Grace Brings Dead Things to Life

First of all, despite some heavy hearts, we had a wonderful morning of worship and prayer, followed up by a fabulous, Holy Spirit-inspired song from Angela which ended with her singing and praying in the Spirit, and all of us getting a Holy Spirit love hug. We needed it! Then we each wrote on a piece of paper the curses and lies Satan feeds our minds--the things that have played over and over in our thoughts, telling us that we are doomed to failure, etc. and that we just aren't good enough. We then tendered that over to the Lord, rejecting those lies, and accepting His truths. The facts can change, but Truth is eternal! We tore up the papers and settled the matter.

It was very interesting looking at Ruth today. Before Boaz could redeem her and make her his wife, he had to reconcile some things with a closer kinsman redeemer, who represents the law. The law is good and holy, but it is hard and inflexible, with no compassion and mercy, hence it was written and engraved by God on stones. If we are imperfect and fail to abide by the law fully, we are cursed and condemned as sinners destined for death. Since Ruth was imperfect, being a Moabitess, this closer kinsman redeemer could not redeem her, because he would risk losing his inheritance--again, this is a picture of a good and holy, yet inflexible, law which cannot tolerate sin. Boaz, who represents grace, steps in and redeems Ruth, and he does it gladly, taking her as his wife with the purpose of bearing children so that the seed of her dead husband will have new life. Likewise, Jesus, who is our heavenly Boaz, is the only one who can take dead, cursed people and things and bring new life to them. Israel thought the law could complete the task, but it cannot. Life only comes through grace. Life only comes through Jesus Christ.

Boaz's redemption of Ruth was done publicly and properly, before witnesses, at the city gates, which would be our equivalent of a county courthouse. While Ruth was waiting patiently at home with Naomi, Boaz was taking care of business and setting things right. Likewise, while the whole world went about their business on the day of Passover some two thousand years ago, Jesus took care of business in the spiritual world and redeemed us from sin. Colossians tells us He did it legally, properly and completely in front of witnesses where the law was nailed to the cross and Satan was stripped of his authority and made an open show in front of all the demons of hell. Jesus' redemption was so complete that Scripture says it blotted out and wiped away God's handwriting on the stone where the law was written! That's why God says He will remember our sins no more! Who else can do that but Christ Jesus?!

Jesus has brought new life to us and is well able to take the dead things in and around us and bring new life to them. Just like Boaz, who took Ruth in as his wife, shared his wealth and prosperity with her, and gave her a child that would be in the line of King David and Messiah Jesus, our Savior has taken us as His wife, shared His inheritance with us and put us IN HIM, so that we are in a royal bloodline where there is only life and no death. Surrender everything in your life to Him-your past, present, and future-your health, finances, and relationships and allow Him to give them new life. He says He has come to bring us life, and life more abundantly!