1 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:09,400 So super excited when I heard we were doing the book of Ruth, and 2 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,640 not just because it's a love story, love that after 3 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:17,280 Leviticus, but because my wedding vows actually came from 4 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,720 this book for from some of the truths of this book. 5 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:24,640 I know. But two years ago my husband and 6 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,680 I were married and we were married on my family's farm. 7 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:32,240 So my dad is a farmer and a pastor and I'm fifth generation 8 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:36,200 on that property. And it wasn't a coincidence that 9 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:38,240 we decided to make our vows there. 10 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,560 So we got on a mountain, on a field and in front of some very, 11 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,920 very dear friends and family. I chose to make this part of my 12 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,160 vow to my to my darling love. And I said these words. 13 00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:54,760 I said, my darling love, where you go, I will go. 14 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:57,880 And what you have faithful, I will find faithful. 15 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:04,760 And a whole 12 weeks later got in my car packed with my brand 16 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:06,600 new husband. We packed it to the brim. 17 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,840 And I'd felt like I was coming to a foreign land with a foreign 18 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,960 language. I crossed the great Berevorce 19 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:18,360 curtain. I came here, I traded some 20 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:23,520 mountains for Jacarandas. And I want to say to you, I came 21 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:27,560 to this beautiful city. I came to be with an incredibly 22 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,560 kind family, but I also came to be part of this exquisite part 23 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,360 of the bride called 3 CR. And I want to say thank you for 24 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,520 making it easy to make this place home. 25 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,400 Thank you for making brave decisions easy when you come and 26 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:43,480 see people like this. So I want to say thank you. 27 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:48,960 It's been our best decision. So my heart tonight when we read 28 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:51,920 the book of Ruth is that actually that that this 29 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:56,040 scripture that the scripture that says for where you go, I 30 00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:00,400 will go where you lodge, I will lodge your people will become my 31 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,000 people. I'm losing things, but that's 32 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:07,720 fun and your God will be my God, my hearts and hearts is that the 33 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:13,840 scripture would be more than just wedding poetry, but it 34 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,520 would be more than just a dramatic mountain and a 35 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,640 beautiful dress in a moment that we'll go like, oh, about. 36 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,400 But I believe that this scripture is an invitation. 37 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,120 I believe that these words are an invitation to our heavenly 38 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,440 Bridegroom. I believe that in these words I 39 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:33,720 will go where you go. I will stay where you stay. 40 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,320 I will make your people my people God. 41 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,880 I will make your faith and your way and your Kingdom and your 42 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:44,360 wisdom my wisdom. I believe that there's a heart 43 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,440 posture that will lead us to our inheritance. 44 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:53,640 I believe that these words are a heart posture that leads us to 45 00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:56,520 freedom. So that's the desire of my heart 46 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:57,720 tonight. That's where we're going. 47 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:05,680 So the one thing I love about Ruth is she is one brave auntie. 48 00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:09,600 I'm telling you, she is one brave auntie. 49 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,360 When she says I'm going to go with Naomi, it sounds like we've 50 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,120 heard the story so many times. We just, like, glance over it. 51 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,240 But what she was actually saying is she was saying, I'm going to 52 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:24,560 leave my people, my culture, my faith, everything I know to be 53 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:28,680 comforting, unknown and safe. I'm going to lay it down. 54 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,800 And the next thing that we, we often don't realize about Ruth 55 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:39,520 is when we say that she was husbandless and childless. 56 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,040 It was more than just relationally traumatic. 57 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,440 You see, for a woman in the ancient in the ancient Middle 58 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,960 East, your husband or your father was your access to 59 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,840 resource. It was what kept you safe. 60 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,080 It's what gave you provision. It's what gave. 61 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,920 It's what gave you a future. Every part of security in that 62 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:01,560 life was linked to where you were in your dad's house or were 63 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:06,120 you in your husband's house. And secondly, for you to not 64 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,120 have children. It wasn't just walking through 65 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,000 the pain of infertility. It wasn't just that. 66 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,640 It wasn't just the fact that another month goes by and she's 67 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,760 still not a mom, another year goes by and she's still not a 68 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:21,800 mom. Another decade goes by and she's 69 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,280 still not a mom. It wasn't just that your 70 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:29,560 children were your future. Your children were the ones that 71 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,040 when you old and in your most vulnerable state, they would 72 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,800 take care of you without being funny. 73 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,920 They were your RA. It's like there was no Investec 74 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:40,320 back then. It was you had kids. 75 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,360 Your kids took care of you. So for Ruth and Naomi to have no 76 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:49,760 husband, to have no dad, to have no kids, she was incredibly 77 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:57,400 vulnerable. So when Naomi says so, when Ruth 78 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:03,520 says to Naomi with all of this context in mind, she says, I'll 79 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,640 go with you. And Naomi says to her, Ruth OPA, 80 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,400 my daughters, I think you must go to your mother's home. 81 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,160 I think you must go to your mother's household. 82 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,400 She was actually giving her really good advice. 83 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,760 She was saying go where you safe, go where there's actually 84 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:21,400 an obligation to take care of you. 85 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,840 Go where it's very likely your dad will be like this is really 86 00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:26,680 tough, but but come home, my darling. 87 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:33,360 So for Ruth to turn back to Naomi and say I'm all in, I'm 88 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,480 with you. It is wild. 89 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:45,800 You see, Ruth risked everything on the rumor of a faithful and 90 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:50,400 good God. She risked everything, 91 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:54,720 everything she knew, every sort of network she had, every sort 92 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:56,600 of potential opportunity she had. 93 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,160 She risked everything and she laid it down and she said, you 94 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:01,280 know what? I've heard a rumor of a God, the 95 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:04,880 God of the Hebrews, and he calls himself faithful. 96 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:11,720 I've heard of this God and he calls himself kind. 97 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:16,320 And the only God she ever knew as as Steven spoke so 98 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,080 beautifully last week, he he actually demanded child 99 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:21,200 sacrifice. He demanded everything but this 100 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,640 God. He said, I'll take care of you. 101 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,640 She risked everything. And I think, I think the irony 102 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:33,400 of all of this, the irony of all of this is that she would have 103 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:37,760 heard about this good God from some faithless people. 104 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:40,840 She would have heard about this God. 105 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:45,160 Thank you. She would have heard about this 106 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:49,160 God from her family, her family that were actually descendants 107 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,880 of Princess of Israel. They should have known God's 108 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:55,560 kindness was woven into their very family line. 109 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:58,440 They should have known of from they should have known of God's 110 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:03,280 kindness. But they ran from from the 111 00:07:03,280 --> 00:07:05,880 promised land to enemy tennis territory when there was a 112 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,440 famine. Those were the people, the 113 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,520 people that ran to enemy territory in trouble. 114 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:15,560 Those were the people that told her about this God and she still 115 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,320 believed. You see, if you asked somebody 116 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,760 in ancient in the ancient Middle East and you said this God of 117 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:26,280 the Hebrews, this, this great I am, who is he who is Elohim? 118 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,360 Who is who is this Yahweh they talk about. 119 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,600 It's very likely that there will be two things they'll mention. 120 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:36,880 Number one, they'll say, oh, oh, it's, oh, it's the God of 121 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,280 Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That's who it is. 122 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,400 And the second thing that's very likely is they would have read 123 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,320 from a section in an exodus, and it's very good. 124 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,280 So I'm going to go there. Oh, praise Jesus. 125 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:57,720 Thank you, Lord. OK, it's very good. 126 00:07:58,080 --> 00:07:59,720 So I'm going to read it. It says this. 127 00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:02,040 So this is the part in the Old Testament read. 128 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,400 Moses has just got the law. It's pretty wild. 129 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:07,560 And it says it says that the, the, the goodness of the Lord 130 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,600 passed before him. And it says that this is this is 131 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:14,000 the description of God. This is how God describes 132 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,200 himself. Early days, like in the 133 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:21,720 beginning, he says this the Lord, the Lord, a God, merciful 134 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:27,360 and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and 135 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:33,960 faithfulness, keeping steady love for thousands, forgiving 136 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,000 iniquity, transgressions and sin. 137 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:46,240 This mobile test refugee would have heard the Lord, the Lord, a 138 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:55,600 God merciful and gracious. Can I say tonight he is still 139 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:59,440 the Lord, the Lord merciful and gracious. 140 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:04,440 He I find it so incredible that the first word he uses to 141 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:09,120 describe himself is mercy. That's not how I would describe 142 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:10,640 myself first. So I'm going to be honest with 143 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,200 you giving it a good go. But that's not the first word 144 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,080 that comes to mind. But he says, when you think of 145 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,040 me, the first word that comes to mind is I am merciful towards 146 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:21,880 you. And then when he, when he 147 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:26,600 chooses to describe himself as the God of Abraham, Abraham, 148 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:31,360 Isaac and Jacob, what he's actually saying, it's not just 149 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,080 Old Testament branding. It's not just like the tagline 150 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:38,120 of like anything before Matthew. What he's actually saying is I'm 151 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:40,440 a God of generational faithfulness. 152 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:45,400 When when you hear the words I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, 153 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,480 and Jacob, he's saying to you tonight, you can trust me not 154 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:51,280 just with your life, but your children's, children's life. 155 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,480 That's how good I am because my faithfulness is about me and my 156 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,240 character and has nothing to do with you. 157 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,960 My faithfulness, my ability to just to keep my word and my 158 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,120 promises to you has nothing to do with you. 159 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,040 It has everything to do with who I am. 160 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,600 It has everything to do with slow to anger. 161 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:11,320 It has everything to do with steadfast love to thousands. 162 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:16,400 That's the God that risk that the God Ruth risked on. 163 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,920 She risked on a rumour. If you hear tonight and you 164 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:28,080 don't come from a family of faith, you might feel like Ruth. 165 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,160 Maybe you don't come from 4 generations or I don't even know 166 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,920 how many 4 generations of believers. 167 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,360 Maybe you feeling like the foreigner that's been sitting in 168 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:43,320 these chairs hearing these rumours of can God really heal? 169 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,440 Is God really as powerful as we've heard in Romans? 170 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,680 Sheesh, is it true? Maybe you weren't raised in 171 00:10:52,680 --> 00:10:54,840 Sunday school. Maybe you weren't raised with a 172 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:59,440 whole team of aunties praying over you and blessing you every 173 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:01,560 time you're chewed. Maybe that's not your story. 174 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:08,360 I want to tell you tonight. There is a destitute MO batist 175 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:13,800 in the Bible that had more faith then Princess of Israel and she 176 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,480 became the great grandmother of one of the greatest kings of all 177 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:22,280 time because she risked on God. You can risk on him tonight. 178 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:29,200 The reason, one of the reasons why I love Abraham so much is 179 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:33,240 because to be honest, sometimes he's like so full of grace and 180 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:35,720 faith, but he's such a hot mess at the same time. 181 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,840 Like if you read his story, it just gives me so much faithful 182 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,840 second chances. Like he risks so well and then 183 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:44,480 he has Wobblies. But to be honest with you, he's 184 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:49,000 still a good guy to follow. So I love when Ruth uses this 185 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,080 language with Naomi. She she goes, I'm going to go 186 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:53,600 where you go. I'm going to then I'm going to 187 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:56,480 actually choose to stay there. I'm going to make your people my 188 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:58,920 people. I'm going to make your faith my 189 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:00,920 faith. And then she goes on to say, 190 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:06,000 this radical land, she says, and where you die, I will die also. 191 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:09,960 And there I will be buried. If there was going to be a back 192 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:11,480 door, that was a great place to put it. 193 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:15,600 There is like no reservation in Ruth's language to Naomi. 194 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:19,200 She leaves nothing out. There's there's no space. 195 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:23,320 She leaves absolutely no room for her to like back out. 196 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:28,560 And that is Covenant language. That's language that actually 197 00:12:28,560 --> 00:12:31,200 the father of faith, Abraham would have understood because he 198 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,160 made a covenant with God. He understood that thing. 199 00:12:34,560 --> 00:12:39,600 The foreign mobotist, destitute Black Widow, not woman, she is a 200 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:43,800 woman, but the widow had more had had a greater understanding 201 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:49,360 of covenant relationship then actually the royal family. 202 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:55,040 She was a part of anyone If they put their faith in in Christ and 203 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:58,400 Jesus and God's character. Just watch what it'll do with 204 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,280 your life. But one of the things I love, I 205 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:05,600 love about I love about Abraham as he understands this thing of 206 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,400 covenants and it challenges me. It challenges me because so, so 207 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,800 often I'm reserved in my relationships. 208 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,680 We've all been there. We've been looking for a connect 209 00:13:14,680 --> 00:13:18,040 group and they're really cool. You really think you connect 210 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:19,560 with them. They're the right age group. 211 00:13:19,560 --> 00:13:26,680 You can see a future but they use box milk and you are just 212 00:13:26,680 --> 00:13:30,680 not a box milk girly. And we genuinely sit there with 213 00:13:30,680 --> 00:13:33,720 reservation in our hearts or maybe there's a gun. 214 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:37,400 We've been crying out to the Lord for a husband and he's 215 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:40,560 amazing and he makes you laugh and these things in there that 216 00:13:40,560 --> 00:13:43,720 you didn't even know to pray for you like he is flippin awesome. 217 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:46,520 He loves the Lord, but you really thought you were going to 218 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:50,400 marry somebody in finance and like the future that you were 219 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,080 planning is not lining up with what's in front of you. 220 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,120 We like hard wired for like reservation. 221 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:57,920 We don't know what it is to be all in. 222 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,600 We don't know what it is to be like, you know what good and 223 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:02,680 bad. But actually I'm going for it 224 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:05,320 doesn't look great, but I know God's going to be kind on the 225 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:11,520 other side of it. You see, we taught this thing of 226 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:17,400 red flag, green flag, and we, we thought, we thought to diversify 227 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:24,360 our portfolio to mitigate risk. That was for the accountants out 228 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:31,720 there. We thought to diversify our 229 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:36,240 relational portfolio to mitzify risk. 230 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:42,680 That's not how my God works. That's not how he works. 231 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:45,200 It's not like, you know what, Lord, I'll take your salvation, 232 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,800 but my future's fine. I know where I'm going. 233 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,760 I'll take your fire insurance, but don't tell me what to do 234 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,000 with my money. I'll take your fire insurance. 235 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,320 I'll take your salvation. But actually there's a part of 236 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,560 my heart that is so sore I can't even talk to you about it. 237 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,840 That is not the God I save. It says it's, I think it's 238 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:06,640 Jesus. He speaks about this parable. 239 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,960 He says there's a man and he finds a treasure in a field. 240 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,880 And sometimes this gospel is like a treasure in a field. 241 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,680 So you've got to brush off a little bit of the dust. 242 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,040 I got to go looking for it. You got to go seeking it out. 243 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:26,960 But the man knows what he finds and he sells everything it says. 244 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,280 He sells everything that he has to his name. 245 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,280 There's nothing left. And he buys this field and he 246 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:35,440 gains this treasure. That is our king. 247 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:42,720 That is what Ruth did. Ruth risked everything on the 248 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:45,560 rumour of a good God. She didn't. 249 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:47,640 She didn't diversify her portfolio. 250 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:51,360 She was all in. I believe when we all in, we 251 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:54,600 invite God into our lives in a very unique way. 252 00:15:55,800 --> 00:16:00,080 When we all in and there's nothing left, we invite the 253 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,240 ability of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob into our story. 254 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,360 Going back to Abraham, he's a cool guy. 255 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:10,440 I kind of started the intro for him a bit early. 256 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:14,160 I apologize, but he's kind of like the grandfather of our 257 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:16,040 faith. He's one of the first people 258 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:19,600 that God made a covenant with. And it's pretty wild because 259 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:21,280 laugh was going well for Abraham. 260 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,240 If you go back to his story, he was a man of standing. 261 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,040 He was a man of wealth. He actually pretty much had 262 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,560 everything. Small technicality. 263 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:37,520 He couldn't have kids. And God does this wild thing 264 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:38,920 where he says, will you trust me? 265 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,320 And will you leave all of this and come with me into the 266 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:45,560 wilderness and I'll make a covenant to you and I will be 267 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,040 your great reward. And I'm going to make a big 268 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:52,720 promise over your life. And and Abraham believes God and 269 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,240 he goes with him. And then God has this moment 270 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:58,200 with Abraham where he says, you know what? 271 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:03,000 I'm actually going to make you the father of many nations, not 272 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:07,079 just a son. I'm going to make you the father 273 00:17:07,079 --> 00:17:10,359 of many nations because God knows the desire of our hearts. 274 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:14,040 And if you think your dreams for your life are big, meet the God 275 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:18,720 of Abraham, Isaac, and of Jacob. So he says to him, come follow 276 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:21,920 me, come risk with me, and I'm going to make you the father of 277 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,079 many nations. Long story short, Abraham was 278 00:17:25,079 --> 00:17:29,040 about 100 when he had his son Isaac and his wife, the 279 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,240 beautiful wife, but old wife was 90. 280 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:36,040 So like if there was ever a picture of God's ability and 281 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:40,400 flesh and blood, it was Isaac. He was literally the the promise 282 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:44,280 wrapped in bones and flesh. He was the ability of God before 283 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:47,320 your very eyes. Because in almost a century, God 284 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:50,880 did with Isaac what what Abraham and Sarah weren't able to do. 285 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:56,560 He, he was everything. But then there's this wild 286 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:58,960 moment. To be honest with you, I still 287 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:01,760 struggle with it. It's still hard because I think 288 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:05,520 it's in the heart of all of us. There's this moment in the story 289 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:10,680 where God says to Abraham, Abraham, will you take your son, 290 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:16,480 the one that you love, your only son, remind you of anyone, and 291 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:18,800 will you put him at my feet? Will you give him back to me? 292 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:25,400 The promise right before him, the promised land, the gift, the 293 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:29,320 thing that we want, the very desire of his heart, the only 294 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:31,880 thing he lacked, God says, will you give it back to me? 295 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:36,000 Will you trust me? And Abraham does. 296 00:18:36,120 --> 00:18:39,920 He goes up the mountain, he brings wood, he does the things, 297 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,160 he ties up his son, he lays him down. 298 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:47,600 And the Scripture talks about this moment afterwards and it 299 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,600 says there was so much faith in Abraham's heart. 300 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:58,480 He thought if, if, if, if Isaac is the promise of God in my life 301 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:02,000 and he's promised that I'm going to be the father of many nations 302 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,760 through the sun, surely he's going to bring him back from the 303 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:06,480 dead. That's that's the only option. 304 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,160 So you put him on the altar. And the moment he put in there, 305 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:11,840 God said, wait, wait, wait, wait. 306 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:16,040 I know that you know that I'm God and you fear me in the most 307 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,520 beautiful way, and I can trust you, and I'm actually going to 308 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:21,760 provide the sacrifice because God always does. 309 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:26,800 And in the natural, it looked like his son was bound up. 310 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,960 But actually what God was doing in the spiritual was he was 311 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:34,720 reminding both Abraham and Isaac that the promise was still 312 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:38,560 reliant on God's shoulders, that it no longer rested on Isaac's 313 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:39,920 shoulders to make the rest happen. 314 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,400 Actually, it was still God's promise, and God was still going 315 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:46,120 to be the ones who fulfill it so that Abraham had Isaac and 316 00:19:46,120 --> 00:19:49,080 freedom. Abraham had the promise and 317 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:52,400 freedom. You see, God is so jealous of 318 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,760 our hearts. He's so serious about our 319 00:19:55,760 --> 00:20:00,240 freedom. He paid way too much for us to 320 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:04,760 be LAX with us because sometimes it's out of lack, like Ruth, 321 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:07,920 where we lay everything down and it feels like we've got no other 322 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,880 option but trusting God's kindness and trusting who He is. 323 00:20:11,360 --> 00:20:14,560 And sometimes it feels like we've got absolutely everything, 324 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,520 but it doesn't change the heart posture of the Scripture God. 325 00:20:19,360 --> 00:20:22,480 I will go where you go. I will stay where you stay. 326 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:24,880 I'm going to make your people, my people. 327 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:27,560 Look, God, you died first. You went first. 328 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:31,120 So when you ask me to die to self, I'll do it and trust 329 00:20:31,120 --> 00:20:32,520 something good is going to come of it. 330 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:39,200 You see, when you see faith invites God's ability into our 331 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:43,640 story, when we have faith and when we lay it down and say, you 332 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:45,760 know what? It's not my cleverness, it's not 333 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:49,080 my resource, it's not my ability, it's not my strategy, 334 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:50,800 it's not my network. It's you. 335 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:54,720 You invite God's resource into your story. 336 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,680 You invite God's network into your story. 337 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:01,120 You invite God's dreaming into your roots. 338 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:04,440 Just like I just don't want to be widowed and abandoned and 339 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:08,440 destitute. And he's like, I'm going to make 340 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,960 you a woman of such standing that you will be written about 341 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:15,520 that for all of eternity. You will echo my faithfulness. 342 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,320 Faith invites God's ability into our story. 343 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:27,200 When we choose faith, when we choose safety, we rely on our 344 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:31,440 own ability. When we lay it all down, lay our 345 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:38,280 agenda down, we invite God. Maybe for you it's your deepest 346 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:45,160 desire has been a relationship. Maybe that's been the thing. 347 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:48,040 Maybe that's been your Isaac. It's just not come. 348 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:50,520 And then it comes and it's not what you thought it would look 349 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:51,960 like. I'm pretty sure Abraham would 350 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,560 have preferred a son way earlier, and then a spare, and 351 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,160 then maybe another spare. I'm pretty sure that would have 352 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:02,480 been the preferred picture. But we get our Isaac and then we 353 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:06,000 forget our first love. Maybe it's a job. 354 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:09,760 Maybe you're like, Lord, I just need this promotion. 355 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:11,360 And it's for really good reasons. 356 00:22:11,360 --> 00:22:13,560 It's for my family. It's actually not even for me. 357 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:17,400 It's actually for my family. And it's good things. 358 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,760 It's good things. Sometimes we have to lay down 359 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,520 and we get the job and then our family never sees us again. 360 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:29,480 Maybe it's your dream home. I know for me, if I'm honest, 361 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:31,760 I'd love a home for like kids one day. 362 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:34,440 Maybe it's, it's maybe it's a dream home. 363 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:36,080 You're like, it doesn't have to be everything. 364 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:41,760 It just needs to be mine. And and before you before you 365 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:46,720 blink 80% of your time and 90% of your identity is wrapped up 366 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:51,480 in that address. It's good things and our God 367 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,560 wants to give us good things, but our hearts is too important 368 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,680 to him that he'll take us on journeys to give us freedom. 369 00:23:01,120 --> 00:23:05,640 See, even Jesus modelled laying aside his agenda. 370 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:12,520 I love this. Jesus went first in John five. 371 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,920 He said I only do what I see the Father doing. 372 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:19,080 He was Jesus. He was literally the Christ and 373 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:22,480 he said, you know what, it's not about what I want Everything I'm 374 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:25,560 doing, every miracle, every prayer, every relationship, 375 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:28,160 every stopping for the one is actually only what I see my dad 376 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,560 doing. It's actually only about him. 377 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,560 In John 12, he's talking about, he's basically explaining the 378 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:37,480 Gospel. He's basically explaining like 379 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:41,800 why he came to planet Earth. And he sums it up like this. 380 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:49,440 He says I only say what the Father says in John 14, speaking 381 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:51,680 about the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit says, no, 382 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:53,800 no, no, I only go where the Father sends me. 383 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:57,200 I go where He sends me so I can help what he's already building. 384 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:02,080 You see, from Abraham to Ruth, from the Holy Spirit to Jesus, 385 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:04,280 everybody is about the Father's business. 386 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:07,480 We are Father pleasers, not pleasure seekers. 387 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,680 We are about our Father's business, not looking for 388 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:14,200 comfort because that is the safest place to be. 389 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:20,200 This only works if we know who we're trusting, only when we 390 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:26,200 know the one that is truly worthy or we even able to try to 391 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,840 lay everything all down. If we're going to risk 392 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:34,520 everything, every part of us, every part of our lives, and lay 393 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:37,360 it down at someone's feet, we've got to know that their character 394 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,800 is worthy and that their character is safe. 395 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,280 Otherwise, we're fooling ourselves and it doesn't work. 396 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,000 Father figures can be complicated. 397 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,120 And if you have a complicated father figure, I want to say to 398 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:59,960 us, I'm so sorry, but I want to tell you the story of a good, 399 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:06,520 good father. So my dad, my dad is a farmer 400 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,840 and pastor and a diesel mechanic. 401 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:15,040 And a few years ago I was leaving a meeting very similar 402 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:18,480 to this one on a Sunday night. It was about 10:00 and I was 403 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:22,440 driving my car and about to turn it into the garage and it like 404 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:24,920 it made sounds that I know are not healthy. 405 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:27,920 I'm going to be honest. Like shattered and it shook and 406 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,040 I was pretty sure there was like AI didn't even have hubcaps, but 407 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,440 it felt like a moment a hubcap would fly off. 408 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:37,120 So I stopped my car and it's a true farmer's daughter. 409 00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:40,160 Like I got out and I started investigating and looking if 410 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:42,360 anything had fallen down, if there was any oil. 411 00:25:42,360 --> 00:25:45,360 Like I didn't even know what any of that means, but I was looking 412 00:25:45,360 --> 00:25:49,560 for it and gone on the phone with my dad. 413 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,880 And I'm telling you, we're doing like a diagnostic over the 414 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:54,480 phone. We are like checking all. 415 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:57,440 I'm feeling very special in this moment, like checking all sorts 416 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:01,240 of things. And in my investigation, I see 417 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:05,160 there's like a really orangey stuff on the floor coming from 418 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,080 my car. So it's all the mechanical 419 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:13,040 engineering students out there. ATF fluid automates auto 420 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:19,280 transmission fluid to the girls. It helps the steering wheel 421 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:24,800 move. It's really important. 422 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:30,120 It's why I couldn't like I tried my arms went, the car didn't, it 423 00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:33,120 didn't turn. So I put the phone down and in 424 00:26:33,120 --> 00:26:36,200 my own strength and ability and expertise, I'm trying to figure 425 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:38,880 out who I can get a lift with the next day because I work like 426 00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:42,280 70 KS north. And I'm trying to figure out 427 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:44,720 complex life. If I can park the car without 428 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:47,720 turning the car and use someone else's parking and not get 429 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:49,640 clamped. And like it's a lot. 430 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:57,720 And I'm trying to sort all this stuff out And my dad phones me 431 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:00,760 and he says Mata, can you do me a favour? 432 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:02,840 Can you go borrow your roommate's car? 433 00:27:03,360 --> 00:27:05,280 You should be able to get it at a petrol station. 434 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:09,680 But I think I'm going to need like 5 liters of ATF fluid and 435 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:13,880 I'll see you in 90 minutes. But what you don't realize about 436 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,720 this story is my dad had preached that morning. 437 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:20,720 He had done a leaders meeting. It was 10:00 at night and he was 438 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:27,080 over 100 kilometers away. But he got in his best car and 439 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:30,880 he met me and he gave me his car so that his precious daughter 440 00:27:31,360 --> 00:27:34,520 could get safely to work the next day on the right road to 441 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,480 step into the identity that she was called to walk in in that 442 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:40,720 season. And then my dad took on my 443 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:47,200 burden and drove home at midnight, stopping every five KS 444 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:49,440 so that the steering wheel would turn on the highway. 445 00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:52,840 He would stop every five KS and get out the car and put some 446 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:55,320 more ATF fluid in. And then it would drive and then 447 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:57,480 it would get stuck and he would stop and he would put more fluid 448 00:27:57,480 --> 00:28:00,400 in. And I want to tell you tonight 449 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:04,120 that there is a good, good father that will come in the 450 00:28:04,120 --> 00:28:07,240 dead of Knights to come and rescue you, to make sure that 451 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:10,080 you can be where you need to be and step into what you need to 452 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:12,520 step into. Because you see, the God that I 453 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:15,880 serve, he actually came in the dead of Knights to a teenage 454 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:18,760 girl in obscurity in the equivalent of a shade. 455 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:24,560 He was born as a baby. That was my plan to save the 456 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:26,920 world as black. Super risky and evolved on that 457 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:28,200 routes. I'm going to be honest out of 458 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,760 like come as a warrior, feels like I'm going to come as a baby 459 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:35,360 to the most random chick and I'm going to trust the process. 460 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:40,840 And he walked, he's raised, he's raised as a man. 461 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:43,040 So he can tell us I've walked that road as well. 462 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:45,640 This is the way to go. This is the way to do it. 463 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,520 I've had that struggle as well. You can actually, you can 464 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:51,280 actually, this is how you walk through it. 465 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,320 And then he died on a cross so that you can pick up the phone 466 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:58,280 and say hello, Jesus, help me. Lord Jesus, I'm not going to 467 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:03,320 rely on my expertise, my network, my ability to fix and 468 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:06,560 identify ATF fluid. Lord Dad, would you help me? 469 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:11,120 I want to say to you tonight that is the God that we serve 470 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:15,560 and there is an invitation. I said I said tonight that this 471 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:18,280 book is an invitation. So I heavenly bridegroom is an 472 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:22,880 invitations or covenants. I feel like for some of us 473 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:24,240 tonight. You've never picked up the 474 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:28,080 phone, You've never, you've never had that moment to his 475 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:31,200 head. I'm the foreigner brought in, 476 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:33,560 but I've never laid all of it down. 477 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:38,480 I've never actually said, I've never actually put it all on the 478 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:40,800 floor and said I'm going to be where you are, God. 479 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:44,440 You are going to be my God. I'm going to make your people my 480 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:46,960 people. And Lord Jesus, as you died on 481 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,480 the cross before the foundations of the world, I'm going to die 482 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:51,200 to self and trust. You're going to resurrect 483 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:54,240 something beautifully tonight. I'm going to say that Ruth is an 484 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:58,000 invitation for you. Ruth is an invitation for you to 485 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:02,000 come home. There's some of us here tonight 486 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,800 where it's like we've been driving a car on a highway in 487 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:10,040 traffic with like, I don't know, stuff happening in the back seat 488 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:13,880 and we haven't even realized it, but the steering wheel's locked. 489 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:17,160 It's like there's some stuff in our heart, though, without us 490 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:20,680 even noticing. It's just not going to be out of 491 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:25,240 speeds anymore. And there's an invitation from 492 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:28,880 the Holy Spirit to let to let him lubricate our steering 493 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:36,360 wheel. And in Psalms 23, the message 494 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:41,760 version so great, it says this, it says true to your word. 495 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:46,160 Ruth knew that God was true to his word. 496 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:52,120 Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, gracious and faithful, true to your word. 497 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:58,120 Here, let me catch my breath. Can I say to you tonight, God 498 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:03,080 knows what we need and you send me in the right direction? 499 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:06,800 Even when the way it goes through Death Valley, I'm not 500 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:12,400 afraid when you walk by my side, when it says you send me in the 501 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:16,240 right direction. God has the ability to do this 502 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:20,240 with us. He's gentle, He's kind, His 503 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:23,200 dreams for you are bigger than your dreams are for you, but he 504 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:27,200 just wants you free and he just wants your heart in the process. 505 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:33,120 It says Ruth just so happened to be in Boaz's field. 506 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,600 She came all the way from Moab and she said, God, I'm going to 507 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:39,760 trust you. I'm going to be faithful for 508 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:41,200 what with what you've put before me. 509 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:44,560 Because I know that even though the story right now doesn't look 510 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:47,960 like faithfulness, faithfulness sometimes takes a long time, but 511 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:50,840 it's worth it in the end. It's not easy, but it's worth it 512 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:54,000 every time. So as she's going, she just 513 00:31:54,000 --> 00:32:00,400 finds herself in Boaz's field. Even when the way goes through 514 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:05,640 Death Valley, maybe it's not the loss of a husband tonight, maybe 515 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:08,960 a relationship, dad. Maybe there's divorce. 516 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:15,720 Maybe it's a dream that dad. But even when the way goes 517 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:17,920 through Death Valley, we don't camp there. 518 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:22,600 Even when it goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid because 519 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:27,160 you're with me. The invitation tonight is to be 520 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:33,160 with God. So I'm going to close, but I, I 521 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:35,560 would love the opportunity to pray with you tonight. 522 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:40,440 If this has stirred your heart, if you sitting here tonight and 523 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:45,200 you think, yo, I'm not, I don't come from a family of faith. 524 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,720 I actually, I haven't had that moment where I've put everything 525 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:52,400 down. I've mitigated risk with God, 526 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:56,960 but actually I haven't had a moment where I've said God 527 00:32:56,960 --> 00:32:58,400 today. I'm all in. 528 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:02,200 Today I'm going to let you be my dad. 529 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:04,840 That iPhone in the middle of the night to help me. 530 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:07,840 Today I'm going to let you be my dad. 531 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:10,960 That, that, that sets me on the right way. 532 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:15,640 Today I'm going to let you be the GPS that I trust, you be the 533 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:17,960 picture that I trust. I would love to pray with you. 534 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:22,680 You're welcome to stand and then, and then we'll pray. 535 00:33:32,050 --> 00:33:38,800 He's so worth it. He's so worth it every time. 536 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:46,080 OK, Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the book of Ruth. 537 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:51,120 Thank you that you wanted to make sure that we knew that you 538 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:54,200 are a faithful God that can turn any story around. 539 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,960 Thank you, God, that you are the God that makes the foreigner 540 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:01,680 part of part of the story, part of the lineage. 541 00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:04,440 Thank you that you bring those that are far close. 542 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:07,560 Lord Jesus, thank you that you are the God that comes in the 543 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:11,840 dead of night to help us, to rescue us, to show us the way. 544 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:15,719 Lord God, and tonight, God, we give you everything. 545 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:21,360 Lord God, tonight we give you everything, every part of us, 546 00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:25,840 every part of our lives. Lord God, tonight we say we will 547 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:29,600 go where you go, we will stay where you stay. 548 00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:35,199 Your people will be our people and your and you God will be our 549 00:34:35,199 --> 00:34:37,719 God. Amen. 550 00:34:39,159 --> 00:34:41,600 Can I say to you tonight that this is the start of your 551 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:46,800 journey with Jesus and it's a beautiful start and he is 552 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:50,080 faithful to get you from Moab to Boaz's arms. 553 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:56,159 Just keep walking with him. Find God's people, find God's 554 00:34:56,159 --> 00:35:00,800 faith, stay in community. There's one more group of people 555 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:05,280 I'd love to pay for tonight. And if, if, if, if you 556 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:10,920 potentially Naomi, you know, you know of God, you've heard his 557 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:13,640 stories, you even have testimonies of what he's done in 558 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:17,720 your life. But the busyness of life is life 559 00:35:17,720 --> 00:35:19,520 has come. And before you realized that 560 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:21,160 it's like the steering wheel stuck. 561 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:24,920 It's like it's like you're holding on with dear life. 562 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:29,920 It's like you're just trying to get if I can, just if I can just 563 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:34,640 then, if that's you tonight and you want to invite Gods, 564 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:38,360 actually let your let your hands relax. 565 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:44,080 Remember that you can find your dad and ask him to help you. 566 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:50,040 If that's you tonight and you're actually saying Lord without 567 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:52,240 even realizing it's in the busyness of life. 568 00:35:52,240 --> 00:35:56,600 Some things that I, I hadn't realized I've taken off, off off 569 00:35:56,600 --> 00:35:59,000 the altar. I actually reserved them. 570 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:00,760 There's some stuff I haven't let you see. 571 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:06,720 I'd love to pray with you. OK. 572 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:10,280 Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for tonight. 573 00:36:10,280 --> 00:36:13,600 Thank you for this book of Ruth. Thank you that you, you, you 574 00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:16,160 bring us in close and you keep us safe. 575 00:36:16,160 --> 00:36:19,680 Lord God, thank you that there is no part of our life that is 576 00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:23,000 not safe at your feet. Lord Jesus, would we see you 577 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:25,200 more clearly. Thank you, Lord God. 578 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:25,680 Amen.