Even a Little Light

Preaching through Ruth over these past weeks. Purchased a very insightful little book by Carolyn Custis James (I will review it in total when I am finished it) which has stirred up some thoughts on witnessing. I have been thinking of Ruth's wonderful conversion. What was it that the Lord used to bring this woman to faith in the God of the Covenant? She had no Guest Service to be invited to, no Bible to read, no tract to crumple and stuff in her pocket, no on line message to tap into. So what was the tool in the hands of the God of salvation? Quite simple really - a Christian family that came to town - a man and wife and two sons. They were far from the perfect family. No doubt their pastor, if they had had one, would have been really dispondent about their sojourning in Moab. But Ruth saw in them something that she had never witnessed in Moab before. She saw a distinct difference when she entered that family of believing Israelites. When she heard their history, watched them interact with one another and their new neighbours and most of all observed them in the face of death she knew that there was something that they had and that she needed.
Yes they were far from perfect. But when you are living in deep darkness as was Ruth's situation even a little light can be a great light and a powerful tool in the hand of the Lord who delights in the rescuing of sinners and who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
This thought is not to make us sloppy Christians, but to cause us to take heart in our stumbling along and indeed in our failures. Perhaps there is a Ruth observing you and your family just now. Oh that soon you would here them say - Your God will be my God.