They met during the barley and wheat harvests, Ruth the young widow from another land, and Boaz the kinsman redeemer. He had all the power. She had nothing but hope on her side. The mother-in-law Naomi brought Ruth to Israel, two destitute women searching for life and protection in the land of the Living God.

If you’ve ever hungered for more of a life than you are presently living, read on.

These two women, Ruth and Naomi, had no husbands. No children. No money. Today we might think these things don’t matter as much, but ask any young single woman today if she wants to get married. Ask any married woman if she wants a baby. Ask anybody if they want more money. The human heart hasn’t changed much in thousands of years. The majority of women still want husbands and babies and the warm, safe homes money can buy. Going beyond these physical desires women across time share, a roaring sea of emotional and spiritual needs swirl in females. The need to be loved, protected, cherished. Rescued, saved, and restored.

Perhaps the lack of a husband is your heartache right now. “So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son” Ruth 4:13. The LORD settled Ruth under Boaz’s care. And the LORD enabled her to conceive a child. And the Bible says the LORD does not change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” Hebrews 13:8. If God did these things for Ruth, he can certainly do them for you. Put your hope in Jesus.

As for the widow, Naomi, both her sons were dead and she was too old to bear more children, but it was said of Naomi, “Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him. Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse” Ruth 4:14-16. The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named the baby Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David” Ruth 4:17.

Naomi, with no living children to provide her grandchildren, becomes the grandmother of Israel’s greatest king. God did this for Naomi. He can restore your life, too. This scripture touches me most in the story of Ruth, “May he also be to you a restorer of life,” Ruth 4:15. The NIV version says, “He will renew your life.”

Sometimes we need our lives renewed. A start-over, a do-over, a get-over. Ruth wasn’t born into God’s family, she came to it later as a grown woman. I suspect Ruth carried baggage into her new life with Naomi’s God. Perhaps men had abused her. It’s hard to trust when men have done you wrong. And this lack of trust in men often leads to a lack of trust in God.

And then, early in her new life with God, Ruth winds up all but destitute. This isn’t surprising since God always tests us before he rewards us. The fire burns before the gold shines. And here is where the lesson lies, do you tap out or tap in when trouble comes to your life? Ruth and Naomi did something very wise when they came to the end of their means, they set out on a journey seeking a place to rest in their God. They didn’t abandon God, they abandoned themselves to him.

As these women placed all their hope in God, he provided for them a kinsman redeemer. And out of this line of Boaz came Jesus, the ultimate kinsman redeemer. Hebrews 2:11 says, “Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.” Our brother Jesus redeems us. Not only onto salvation, but in so many other ways as well. Whatever your need today, take it to Jesus. “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” Isaiah 53:5.

Where do you need redemption? Sit for awhile and let the Spirit search you out. Don’t make other plans. Make the LORD your only plan. Your life plan. As you surrender to the Savior, God will sustain you. Give Jesus your life and embrace his true and trustworthy promise, “I am making everything new!” Revelation 21:5.