12102022 Redemption

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our Redeemer. In recent months I have been studying the book of Ruth, in which redemption is the theme. There are so many precious lessons and pictures in that book.

One of the precious lessons is that redemption is only necessary (and possible) when things are messy. In the Jewish system, redemption happened when someone went bankrupt or when someone died. If everything was going fine – the fields and flocks were prospering, the family was healthy and growing – no redemption was needed.

In Elimelech’s family, things were messy. The family had moved out of the land of promise during a famine. Within ten years, Elimelech and his two sons had died, leaving behind three widows, the matriarch of which was embittered and living in a strange land. Even when Naomi returned to her land, with Ruth at her side, things were still in a mess. Naomi had no hope or joy. Ruth was a stranger. Neither had a means of support. There was no heir for the family. Naomi was in the position of needing to sell her husband’s inheritance.

Then God provided Boaz as a redeemer. God worked out what those two ladies could not have done on their own. They didn’t dream up the answer; God did. God took care of the mess. Naomi’s joy in God was restored. Ruth was married. The land was purchased and kept in the family. An heir was born. The ladies’ needs were met abundantly.

Do you work with any messy people? Are there messes so big you can’t fully wrap your mind around them? You can’t think about them for very long at a time? Or you can’t get them off your mind?

Then there is hope! Those messy people can’t save themselves, and you can’t save them, either, but there is a great and loving Redeemer who specializes in messy situations. I doubt anyone had hope for Saul of Tarsus, but God created a gem out of a mess. Each of us was once a mess until God redeemed us. “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see” (John Newton).

I pray that during this Christmas season and in the coming year God will redeem some of the messes you see. May He redeem Sauls that will become great men of God. May He redeem Naomis who have no hope. May He redeem Ruths who are strangers and alone. And maybe a Rahab, Nicodemus, Zaccheus, Levi the tax collector, Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathea, demoniacs of Gadarenes, lepers, and many more. Some messes are way too big and complicated for us, but none are too hard for God, our Redeemer.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA