Session 12

Faithfulness

Ruth 1:11-18; 2:5-12

Memory Verse: Ruth 1:16

In the midst of Naomi’s tragedy, God demonstrated His care and sovereignty.

The book of Judges focuses primarily
on the work of men.
Aside from the ministry of Deborah, all of the judges were male.
Yet, at a time and in a world dominated by heroes, a heroine by the name of Ruth emerged.
In fact, the Bible book that bears her name
is one of only two in the Scriptures (along with Esther) named after a woman.
And while many of the men mentioned in Judges were broken and flawed
by the cycle of sin, Ruth provided a breath of spiritual fresh air.

What’s more, this encouraging protagonist was not just a female.
She also was a Gentile,
a native of Moab who made an amazing impact on Jewish history.
On the surface, this book provides a beautiful love story
about a wealthy Jewish man and a poor Moabite widow.
On a deeper level, it illustrates the extent God will go
to redeem a lost and wayward people.
Ultimately, it all points to Jesus.

FIRST THOUGHTS

In his book, A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis wrote,
“No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.
I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid.”¹
People who face tragedy feel both grief and fear.
They wonder what the loss means for their future.
When grief and fear cloud your path,
nothing comforts your heart and gives you the courage to take steps into the unknown
like knowing that God cares and controls every moment of your life. (PSG, p. 109)

Ask:

• How might faith in God’s care and control help a person navigate grief and fear? (PSG, p. 109)

ENGAGE

Recap:

The next two sessions will come from the book of Ruth and will focus
on learning to depend on God in uncertain times.
Summarize this from page 110 of the PSG:

“The book of Ruth comes toward the end of the judges’ rule
over Israel just before the start of Israel’s reign of kings. .

Ruth reminds the reader that God’s providence
and faithfulness will not fail no matter how dark the times.

The story is one of tragic loss, deep loyalty, and God’s faithfulness
to Ruth, a foreigner who trusts Him.
As the story unfolds, Ruth decided to remain with Naomi after the loss of her husband.
She followed God into an unknown future
and found God faithful through every trial and hardship.”

Transition:

In today’s study, loyalty will be exemplified amid uncertainty.
We will see that even in the midst of tragedy, God revealed His care and sovereignty.