Unveiling the bigger picture

The speaker at my Bible study shared a pretty powerful story this week. She has been interviewing for a job at a really important company in Kansas City. She went through an intensive interview process and had made it so far that she was one of the final two candidates. Then she got the call that she did not get the job. She was incredibly disappointed. In the meanwhile, a coworker and good friend at her current job has had a really rough last few years. Her family has faced illness, job loss, and huge financial difficulties. She approached her coworker, the speaker, yesterday and told her that she had just accepted a new job, which just happens to be the job the speaker had been interviewing for. She said "I was blown away. If I had only known who my competition had been. I would have gladly given her the job opportunity. All I can do now is stand back and praise God who sees the bigger picture always"

Reminds me of a picture I saw on facebook the other day:

Then I think of a beautiful story found in the book of Ruth. Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi experienced many difficulties in their lives that felt unexplainable. Ruth experienced inability to give birth, death of her husband and father-in-law, and challenges of being a widowed woman along with her mother-in-law Naomi in a day when women weren't as free as they are today. These women were seen as a burden to their society, both financially and socially. But they both had a desire to serve the Lord and honor Him in a time that people lived in demoralizing, perverse, and non-God-honoring ways. When Ruth's husband died, there was nothing Naomi could give for Ruth. Both of these women were of the most lowly. Naomi decided to return to her home country and Ruth insisted on going with her declaring "Wherever you go, I'll go. Wherever you'll live, I'll live. Your people will be my people and your God my God". 

After ten years of tragedy and hardship these women were saved by their kinsman-redeemer Boaz. Boaz, a relative of Naomi, took on Ruth as his wife. He took her as her wife, redeeming both Ruth and Naomi from their despair. He took on their burdens and the responsibility of supporting these women and the Lord blessed them. Ruth, who had been barren years ago, was blessed greatly with sons, the greatest honor of all. 

What I have just realized in reading this story is that at the end of this book of the Bible, the lens is taken off of Ruth, Boaz, and Naomi and pointed at the big picture. Ruth made a decision to stay with Naomi and the Lord blessed not only Ruth with Boaz, Ruth with sons, and Naomi with grandsons, but a whole nation with hope. At the end of the chapter is a whole lot of names that I usually don't even read, but I have realized the lineage was written here for a reason. First off, Boaz is the son of Rahab (which is incredible in itself how an amazing man of the Lord came from this line) Then Ruth gave birth to Obed who gave birth to a son, who gave birth to a son...who gave birth to David- King David (who led an entire nation)...and the family line can be followed on to Jesus Christ, our true and wonderful kinsman redeemer.

That's the big picture. a family line who had great faith in a time of horrible moral conduct making the way for Jesus Christ- our kinsman redeemer. How wonderful is that big picture? Jesus Christ, who took on all the burdens and painted the most gracious big picture by his blood, the picture of the cross.

Why does God ask us to approach each day with a grateful heart? Why does He ask us to lead, to serve, to encourage, to focus on being selfless rather than selfish? Because He is taking care of us and as we trust Him, He is working on the bigger picture. He, Jesus Christ, is our able and willing kinsman redeemer who has always been in the work of redeeming His people to Him. Are you stuck in fear or hurt? Do you find yourself trying to manipulate blessings into your life because you know what you want and the timing you think you want it? Sometimes we want to look down on ourselves, others, or our situations, but be encouraged today that you have a God who is beside you! He is constant. He always has been, is today, and will be forever at our sides ready to redeem. When we dwell on our fears of failure or despair in our own situations, we yield to fear and loose sight of blessings for the sake of our selfishness. A grateful heart is one that praises God for His faithful heart. He knows where He is taking us because He knows us. And He knows all of us. When we don't get what we want, remember the unity of God's heart, that it isn't about just us-me, you. This is why He calls us to receiving His grace and in turn giving of His grace. Because His lineage, His plan, His mighty work is done through YOU.