THE VELCRO EFFECT
Ruth: A Story of God’s Faithfulness
Ruth Chapter 1
READ AT BEGINNING OF SERVICE:
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)
22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
INTRODUCTION
For the next few weeks I’d like to tell you the remarkable story of a woman named Ruth. Her story is recorded in the Bible between the books Judges and 1 Samuel. I encourage you at some point in the next few weeks to read this beautiful account in its entirety at one sitting. There are many lessons of eternal significance that can be learned from this woman and I would like to take a few Sunday’s to discover them with you.
There are several major themes found throughout the book of Ruth that challenge us to have greater faithfulness in our walk with the Lord and encourage us of God’s faithfulness to us. A few of the themes that we will discover as we look at this book are:Love
Character and Integrity
Prosperity and Blessing
Protection
Grace
Redemption
As these themes are discovered in the Book of Ruth we’ll learn how they can be present in our lives as we see God’s faithfulness, love and grace at work in Ruth’s life.
Today I’d like to begin with looking at Chapter 1 in the Book of Ruth… Read Ruth 1
PRAY
In this chapter there is illustrated very effectively something I like to term, "The Velcro Effect". I don’t think I have to describe Velcro to you folks as I believe all of us are familiar with what it is! But maybe not all of you are familiar with how it was invented.
In 1948, a Swiss mountaineer named George de Mestral was walking through the woods and was very frustrated by the burs that clung to his clothes. While picking them off, he realized that it may be possible to use this principle to make a fastener to compete with the zipper. (Taken from the Useless Information Site, "ZIPPERS & VELCRO")Velcro was inspired by the natural sticking properties of burrs. If you look at a velcro strip, you’ll notice that it has two parts to it: a strip that has a web of tiny hooks; and a strip that has a web of tiny interwoven hoops. These two strips are a match for each other and when you join them together the hooks "catch" the loops and they become meshed together in a very strong bond.
The Velcro Effect is a term that I believe describes the relationship between God’s Faithfulness to us and our need for Him. We can understand this concept better when we look at Ruth 1. Here we learn of God’s covenant faithfulness, which still operates today in the life of believers.
God’s faithfulness in the trying times of life.The backdrop to the book of Ruth is the times known as the Judges.
Ruth 1:1a (NIV)
1 In the days when the judges ruled,
The days of the "Judges" were far different than the days of conquest and occupation of the promised land under Joshua. He had led the nation of Israel in quick and sweeping victories against the foes of the land. The days of the judges are known as the "DARK AGES" in Hebrew history.
Two phrases characterize the days of the judges. The first "Did not drive out" (eg Judges 1:27) speaks of the Israelites incomplete conquest of the land. They pushed their foes back just far enough where they thought they would not be a threat any longer.
The second phrase is, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 17:6). After Joshua’s death the people turned to do evil in the sight of the Lord and served the foreign gods of the land.
These Dark Ages were characterized by what has become known as the Sin Cycle.
Sin of Apostasy.
Judgement of Sin
Supplication to God for deliverance
Salvation through a judge.
This is the backdrop to the book or Ruth and the scenario in which we find it written. They were dark, dark days - but like today, God would prove His faithfulness in the trying times of life. These were days of terrible bitterness.
times of famine…1:1-5Ruth 1:1 (NIV)
1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.
Israel was experiencing a famine of food, caused by faithlessness to the covenant relationship with God. In judgement of their sin God turned them over to their enemies, most likely the Midianites. These were probably the days just prior to God raising up the judge called Gideon to deliver the people of Israel.
Elimalech moved his family to the country of Moab because of the famine. It was in the land of Moab that Elimalech died leaving his wife Naomi and her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion who had taken Moabite wives, Ruth and Orpah.` In a span of approximately seven years Mahlon and Chilion died.
Naomi and her two daughter-in-laws are left alone thinking there is no help in sight. Naomi changed her name to "Mara" (bitter) seeing the tragedy as God dealing bitterly with her. But God would prove Himself faithful to sustain and provide.
times of deliverance 1:6
Ruth 1:6 (NIV)
6 When she heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.
This verse tells us that in the midst of the sin cycle the people were crying out to God for deliverance. God in His faithfulness raises up a deliverer (perhaps Gideon) to throw off the oppression of the Midianites and to bring to an end the famine.
our times of deliverance
Why is it that we often trust in ourselves to handle life’s trails, rather than rely upon God? Well as in the days of Ruth, it is important to know that our God is faithful to deliver if we will only turn to Him.The wonderful thing about God’s faithfulness is that He is faithful even when we are not! But the crux of the matter is that we only recognize and experience His faithfulness when we seek after Him.
Ruth’s clinging faithfulnessThe situation looked bleak. Naomi, Ruth and Orpah had no husband to provide for them. Naomi knowing the famine was over in Judah she decides to go back to her home land.
Naomi knowing her Moabite daughter-in-laws would be treated as outsiders encourages them to return to their own people 1:8
Orpah returning (1:14)
Notice that although Orpah joined Ruth in suggesting that they return with Naomi to her people in (1:10) – Orpah decided later that she would go back to her people.
Orpah chose to return to her people and her gods, after having been married to a Hebrew husband who would surely have introduced her to the God of Abraham!
How easily people return to their old habits after having met the Savior of the world, God’s Son Jesus Christ? How many times have people played the part of Orpah kissing and leaving to go back to the gods we served before know the one true God? Many times it is tragedy or tough times that lead people to forsake Christ – to leave what they have gained. It is a tragedy that this happens – because it is only God who can help them and give them hope. Have you ever heard this from someone – "If this is what happens to a Christian – I don’t want any part of it!"?
Ruth’s clinging (1:14b,16)"But Ruth clung to her." Ruth had a resolve about her. I believe she had heard and believed in the God of her mother-in-law and was not about to turn back from following after her and Him!
Even after the insistence of Naomi, Ruth declares that she will not leave. Ruth exhibited faith where logic left off. Ruth’s clinging to Naomi is what God desires of you and I in our relationship to Him – especially in the tough times. This is the Velcro Effect – when we cling to God in times of need – He will be faithful and take us into the realms where He can best work in our lives and in our situations.
Ruth 1:16 (NIV)
16 But Ruth replied, "Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
What a great declaration of faith and faithfulness. Remember the hymn we sung today, "I Am Resolved."
I am resolved no longer to linger/Charmed by the world’s delight:Things that are higher, things that are nobler/These have allured my sight…I am resoled, and who will got with me?/Come, friends, without delay;Taught by the Bible; led by the Spirit,/We’ll walk the heavenly way.Will we cling to our God and Savior like Ruth clung to Naomi? Will we resolve that no matter what we are going with God?
We are living in a famine of faithlessness and our families, churches, and nation need a few faithful souls with the resolve to cling that of Ruth the Moabite.
The first chapter ends with Naomi and Ruth arriving in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. God was preparing to do a mighty work now and in the future through the faithfulness of Ruth.
CONCLUSION
The story of Ruth is a story of God’s faithfulness to be working for our behalf no matter what the trial or circumstance. Let me leave you this morning with the security of God’s Word declaring His faithfulness to you.
Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV)
9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
1 Corinthians 1:9 (NIV)
9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV)
3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
1 John 1:9 (NIV)
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Let us depart this morning not from our faith but with our faith to find God working so faithful in our circumstances to move us into a realm where He can bless us. Be faithful this week and cling to the God of your salvation.
This sermon was preached by Darren Ethier at Hanover Pentecostal Church. Thanks goes to Bob Aubuchon for much of this message is a modified version of his message entitled Ruth Kinsman Redeemer: A Story of God’s Faithfulness. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
