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Day 21: The Redeemer Who Gives Refuge
Scripture:
The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”
Ruth 2:12
All of us need a refuge. A place to go when the storms hit and the cold bites. A place to sleep, rest, and live in such a way that is protected from what’s outside. We put a great deal of time and attention into the refuge that we call home. We want to look and function in a way that will best serve us.
Week 3 reminds us that the Redeemer sees. Today we see that He doesn’t just see your need for refuge, but He becomes your refuge. Jesus is better because He doesn’t just offer shelter, no, He is the shelter. And you will find no other shelter like Him. If you are in need of a shelter today, then keep on reading.
As we end our week, we end with the Redeemer who gives us refuge. Now keep in mind that Ruth and Naomi have had a period of no refuge. The place in which they thought would be a refuge was not when their husbands died. They traveled a long road back home but now find themselves in a place where they still have no refuge. They have placed themselves in the Lord’s care and are trusting that He will give them the refuge they need.
God designed us to seek refuge. He provided a garden sanctuary for the first man and woman that was a place of safety and rest. A place where they were cared for and had no need of anything, and no fear of what might happen. But that refuge was lost in a sense when they disobeyed. They were forced to leave this garden sanctuary, but they were not without hope. For the Lord Himself was still their refuge no matter where they lived.
Even in a relatively short time before our story takes place, God had led His people to a refuge. He had brought them into the promised land through many dangers and difficulties, and had given them a place in which His wings would be over them. They would be protected under His care. But unfortunately, these people did not see God’s refuge in the right way. They began to take more refuge in their own strength and abilities than they did the Lord's. Instead of seeking refuge in the Lord Himself, they began to try and find it in the blessings that God had given.
Ruth finds herself in a spot where she could take refuge in many other things. She could find it in a relationship and possessions, or using people for her personal benefit. Like us, Ruth could have used the good gifts of God for her security and comfort rather than the gift giver. But we’ve seen that Ruth encounters the grace of God. And His grace points people back to the only true refuge, the Lord Himself. On that day in the hot dusty field, Ruth could have fallen to the temptation to get or find her security in something other than the Lord.
And it’s with this in mind that the Lord meets her with His grace. This grace specifically comes through Boaz, who is going to pray that Ruth will always find her refuge in the Lord. Although we will see that Boaz, in some senses, does provide refuge for Ruth, he is not coming as her ultimate refuge. He is not pointing her to himself, but rather to the Lord. For Boaz knows that the Lord is the only one who will truly be able to provide what Ruth needs.
It’s easy when we’re in the place of Ruth to justify the different refuges that we cling to. It’s easy to rationalize in her mind the things that we return to and the places we go to give us security and comfort. “We’ve come a long way,” we tell ourselves. “We’ve worked hard in the field and now we deserve this. It’s only a little bit, but we’ll be faithful to the Lord in the rest.” We are some of the most skilled people at finding and building refuges in things other than Jesus.
And this is where the week closes, but thankfully not where your refuge ends. You may feel tired from the storms you’ve walked through. You may feel worn from the battles you’ve fought. You may feel exposed, anxious, or unsure of where to rest your heart. You may feel tempted to run to lesser refuges of comfort, control, distraction, approval, or anything that promises a moment of relief.
But the Redeemer who sees is the Redeemer who gives refuge. Jesus is better because He doesn’t just offer you a place to hide. He offers you Himself. His presence becomes your shelter. His strength becomes your safety. His love becomes your covering. His nearness becomes your rest.
Make no mistake, every other refuge eventually cracks, fails, and collapses. But not Jesus. Under His wings, you are safe, held, protected, and finally at rest. The best news today is that the Redeemer who sees you is the Redeemer who shelters you, fully, faithfully, and forever. Of all the refuges you could choose, there is no better one than Christ.
Pastor Josh Gerber
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