13 November 2022 - ENCS

Today Pastor Josh spoke about the book of Ruth

Tis only four chapters long but packed with truth

One of the things that Josh had led us all to see

How to make decisions while facing uncertainty

Both her husband and two sons Naomi had lost

So back to home in Israel from Moab she crossed

Ruth decided to follow Naomi, her mother in law

Despite of the bitterness in Naomi that she saw

As Ruth, we are called to belong to God, reconciled

For we are all called to be someone, God's child

That leads us to build with someone, a community

Much of this in chapter one of Ruth we can see

To Naomi and her home, Ruth then decided to cling

We should also hold tight to guidance from the King

Ruth did stay faithful to Naomi and Boaz later on too

Boaz and Ruth did not compromise, we did review

Boaz demonstrated care by living compassionately

By taking in the foreigner Ruth, he acted generously

Ruth walked faithfully along the path God did show

Even though the end result she did not really know

Josh also pointed to Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew

Only five females listed and Ruth was one of the few

This completed the wedding blessing in chapter four

Which did serve to Ruth’s place in history ensure

25 October 2015 - Walking with Integrity

In Ruth chapter two, Boaz commended Ruth’s integrity

Saying that her actions had made it clear for all to see

She stood by her mother-in-law Naomi in a foreign land

As a result, in marriage Boaz eventually took Ruth’s hand

From a solid foundation of values, integrity does flow

To stand by one’s beliefs, one’s strength must show

God’s Word should always provide the foundation

Telling right from wrong without any consternation

In this way, integrity leads to a top-notch reputation

And we often get earthly as well as Godly affirmation

Integrity can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes

But bottom line, perhaps it really means no surprises

For if you do what you say and actually say what you did

Then people will trust you much more than Billy the Kid

19 March 2014 - Ruth: Love and Loyalty

While the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land

Emilech moved to Moab, from Ruth one we understand

But he died and then so did his sons after ten years

Leaving their wives Naomi, Orpah and Ruth in tears

Naomi told her daughters-in-law to Judah she would return

She told them to stay in their Moab home out of concern

But Ruth replied that she would follow Naomi anywhere

She would assimilate and for her mother-in-law always care

They arrived in Bethlehem as the harvest was about to start

Ruth volunteered to help out of the goodness in her heart

Behind other workers, she picked up leftover grain in the field

But cousin Boaz told her not to, in order to from others shield

Ruth asked why a foreigner like herself had such favor found

Boaz replied that her treatment of Naomi did many astound

“May the Lord repay you for what you have done”, he did say

“May you be richly rewarded by the Lord” each and every day

Ruth went to Boaz’s threshing floor one night, per Ruth three

Because Naomi told her that Boaz might a good husband be

She did “wash and perfume herself” and good clothes wear

Then she lied down by his feet, uncovering them with care

He acknowledged her when he awoke in the middle of the night

And said all the townspeople knew she was noble and right

But since there was a kinsman-redeemer more closely related

Before marrying, that man’s rights would have to be vacated

In Ruth four, Boaz met the other man as he had planned

The man declined to take the widow Ruth with her land

So Boaz gladly stepped up and took her as his wife

They were happy and brought pleasure to Naomi’s life

Ruth gave birth to Obed, who honour to the family did bring

Obed fathered Jesse who fathered David, the shepherd king

30 August 2010 : Ruth 1

Due to famine, Naomi and husband away were sent
Along with their two sons, to Moab they went
Naomi's husband died and each son married a Moabite
Then her sons died; her future did not appear bright
But back home in Judah the Lord had provided food
So Naomi and daughters-in-law set out in a better mood
Naomi asked the two to go back to where their kin plowed
But they wanted to go with her, and even wept aloud
Naomi was bitter and had little hope
She wanted to go to Judah and mope
After more arguing, one of them did leave
But Ruth continued to hold onto Naomi's sleeve
Ruth was determined to stay until the end
To Naomi's needs she would tend
To Mara Naomi wanted to change her name
For her bitterness remained the same
She blamed the Lord for her afflictions
Ignoring the obvious contradictions
For they arrived as the barley harvest was beginning
If she knew the future, she would have been grinning

Naomi is like so many of us
Focused on minus, not the plus
Ruth on the other hand
Challenges she did withstand
For although Ruth was in a foreign land
With a people she did not understand
She had faith and did what was right
And didn't give up without a fight