Remaining With Ruth
Thoughts on Love, Loyalty, and Leaning In
Happy July friends!! This month, I’m going to explore thoughts, musings, and insights that the Lord has (and is) revealing to me through my work with the book of Ruth. In these weekly essays, we will explore characters in this book and how their hearts yearn for God and ultimately embrace His beautiful plans for their lives.
I pray it will be an opportunity for all of us to take time to slowly let God reveal His still small voice to us as we sit with the goodness and wisdom He so desires to share with us. So, grab a cup of coffee and take a deep breath as we slow down and rest with Ruth. I’m so happy you are here!
My Work Is Done Here?
After journeying through the process of publishing a book, I wondered if once I had journaled, prayed with, studied and eventually written a bible study about the Book of Ruth. would I one day simply take a deep breath and exhale? Would I get the feeling that my ‘work’ with her was done?
My books would be for sale, of course, and I would love to share talks about themes related to this sweet little Book… but I think I expected to be ‘moving on’ to study and pray with other biblical figures and saints as I continue to grow in my own faith life. There are so many that beckon to me from the Bible, and good books, and my own prayer life, after all. I guess I imagined this journey would be a bit like coursework: take the class, study, write the ‘final’ and then move on to the next class.
Funny thing, though — I guessed wrong. I know. Shocking, right?! No, it’s not the first time, or the last for that matter, that I will ‘guess’ wrong about my future. But it is teaching me so much about the gift of slowing down and staying with that which God calls us to contemplate. And He is making it clear that remaining here is exactly where He wants me to be.
As I was experiencing a bit of restlessness a couple months ago, feeling a tug to ‘write the next thing’ or at least to start praying and listening for what might be next, I casually mentioned as much in a quick text to a friend. Her response was wise and encouraging:
Take your time. Don’t rush it. That was my mistake.
I sat with those words and chatted with her a little about ‘taking my time.’ She explained that she, too, had written a book years back and then jumped in a new project with zeal, only to realize that the timing was all wrong. God was not done with her delving into the content in her book, praying with it, speaking about it, and letting God work in and through her. In reality, it was years before she could fully devote the time and attention that she wanted and needed to the new project, because while she was itching to move on to the next thing, God was whispering, “Hold on. We’re not done here yet. Stay a little longer with this one.”
So, here I sit, closing in on 6 months after publishing Love and Loyalty, and I am feeling more drawn to soak in wisdom from Ruth than ever. I am surprised and delighted as I am discovering that I still have more to learn, more to marinate on, and more heart work to do as the Lord leads me deeper into this Book. And as I keep returning to Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz in prayer and reflection, I am seeing them through different lenses. I perceive new angles and perspectives where God is highlighting little lessons that I hadn’t thought about before. I am discovering new things about them almost every day… and this is as confounding to me as it is utterly delightful.
Trust Falling, Ruth’s Way
Lately, my prayer with this Book has led to ponder that Ruth is a woman who lived, loved, lost, and ultimately decided to choose hope. She embraces God fully and completely at the lowest, darkest, and most vulnerable point of her life. Instead of wrapping her arms around herself and retreating inward, she exposes her wounded and weak heart, arms fully extended, and leaps into vastly unknown territory. It is perhaps the ultimate example of a trust fall.
As I pray with Ruth’s unshakable trust in a God she had yet to really know, I am reminded that we as women possess so much more strength than we know. And that strength is holy, and sacred, and worthy of cherishing. Ruth is teaching me that strength is found by staying open, even when it hurts. Because the Lord draws near to us when we become open and vulnerable. It’s where He can do His best work.
Sparkling Gems
And so for me, this beloved Book called Ruth is becoming a sparkling multifaceted gem that is revealing more beauty the more time I spend with it. It’s as if the familiarity is yielding richer, deeper fruit over time, and the layers of understanding and insight are creating a lush and vibrant haven for my faith, imagination, and heart. The writing of Love and Loyalty was a tender work of my heart, and in some ways I see it was only the beginning. I am eagerly anticipating what more the Lord has for me as I remain with Ruth.
Thoughts for Prayer and Reflection:
Where is God calling you to ‘remain’? Is there a part of your heart, mind or soul that is restless to move on yet you feel a pull to stay? What would it look like to slow down and do the work of remaining?
Have you spent time in the Book of Ruth? It is a short and sweet yet rich and deep story of God’s providence and protection. Consider praying with this book a little each day for a week. Ask the Lord to show you where he sees you and your heart in this story.
I pray that you also can go deep and wide and receive sparkling gems of wisdom as you open your heart to God’s merciful love for you!
In Love and Loyalty,
Alli