Sand Mountain Sermonette 56
Ruth 1:16; Ruth 4:17; Ephesians 5:32; Revelation 19:7
Sand Mountain Sermonette 56
The Mis-made Car
“But Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.’” Ruth 1:16
Last sermonette I wrote of attending Snead State Junior College in Boaz, Alabama, during the 1970’s and of the literature class I took in which our instructor taught the literary value of the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. This sermonette I wish to tell you of a creative writing class I also took while attending Snead State. Dr. Stonicher was my teacher. He was tough; he really made you work hard, but I liked him. When I received my final grade of an A-, he encouraged me on my trek of securing my degree in Secondary Education that I would complete just a few years later.
I will never forget one assignment he had given us in class. We were to compose a short story and then read it to the class. Honestly, I cannot remember my story, but I do recall one girl whose story included this sentence, “A car of boys was parked at the corner of the street.” After she read this sentence, Dr. Stonicher stopped her and asked the class what was incorrect regarding that sentence. I lifted my hand and responded, “I believe that sentence is incorrect because an automobile is not made of boys but of other materials.” Dr. Stonicher said, “That’s correct.”
It is most important to know what lies at the heart of making up the Bible as one would be interested in what lies under the hood, etc., when purchasing a car. In the Book of Ruth, God’s redemptive and protective purposes for man is seen in the life of Ruth, Naomi, Boaz (name sound familiar), and their children and grandchildren (See Ruth 4:17). And this foreshadows Jesus Christ the Son of God who came to pay for our sin-debt in full upon the cross via His blood so we could be fully forgiven and pardoned and made right with God! And this is based on God’s LOVE! He loves you! He died for you! Do you have a personal relationship with Him?
Boaz was a good and Godly man who took Ruth, a widow, and married and cared for her the rest of her life. Ruth had hope, and you, my friend in Christ, are a member of the Body of Christ (the church) and as a member of that body, you and I are the bride of Christ (See Ephesians 5:32 and Revelation 19:7).
Take hope my Christian friend, grammar and automobiles may fail, but the one who is in love with Jesus will live with joy and peace now and forever!
Pastor Louie