In Israel, folks have been counting down the fifty days between Passover and the beginning of the barley harvest. Christians count down those fifty days too, but for a slightly different reason: Pentecost is about to arrive. In Hebrew, it’s the feast of Shavuot; in Judaism, it’s time to recall the giving of the Law at Sinai. In the book of Acts, it’s the coming of the Holy Spirit, who transforms my heart until I can live the Bible.
In Biblical times, back when agriculture was the only source of income, these fifty days were a time of great trepidation, when each of those precious ears of grain could be stunted by too little rain…or shattered by a heavy shower.
Perhaps to recall that feeling, Jewish people read the book of Ruth during this Feast. It’s a harvest story, true, but perhaps it’s also a story of becoming at home in the Word of God.
For almost as long as I can remember, someone has been encouraging me to read my Bible every day…read it first thing in the morning…read it through every year…consult it when I’m confused…take refuge in it when I’m overwhelmed…talk about it, think about it, study it…
Thanks largely to the diligence of others, by the time I reached adulthood, I’d already been so immersed in this amazing book that I feel homesick when I’m too long away from it.
So when I say that one of my favorite stories has always been the book of Ruth…well, it’s been my favorite for a long time. But it wasn’t until I wrote this article that I realized I have more in common with Ruth than my marital status. It has to do with God’s heart for the outsiders: even when I’m the one who has wandered outside, and isn’t sure how to get back in.
Read the entire article on Boundless.
Elisabeth Adams 