Hebrews 6:19, “This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.”

This week we are going to look at the Old Testament story of Ruth with a wide-angle lens, and let it challenge us to a posture of surrender in the places of our lives that seem so random and unscripted. This posture of surrender, she knew a whole lot about.

But before we dive in, it’s important to know that the book of Ruth is one of two books of the Bible named after a woman. The book of Esther is the other. Clearly, these are books we need to study. They are packed with drama, lessons, and the power of God to write and rewrite their stories for a kingdom purpose. He can and will do the same for us if we let Him.

The story of Ruth, like the story of Esther, is written with a heavy pen of God’s pursuit. For Esther, it was the pursuit of His people. For Ruth, it was the pursuit of His providence—scripting the lineage of Redemption.

Although the tone and tenor of this book is unassuming, the plot is one of destiny, and the character of Ruth is one of integrity. She had lost everything and was forced to choose her future—go back to the familiar and start over? Or walk headlong into the dark?

With these choices in front of her, knowing she was on the precipice of great change, she chose the unscripted way. The dark. The story yet to be told.

As destiny would have it, in her quiet resolve of diligence and surrender, she was scripted the protagonist in the pages of providence.  Ruth, the Moabitess, became the great-grandmother of King David, and an ancestor in the lineage of our Lord Jesus.

Unknowingly, she played an integral part in the larger story of faith. From Moab to Bethlehem, she was invited to play a part in a very scripted, down to the detail, drama of Redemption—a most precious and powerful honor.

I wonder if her heart felt even a hint of the purpose she was written for when deciding to leave her land, an enemy nation, and follow Naomi into the land of promise? Even if she had an inkling in her heart that she was meant for more than what awaited her in Moab, she had no idea what the future held.

Ruth was an outcast. A foreigner. A widow with no resources to her name. Can you relate? I know I can.

So often my life feels unscripted. I look around and see a battleground littered with shrapnel of the enemy’s attacks. I see detours and disruptions where I thought God was taking me, only to discover I’m on a very different path, the narrow path—a path on the road less traveled.

I can assure you I have entire acts of my life script that I would just as soon cut and scrap to the editing room floor. Even so, there’s an anchor that holds my heart firm (Hebrews 6:19). This anchor of hope tethers my wayward heart bent on finding answers to my pain. Still, more often than not, these answers will not be found this side of heaven. So tethered I stay to the hope of a higher calling—to trust Him in the dark. And I hope you will do the same.

From the get-go, Ruth was all in. Her heart was anchored to Naomi and what Naomi represented—a people of faith and their God. She approached the unknown of her future with the posture of surrender. It is the same sacrificial posture we are called to assume—“Not mine, but Your will be done.”

Are you standing on the precipice of great change in your own life? Has the enemy tried to rob you of your joy, ruin your reputation, steal what God has given you to steward? Please know that even when we are in the land of the unscripted life, destiny calls us to let the God of the universe write and rewrite our stories.

Let’s be modern-day Ruth’s, shall we? We too can have beautiful dramas that tell the watching world that our God works for the good of those who are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28).

Prayer:

Lord God, you are my anchor of hope. Hold me strong and fast to your will and good purpose even when it feels unscripted. Let my heart bend in surrender to your will and not my own. I’m all in. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

When all is said and done, and the final curtain is drawn, what will the script of your life be called?

If you are willing to share a little of your thoughts on this, I’d love to hear some of the titles you come up with for your own life story. They can be funny, deep, creative, or just something that makes sense to you and God. Whatever you choose, have some fun with this!

On a personal note, I have the opportunity to attend a writing conference this week, so I will not be posting a blog devotional next Monday. Please know I will be thinking of you and praying for you while I’m gone.

Hugs for a great week and remember, you are not alone. Be blessed and hold fast to your anchor—God is scripting you into a really beautiful story.

Dori