't me, but it was, of course, it was me. But I was, I needed this piece of paper.

[11:07] And I searched, and I searched, and I searched, and I searched. And I went through everything. I was going through all the papers. And I was at it for over an hour.

[11:19] And I was into the second hour. And by that time, I was going to get everybody grumpy, and frustrated, and annoyed, and fed up, because I needed to get it.

[11:30] And I was baffled, and I was going around, and I was getting, as I say, getting really wound up about it. And then I sat down on the chair in front of the desk, and you know what I did?

[11:42] I said, Lord, please, please help me to find this piece of paper. It's important. I need it. And you know, when I prayed that, I felt really, really bad.

[11:55] Because, as far as I'm aware, that was the first time that I'd actually asked God to help me to find that piece of paper. You see, when I went to get it, I thought I'd find it, no, it stayed away, and I just went, and I started.

[12:08] But I put all my mind, all my energy, all my concentration was going into trying to find this piece of paper, which I thought I was bound to find. And I realized, I'm stuck.

[12:20] I can't find it. And I felt really bad. In fact, I actually didn't think I would tell you about this, because it's going to make me look really bad, that it was only at the very end that I asked the Lord.

[12:33] Now, I have to say, thankfully, that many, many things in life, I begin with prayer. And I do ask the Lord to help, to guide, to show, to do like that. But, we make the mistake sometimes with what we look at as the little things.

[12:48] It's only a piece of paper. So you go in and say, I'll have to get this wee bit of paper. The Lord was showing me, I can get that piece of paper for you if you ask me.

[12:58] But I didn't, because I thought I would be able to find that piece of paper myself. And after an hour, or more than an hour of searching, it's then, I said, Lord, help me to find this piece of paper.

[13:10] And you know, within two minutes, I found it. And I sat down again in the chair, and I thanked God for helping me to find the piece of paper. And I asked God to forgive me for being so slow once again to learn.

[13:25] That in, you know what the Bible says? Seek first, seek first the kingdom of God. And all the other things will be added. Seek and you will find. We're told in everything, to bring everything to the Lord in prayer.

[13:40] And just like I discovered, you will discover the importance of bringing everything. Start your day with the Lord. And you make sure that in all the things, not just the big things, yes, it's so easy to pray about the big things in life.

[13:56] But the little things are important as well. So as the Lord says, in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.

[14:08] In everything, bring everything to the Lord in prayer. That's where our faith grows. That's where we see God's hand at work.

[14:19] So remember, seek, and you shall find. Put the Lord first. In everything. We're going to say the Lord's Prayer. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

[14:30] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

[14:42] Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen. Let us read God's word now from the book of Ruth and we're going to read chapter 2.

[14:55] We read a wee bit from Leviticus last week and then we read the first part of chapter 2. But we'll read the whole chapter today because we're going to look at this chapter maybe in more detail.

[15:09] Ruth chapter 2. Now Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimele, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain, after him in whose sight I shall find favour.

[15:28] And she said to her, Go, my daughter. So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.

[15:42] And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and he said to the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered, The Lord bless you. Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, Whose young woman is this?

[15:57] And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, She is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.

[16:11] So she came and she has continued from early morning until now except for a short rest. Boaz said to Ruth, Now listen, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young woman.

[16:28] Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.

[16:42] Then she fell on her face bowing to the ground and said to him, Why have I found favour in your eyes that you should take notice of me since I am a foreigner? But Boaz answered her, All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before.

[17:09] The Lord have repaid you for what you have done and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.

[17:21] Then she said, I have found favour in your eyes, my Lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.

[17:34] And at mealtime, Boaz said to her, Come here and eat some bread and dip your marshal in the wine. So she sat beside the reaper and he passed to her roasted grain.

[17:46] And she ate until she was satisfied and she had some left over. When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves and do not reproach her.

[18:00] And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean and do not rebuke her. So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned and it was about an ephah of barley.

[18:16] And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. And her mother-in-law said to her, Where did you glean today?

[18:32] And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you. So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked. and said, The man's name with whom I work today is Boaz.

[18:45] And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, May he be blessed by the Lord whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead. Naomi also said to her, The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.

[19:02] Ruth the Moabite said, Besides, he said to me, you shall keep close to my young men until they have finished all my harvest. Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that you go out with this young woman, lest in another field you be assaulted.

[19:22] So she kept close to the young woman of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law. Amen. And may God bless to us this reading of his own holy word.

[19:36] And I want us today to focus on the words of verse 12. While we're still looking at the chapter, but in particular verse 12, The Lord repaid you for what you have done and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.

[19:56] Now as we saw this, as we've been looking at this book, this little book, the book of Ruth, just four chapters, we know it's a book that we've seen this, a book of sorrows and tragedies, but it's also a book that is full of love.

[20:10] We saw the tragedy in Moab where Elimelech and Naomi were their two sons tied to run away from the famine that was in Israel, a famine that was allowed by God as part of his judgment against his people to bring them back.

[20:26] And as we saw before, they were wrong to try and run away from God. You can't run away from God. Jonah tried to run away from God and he very nearly lost his life in the sea.

[20:38] We know how God sent this great whale, this great big fish to swallow him up. And as somebody once said, if you'd run away from God, there might not be a whale to swallow you up like Jonah. And it's a lesson for all of us to learn that it's pointless time to run from God.

[20:54] We need to learn to submit before God. And that's what unfortunately Naomi and Elimelech hadn't done. But then we saw of course how tragedy struck in Moab and of how Elimelech and the two sons died.

[21:12] And Naomi, when she heard that God had come back, visited his people and given food, she and the two daughters-in-law left Moab to come to Israel.

[21:25] You remember how there came a point where Orpah returned back to her own ways, to her own gods, to her own culture, to her own people. But Ruth committed completely to Naomi.

[21:37] Where do you go? I will go. Your people will be my people. Your God is my God. So Ruth had thrown in her lot absolutely with Naomi. Naomi. Now last week we saw Ruth going out to glean in the fields and we saw that God had made provision.

[21:54] Remember we saw this how God had made provision for those who didn't have. And whenever fields were being reaped whether it was barley or wheat or whatever, they weren't to reap right into the fence as it were.

[22:08] They were to leave a chunk which was for the widows and the poor. And as they were gathering the sheaves and all that would be falling, they weren't to pick it up.

[22:19] They were to leave it for the ones coming behind, the gleaners who would come and they would glean the harvest so that they would get. So provision was being made this way for the widows and for the poor.

[22:32] So that's where we found Ruth had gone out to glean. And she didn't know she just went and we saw that she just happened to come as it were to the field of Boaz.

[22:44] and we remember how we saw there that it wasn't just happened. She was divinely directed to that particular field because there was all round her.

[22:56] There were different fields being reaped but she was led without a doubt though she didn't know it. She was led by God to this particular field because Boaz was of Illumilich's family and we'll see again how vital and important that is.

[23:14] And of course when Boaz comes and he sees this woman he asks who is this woman and he's told by the foreman that's the young woman that came back with Naomi from Moab and she hasn't stopped working all day apart from having one little rest.

[23:31] Boaz goes over to Ruth and Boaz had heard everything about her and how good she was to her mother-in-law how good she was to the memory of Illumilich his near relative and Boaz was a good man a worthy man we're told and he would have been good in character he was good in standing good in every way and he was deeply touched and moved by how good Ruth had been how she had left everything and had come to support her mother-in-law and it had touched Boaz's heart and Boaz went over to Ruth now as we go through the story we will find that there comes a point where Ruth and Boaz marry but you know there's part of me thinks now we hear the expression live at first sight and it does happen it doesn't happen too often but it happens and I kind of think there was almost an element of that in Boaz maybe not as powerful as that but anyway he was determined he was going to look after this young woman who had done so much for his family and so we find that he is so kind to her and Boaz is as it were he's been so nice and gentle and caring and kind and in fact

[25:03] Ruth is kind of overcome by this and that's why she says to him in verse 13 I have found favour in your eyes my Lord for you have I love this word you've comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant though I am not one of your servants isn't that lovely you've comforted me you know this was a pivotal day in Ruth's experience this was the first day that she could have felt completely safe in Israel remember she she had no rights she she anybody could have harmed her and there would be no voice to stand up for her but all of a sudden here's a man a man of precision a man of authority a worthy man in the city and he has told everybody you do not touch and his words carried authority you do not touch that woman for the first day she could feel absolutely safe she felt protected that sense of vulnerability was beginning to fade away she felt valued she felt a sense of worth things that she hadn't probably felt for a long time because Boaz was so good and she was being comforted by that and you know as you look back in life there are pivotal moments in our lives where our kind of future hinges on a particular time or something that maybe somebody has done or something that somebody has said or some experience that we've had it's been a life changing as it were moment well this certainly was so for Ruth and we find Ruth when she went back home and she was she was telling

[26:51] Naomi because no you would have seen the amount of stuff she gathered and Naomi didn't Ruth didn't just come home with all that she had gleaned but she came home with food and Naomi was asking where Ruth where did what happened how did you get all this and listen to Naomi because when Ruth talks about about Boaz we find Ruth Naomi saying may he be blessed by the Lord now that's that's also another pivotal moment in the experience of these ladies Naomi is back oh yes we know she's back to Bethlehem but she's back spiritually because up until this moment all she could feel about was that God was against her God's hand was against her she felt that she was nowhere you wouldn't you wouldn't be hearing any words of blessing coming from Naomi's lips but it's changed you see this is for her she is back spiritually she's now blessing God she's asking that this man be blessed you see God is working in Naomi he's been working all the time she didn't realise it and maybe she still doesn't realise it but her voice is changing because her heart is changing her words are changing because her heart is changing and that's what

[28:21] God does for us he doesn't leave us in the hole he doesn't leave us in the far country he doesn't leave us in that place he's busy at work you ask the Lord to make sure that he's drawing you back to himself to restore you to lift you up and you'll notice that then the conversation in this chapter between Ruth all the conversations between Ruth and Naomi and Boaz they're great conversations but it's a bit verse 12 that I want us really to focus on in particular where Boaz says the Lord repay you for what you have done and a full reward be given you by the Lord the God of Israel under whose wings you have come to take refuge and all that is happening here in the way that Boaz is providing for Ruth and this whole story has always been looked upon by the church as a picture of Christ and his bride of Christ and his people of Christ and the church and the church has always looked at it in this particular way and that's what I want us to consider just for a little here because in this we see if we're looking at this as a picture of how the Lord deals with us in the way that Boaz has dealt with Ruth the very first thing we see here is that

[29:51] Boaz takes all the initiative it's Boaz who comes to Ruth here's this woman who has nothing she has no rights she has no privileges she has no standing within the community she's vulnerable she's on her own in a big wide world and you've got to remember that the Moabites were one of the nations that Israel had absolutely nothing to do and you know what that's exactly what the Lord has done with you and if you're following the Lord today that's exactly what the Lord has done with you as well because you were just like Ruth you had no privileges same with me no rights no status no nothing before we weren't part of God's kingdom we had no claim upon God you know sadly sometimes we can away back in our ignorance think that we do have a claim upon God you know maybe you did maybe you're like how I once was where I thought that

[30:57] I had some kind of claim upon God because of who my parents were but they were Christians and I would say to my own heart well I've been brought up in a good home I was baptized and I was brought up in the church and I went to Sunday school and I've gone to church and I give money to the church and all that and I would think through that that I had a claim upon God and God would look down upon me and look on me favorably and say okay yeah you've done your part it's all right no it doesn't work like that we have nothing we have we have nothing we have nothing that we can say to the Lord that's what you remember what the hymn says nothing in my hand I bring nothing Lord nothing and it's into that nothingness that the Lord comes he takes the initiative and if you find today in your heart that there is a warming to the gospel a warming to the things of God if there's a drawing in your heart a desire in your heart to become a

[31:59] Christian that's not from yourself you don't have that in and of yourself that is the initiative that's God taking the initiative in your life thank him for that but don't stop there and so we find that we and you know Boas is a picture of grace he comes he didn't need to but he does and he's giving he's giving he's giving and you know even to this very day I still find grace hard to understand because we live our lives with a sense of rights and wrongs with a sense of reward and of deserving and all these kind of things well I deserve this see what I did I can we have this sense of deserving and of rights and of status and standing and all the different things and say well you know I deserve to have this note but grace cuts across that and that's why we can't understand

[33:04] God's kindness to us because we say well Lord I don't deserve that but that's grace at no point anywhere is there a deserving come into it grace is God's it's the unmerited undeserving favour that he bestows upon us and then we find that Boaz comes and he speaks to Ruth and that's exactly what God has done with us as well because we're told in Hebrews God has in these last days spoken to us by his son God came he spoke to us he gave us the word wow you know for most of us we've grown up with the word and we're used to it but what an honour what a privilege that God has given us his word where he is revealing to us who he is revealing to us who we are revealing to us how to get right with him and he has that's what we're told

[34:05] God has in these last days spoken to us by his son Jesus came Jesus spoke to us and so this is again all part of God's grace in giving us the word this Bible is the greatest book that this world has ever known or ever will know and it's appalling how there are people who who do not want the Bible to be part of society it's it's quite extraordinary that people are saying get rid of the Bible get rid of the Bible when we get rid of time to get rid of the Bible it's saying we don't want God you know it's the most awful thing that can happen people are saying I don't want to hear what God has to say they don't want to even hear his message of grace well the sad thing is this if people do not want to hear the message of God's grace and they close their ears to the message of God's grace and life you know what they're still going to have to hear God speak because they will hear in eternity

[35:12] God's message of judgment personally to them it's a fearful thought that's how it is and that's why we need to pray for people who have closed their mind to the truth and are trying to push the Bible away rather than condemn them we need to pray for them that their eyes will be opened to see what it is that they're doing but today is a day of grace God is speaking to us today speaking to you speaking to me through his word and so just as Boaz began to provide for Ruth so the Lord has begun to provide for us as well and Boaz gives this beautiful description of where Ruth finds herself the God of Israel under whose winds you have come to take refuge of course that's a spiritual reference because God as we know as a spirit doesn't have wings as such but a lot of the Bible uses imagery or uses words to help us to understand how it is that

[36:18] God deals with us and he's looking we're picturing there these like the like a mother bird the great big broad wings strong wings and they're there protecting they're these wings that surround and they're there where you're able to hide under and that's what happens when we come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we're told your life is hidden in Christ we're hidden in Christ you today as a believer are as safe as you can't be safer you're in the safest place you know there are people in this world who are the most incredible high tech security fences and cameras and all kinds of things their homes are just like huge forts and castles and just to keep intruders out and they sometimes with all the high tech protection that they have they say what I feel pretty safe here well they're nothing near as safe as a believer who is under the shelter of

[37:28] Christ you're the safest place in this world there is no force or power in this world or even in hell that can group you out of the hold of Christ he has you safe safe for time and safe for eternity I know there are times that sometimes we feel vulnerable and insecure and such like ask the Lord to give you again a sense of his own divine care and love for you and you know he's looking after his people all the time remember the God who's watching over you the God who shut the lions mouths in the den the God who ordered the ravens to go and feed Elijah the God who parted the waters of the Red Sea the God just in a moment who does this that and the next thing all power belongs to him that's your God that's my God that's a God who's watching over us under whose wings we have come to rest but the wings aren't just strong and broad they're also soft when you think of wings you think of feathers and feathers are so soft and warm and again that's a picture that we have remember how

[38:45] Christ is weeping over Jerusalem and he's giving the picture of like the mother hen how she would take her brood under her wings the place of not only security and safety but the place of warmth the place of love and that's what the Lord does to us because he takes us in and he gives us this sense of belonging this sense of love his love his peace his joy he imparts that all this to us because he comes to live within us and so this is all part of the wonder of coming to rest under his wings and so as we said the Lord is protecting us just as Boaz is saying about how she's come to rest and under the wings there's this protection sometimes we forget how intimate the union is between ourselves and the Lord but remember what it says this is what God says whoever touches you touches the apple of my eye the most tender sensitive part that you can get is right there in the very center of your eye God saying anybody who touches you is touching as it were that sensitive part of me that's how close it is and so the

[40:11] Lord the Lord is also just like like Boaz was providing for Ruth he gave her the best he was saying to the reapers drop some drop some of the wheat and the barley drop it deliberately for Ruth who's coming behind you and he gave her of his own food remember he dipped the marshal in the wine said on you go salted green on you go and he gave her so much there was food left over to take she was satisfied to take home to her mother in law it's a wonderful story isn't it and you know at this moment I believe when Ruth is saying you know Boaz you've comforted me and I think we have here this one of the great moments because yes Ruth has had sorrows and pains and heartaches in her life but she's moved on and not that there will always be a sorrow there will always be a pain there will always be a loss because of the loss that she experienced but you know if we dwell there if we get stuck there and if we just keep looking in on ourselves we'll never be able to move forward and you know when we look if we've gone through a difficult time and we all do at different levels now I'm not don't get me wrong some people probably who are listening today have gone through harrowing experiences and I don't want in any shape or form to minimize the pain that you have gone through through your losses through your pains and sorrows but you know it's important that we don't just look in on ourselves all the time because if so we will end up just wallowing in self-pity at all the different levels in life that's what happens if we never get out of there we're stuck and so at this moment though Ruth could that's where

[42:06] Naomi had been stuck but Ruth falls at the feet of Boaz and as Ruth does that she sees all the future that is in Boaz she hears his words his promises she sees the provision that is made and that's how you and I must go forward in life is looking to Jesus there's an old rhyme I remember reading and it says look at self and be distressed look at others and be depressed but look to the Lord and you'll be blessed and there's an element of truth in that that if we just look in we get quite distressed and when we can look at others and their lives going well and if you're having a hard time you can get depressed it's important sometimes to take our eyes up and look to get Jesus and see listen to his words and discover all the resources that are there and everything that he has for us all the provision that is made and so this chapter is a wonderful chapter where we're seeing a change change in Ruth change in

[43:15] Naomi and this is the Lord who will change your life for the better and you make sure that you come also like Ruth did to rest under the wings of the God of Israel it's the safest place in the entire world Lord of God we pray that all of us may indeed truly rest under the God of Israel that he will be our shield and our shelter our guide and our shepherd take away our sin in Jesus name Amen we're going to conclude singing from Psalm 85 Psalm 85 sing Psalms verse 8 to the end I will hear what God the Lord says to his saints he offers peace but his people must not wonder and return to foolishness surely for all those who fear him his salvation is at hand so that once again his glory may be seen within our land love and truth are met together righteousness and peace embrace righteousness looks down from heaven from the earth springs faithfulness and so on

[44:23] I will hear what God the Lord says to his saints he offers peace but his people must not wonder and return to foolishness truly for all those who fear him his salvation his salvation is at hand so that once again his glory may be seen within our land love and truth are met together righteousness the Lord will go before him and his royal reign prevail.

[45:50] Now may the grace, mercy and peace of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest and abide upon each one of you now and forevermore. Amen. Thank you very much for watching and being part of our service today.

[46:05]  And do remember the evening service tonight conducted by Reverend James McKeever and that service is at 6.30pm. God bless you all.