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Day 8: The Redeemer Who Comes Near
Scripture:
"Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food."
Ruth 1:6All of us find ourselves stuck in life from time to time. We get in a rut and even though we try pushing and pulling, we can’t get ourselves out. Often the more we try, the deeper we dig ourselves. Eventually, we are rescued by someone greater than us or we continue to stay hopelessly stuck. Naomi has found herself in a spot where she’s just plain stuck, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. She has nowhere to go as far as being remarried again or having more children. She has no one who is going to care for her. she’s out of options as far as she’s concerned.
This is important because so many of us find ourselves here, in the place we never wanted or dreamed to be. Some of you feel stuck in a marriage that feels cold or confusing. Others of you feel stuck in a season of grief that won’t lift. Or perhaps you are stuck in patterns of fear, anxiety, or shame that you can’t seem to shake. It could be that you are disappointed with yourself, with others, or even with God, and don’t know where to go.
But one day Naomi hears a whisper. The Lord has visited His people and given them food back home. This word stirs and tugs at her heart, even though it’s still yet a spark of hope. No doubt the thought of making this long trek back home seemed daunting. No doubt Naomi questioned the thought of going back in the condition she was in, and seeing all her old friends and families. She knew the questions would be hard for her to hear. She knew the memories would flood back, and she would have to face all those broken dreams. Put it all together, and the return trip home was going to be quite the challenge, if it all depended on her.
Maybe this is where you are today. You’re just stuck. You’re worn out spiritually, physically, and you are emotionally exhausted. You know that you’re distant from God. But the distance back to Him seems like a million miles. And you don’t have the strength to take the first step. So, what will you do?
Here we have the good news. Your return does not actually begin with your first step. It starts with His. It’s in these moments when we see the Lord visiting His people. He sees them, knows them, and will act on their behalf. And He will do this with you. See, the visit of the Lord comes when we need it the most. Usually, we invite others over based on our schedules and timing. We tend not to like it when people show up unannounced. But the Lord is different. He doesn’t wait to visit until we have the house all cleaned up, and everything together perfectly. He doesn’t come when we are in a great place and all ready for him. No, He meets us exactly when we need it the most.
God has been moving towards His people from the very beginning. After all, He is the Shepherd who goes after the one that is lost until He finds it (Luke 15:4). He is the Savior who came not only to save the lost, but to seek them (Luke 19:10). He is the God who searches for His scattered sheep, rescues them, binds up the injured, and strengthens the weak (Ezekiel 34:11–16). He is the Bridegroom who gently calls the unfaithful and speaks tenderly to her (Hosea 2:14). He is the Savior who endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2), enduring it for your sake.
Jesus is the One who goes out of His way to meet the wounded woman at the well, the One who pursued Peter after his failure, and the One who knocks on the door of the resistant and the ashamed (Revelation 3:20). Jesus is the One who shows up on your doorstep when you are at your worst and don’t feel like letting anyone in. Jesus is the One who scoops you up when you don’t have the strength to crawl another inch.
His goodness and mercy do not merely follow you. They visit you. His goodness and mercy pursue you, chase you down, and hunt you with kindness (Psalm 23:6), arriving at your front door when you least expect them and most need them. Jesus is the ultimate visitation of God as He comes near to us, God in the flesh, stepping into our famine, exile, and grief to bring us safely home.
Jesus Himself gives us the strength that we lack. Even when our legs shake and our heart races, His strength becomes ours. And when the road ahead is foggy and uncertain, His wisdom lights our way. This is why Jesus is better. He is better than your strength, because He gives you His.
He is better than your resolve, because He never loses His. He is better than your ability to find God, because He is the God who finds you. And He is better than your attempts to climb your way back, because He is the Redeemer who climbs down into your darkness, lifts you into His arms, and carries you on the road you cannot walk.
Jesus is better because He does not demand that you rise. Rather, He comes down to raise you. Will you embrace this truth today?
Pastor Josh Gerber |
