Ruth’s story is in the Book of Ruth. The Book of Ruth is a short book in the Bible only four chapters, but inside these chapters is a story filled with God’s Second Wind. As you will see a little bit later in this post-God’s Grace, Mercy, and Favor is upon Ruth’s life, but how did it begin? Ruth 1:1-5 NASB tells the reader how “1 Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi; and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. Now they entered the land of Moab and remained there. 3 Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. 4 They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. 5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband.” By marrying one of Naomi’s sons, it gives Ruth entrance to know the God of Israel. Do not underestimate the relationships you have with people they are in your life for a reason you have an opportunity each time you are with them to let them know God personally for themselves. In verses eight thru thirteen Naomi tells Orpah and Ruth to return to their homeland, but the girls say no we want to go with you, Naomi insists that they leave and return to Moab because if they go with her they will not be able to marry again and that would be putting Orpah and Ruth in bondage. Orpah does return, but Ruth chooses to stay with Naomi. Ruth 1:16-17 NASB But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 "Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me." While Ruth was married to one of Naomi’s sons, she experiences something she sees something in Naomi’s family, and she wants it for herself. These words by Ruth are powerful, and they speak of a desire for the God of Israel to be her God, which opens up the door for God’s “Second Wind” to come into her life.
In Chapter 2 God starts to blow the “Second Wind” of His character over Ruth by blessing and protecting her under the watchful eye of Boaz. Ruth’s faithfulness to Naomi rushes in the “Second Wind of God” by giving her a place to glean in the fields, water to drink, food to eat, giving her extra grain, and protecting her from others (Ruth 2:8-17).
In Chapter 3 Naomi tells Ruth to present herself to Boaz to claim him as her kinsman-redeemer (Ruth 3:1-5) because of Ruth’s obedience to the advice that Naomi gives her “God’s Second Wind” breathes on her again. Ruth teaches the reader that to experience “God’s Second Wind” in your life you must live by faith and let your faith produce works because faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).
Chapter 4 brings the beginning to the end Boaz redeems Naomi’s family line by buying all that belong to Elimelech and his sons Mahlon and Chilion including marrying Ruth (Ruth 4:1-17). God uses the kinsman-redeemer Boaz to release His “Second Wind” into Ruth’s life not only blessing her greatly in the fields or marrying Boaz, but God as well adds her to the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Ruth 4:18-22 “18 Now these are the generations of Perez: to Perez was born Hezron, 19 and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab, 20 and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon, 21 and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, 22 and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.” I want you as the reader of this blog to know that none of this would have happened if Ruth did not marry into Naomi’s family. Why do I bring that up? Because your actions and the decisions you make each day gives God the opportunity to blow His “Second Wind” upon you and those who come into your life each day. The Book of Ruth also teaches the reader that God can use you to be the initiator of His “Second Wind” to help others experience the refreshing wind of His Grace and Mercy just like Boaz did for Ruth.
Ruth’s story has God’s hands in it from the beginning even before anything happens in Ruth’s life God was moving. God used the move Elimelech made with his family to Moab to bring His “Second Wind” upon Ruth. I want you to search your heart and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what is your “Elimelech move?” Why has God placed you here at this time in your life? It is for you to find your Ruth so that your Ruth can experience the rushing “Second Wind of God!” It is for your Ruth to have the same experience that the Ruth in the Bible has and that is knowing, living, and experiencing God’s grace, mercy, and favor in her life. Go ask the Holy Spirit to help you find your “Elimelech move” and “your Ruth.”
If you do not know this God, and you want what Ruth has then say this prayer: Jesus, I want you just like Ruth has you, I make you my God I repent of my sins. I receive the forgiveness you give me at the Cross I am yours, and you are mine forevermore in Jesus name we pray amen! Find a church that teaches the Bible truthfully with power and read your Bible each day start anywhere let God lead you. If you find yourself in a church or when reading your Bible that you are being comforted, convicted, and challenged to be like Christ on regular basis’s you are in the good soil, and you will grow.
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