Sermon Archives
Hope
Ruth 2:18-3:5The Book of Ruth
J. Josh Smith
May 25, 2014
Description:
When you are alone in the wilderness, enduring the night can become a grueling task. The limited light heightens your sense of hearing, causing anxiety and fear to increase. The absence of sunshine causes your body temperature to drop. Your mind begins to race as you look out from your camp awaiting the sun to dawn. You know that day is coming but it seems as if the night will last forever. Then the moment comes when the first hint of light breaks the horizon and immediately a fresh wave of energy and hope flood your soul. Though you were in doubt before, you now know that you will survive the night.
Through the first one and a half chapters of Ruth, Naomi has been in darkness of night. She is discouraged, defeated, and has lost all hope that she will ever see
the light of God’s mercy again. But when the story continues at the end of chapter two and into chapter three, the first hint of light breaks the horizon of her life. For the first time, Naomi begins to believe that there is still hope, and that hope is found in the Lord. This Sunday we will explore the hope of God’s people as we continue through the story of Ruth. Prepare by going back and reading Ruth 1:1-3:5. Pray that the Lord will give us a fresh awareness of our hope in Jesus Christ, propelling us to perseverance in our trials and action in God’s mission.
Keywords:
Anxiety, Encouragement, Endurance, Fear, Perseverance, Trials