Tag: Boaz

September 26th 2025 – Harvest Service: Norman Gilbert

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Ruth

At this harvest time I was reminded of the book of Ruth which has harvest at its centre. I have recently preached a series of sermons on Ruth but tonight I want to look briefly at the whole book. In it we see both the providence of God and the story of redemption. We also see a story of romance. But not one of sentimentality, rather one of true godly love.

The book of Ruth is set in the context of the Judges (Ruth 1:1). This was a terrible time in Israel’s long history. It was a time of trouble and departure from God only reversed on occasion by the Spirit’s grace. We shall consider this book using three headings:

[1] A poor decision.

[2] God’s provision.

[3] God’s promises.

[1] A poor decision.

            Not all harvests are great. Times of famine and poor harvest were seen as the judgement of God. Of course, the outcome of a harvest is not in the hands of man. The rain and the sun are governed by the Lord. But man must do his part, of course. He must plough and till. He must root out weeds and stones. He must sow and water. But ultimately the fruit of harvest is all because of God’s grace. Now at this time in Israel there was “a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). We are not told why there was this famine. In other Scriptures we are told. For example, in the time of Ahab Elijah was called upon by the Lord to announce a famine on the land (1Kings 17:1). This was undoubtedly on account of the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel at that time.

            Now Elimelech made a very poor decision (Ruth 1:1,2). He decided that on account of the famine in Israel he would take his family to Moab. We all have to make decisions in life, but Elimelech’s decision was a poor one. He was leaving the land of promise to go to a land of people who hated Israel, who were often enemies of God, and whose ways were not of the Lord – they were a pagan people. Perhaps Elimelech thought that the ‘grass was greener’ in Moab? Elimelech’s name means ‘God is King’ but he seems to have forgotten this. He ought to have known enough of God and His ways to cause him to stop and rethink this course of action.

            Remember that the Lord is always sovereign. He overrules in our mistakes. So Elimelech took his wife and his two sons to dwell in Moab. Consider the consequences of this action. Whom would his two sons marry? There were only pagan girls in Moab. They would no longer enjoy an Israelite God-given environment but one which did not follow God. And then in the course of time Elimelech died leaving his wife Naomi as a widow but still with her two sons Mahlon and Chilion. What was Naomi to do? Well, it appears that her two sons gained Moabite wives and they dwelt there for about ten years (Ruth 1:3,4). Maybe things will work out?

            But then we learn that both the sons die, and Naomi is left a widow with two Moabite daughters-in-law who were also widows (Ruth 1:5). Three widows in distress. There was no welfare state. What a turn around in fortunes! From an Ephramite family of four living in Bethlehem, we come to a woman with two Moabite daughters-in-law destitute in Moab. It was at this point in her life in Moab that Naomi hears that “the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread” (Ruth 1:6). So she takes her two daughters-in-law and sets off to return to Bethlehem where she was from. On the way she stops and warns both of her daughters-in-law that there would be no hope for them (Ruth 1:8-10). Could she provide more sons for them as husbands (Ruth 1:11-13)? The idea is preposterous. Now after some tears we find that Orpah decides to go back to Moab but Ruth is determined to continue on with Naomi (Ruth 1:14-17). We need to remember that Israelite culture was very different from Moabite ways. So Ruth’s determination is something rather special. She pleads with Naomi not to send her back, she states that she will go wherever Naomi went, and she will lodge wherever Naomi was to lodge. This is nothing other than a wholesale giving up of her Moabite life for a life with her Israelite mother-in-law. She continues saying that Naomi’s people will now be her people, and that Naomi’s God will also be hers. Where Naomi was to die and to be buried, there too would Ruth die and be buried (Ruth 1:16,17). Such a series of statements amounts to a true confession of faith in the God of Israel. Ruth here makes a big decision and it is the right one!

            As the two arrive in Bethlehem people recognise Naomi and there is some excitement but there is some sadness too. The people say: “Is this Naomi” (Ruth 1:19)? The rhetorical question has the thought of disbelief. She does not appear the same as when she went. The name ‘Naomi’ means ‘pleasant,’ but Naomi does not want to be known by that name anymore. She wants people to call her “Mara” because, she declaims “the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:20). she then adds that she “went out full,” but that the Lord has now brought her home again but “empty” adding that the Lord had “testified” against her, and had “afflicted” her (Ruth 1:21). The truth is that she only went out full in the sense of earthly blessings, but now she has been reduced and made low and she is back in the land of promise where the Lord will bring blessing. It looks bleak form her perspective but she does not yet know what God will do! Naomi and Ruth are two destitute widows. They have returned empty. What should they do? There was no social security nor welfare state. Ah but there was God and there was God’s man.

[2] God’s provision.

            When thinks look the bleakest the Lord is always there. Jewish law provided for the poor in a wonderful way that other nations knew nothing about. There was this rule of ‘gleaning.’ Farmers and growers of crops were to harvest with an eye out for the poor. In this day and age every square inch of a field is harvested and all of the grain is hovered up by machines. But in these ancient days when the harvest was gathered by the hands of men it was always possible for parts to be missed, and for grain or fruit to be left behind. The law stated that they were not to “wholly reap the corners” of the field and they were not to “gather the gleanings” of the harvest (those bits that were missed) (Leviticus 19:9), for these left-overs were to be for the poor and for the stranger (Leviticus 19:10).

            The Christian message is truly glorious. We can see in this account the wonderful providence and provision of God. It so happened that Naomi and Ruth returned “at the beginning of barley harvest” (Ruth 1:22). The doctrine of God’s providence is a wonderful thing for believers to hold. Creation is not simply time and chance as modern people believe, for God is Creator and Sustainer. All things are under His control. The sun, rain, wind, and the harvest are all His. Our times are in His hand and He knows His business of leading and guiding best. The Lord provides everything we need (2Peter 1:3). he brings the things we need across our path. Nothing happens by chance. All is according to God’s good will (Romans 8:28). There is a reason for things turning out the way they do, for with God things don’t just happen. We often only see the hand of God guiding when we look back at the events of life.

            And so it just so happened that when Ruth asks to go and glean in the fields to provide for their needs, the very field she enters belongs to a man called ‘Boaz’ (Ruth 2:2,3). This man was a kinsman of Naomi. Was this chance? By no means! All things are in the hands of God. He promised to keep them and here they are gleaning in the field of a relative who is described for us as “a man of great wealth,” and “of the family of Elimelech” and so a near kinsman (Ruth 2:1). Now Boaz was a true man of God (Ruth 2:4). When Boaz sees Ruth it seems clear that he has an ‘eye’ for her (Ruth 2:5-9). He tells his men to give her respect and to aid her in her gleaning (Ruth 2:9,14,15).This whole account in Ruth 2 is one of great wonder and joy. A young woman who had no real hope and was so poor that she is reduced to gleaning for the left-overs is now being given honour and privileges. She even gets to have a meal with the regular workers and can drink the drinks provided for Boaz’s men (Ruth 2:9,14).

            Now verse 12 is key: “the Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” Boaz acknowledges Ruth’s faith. Throughout this account in Ruth chapter 2 we see the hand of God’s providence. God is in control. She did not go anywhere else but stayed in the fields of this relative who was a true man of the Lord. We see also that a kinsman could act as a ‘redeemer’ buying back the land that was originally theirs provided in the land of Israel by lot. We can read about this right of redemption in Leviticus 25:25f. The land could not be sold permanently and when a person became poor they had the right and chance to redeem or buy back what they had lost. This was a great thing of grace and mercy, and it points forward to the Lord Jesus Christ who is our ‘Kinsman Redeemer.’

[3] God’s promises.

            At the end of the harvest there was still a job to be done. The seed must be separated from the husks or the chaff. This was known as ‘winnowing.’ The grain was hoisted up into the air by a winnowing fork and the wind allowed to blow through the hoisted material. The wind would catch the light husks and chaff and blow them away, whilst the heavier grain would fall back down to the ground. It was also a time of much rejoicing and merriment.

            At the end of the harvest when the winnowing was taking place, Naomi tells Ruth to do something rather strange and wonderful (Ruth 3:1-4). Ruth is told to go to the winnowing house where Boaz was busy and to present herself to him as a prospective wife! Ruth is told to make herself ready as only a woman knows how with her “best garment” on and all spruced up to boot (Ruth 3:3). She must not make herself known to Boaz, but find out where he was going to sleep (Ruth 3:3). Then, when he is asleep she was to go to his place and lie down at his feet having uncovered them (Ruth 3:4). Now Ruth is quick to obey (Ruth 3:5,6). After Boaz had had his fill of good food and drink he went to sleep by some grain and Ruth went to lie at his feet (Ruth 3:7). In the night Boaz awakes and sees a woman at his feet and on asking discovers that it is Ruth (Ruth 3:8,9). When asked Ruth declares her intentions saying: “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative” (Ruth 3:9). This was a proposal! She was asking to be Boaz’s bride. Boaz’s reply is truly wonderful and fully agrees to this plan (Ruth 3:10,11). However, there was another kinsman who was closer in relation than Boaz so he must first be consulted for he could redeem them first (Ruth 3:12). We discover something of Boaz’s appreciation of Ruth here. She is blessed of the Lord on account of her kindness to Boaz in not going after the younger men (Ruth 3:10). Boaz informs Ruth that everyone was aware that she was “a virtuous woman” (Ruth 3:11). We also see Boaz’s faith here (Ruth 3:13). Boaz is about to take things into his own hands and Ruth will be redeemed. It is just at this point we do not know whether this will be by Boaz or by the closer relative.

            And so Ruth lays at Boaz’s feet until the morning and before anyone gets up she returned to Naomi and told her all that Boaz had done for her. Boaz had given her some provisions too to ensure that she would not return “empty-handed” (Ruth 3:14-17). Here we observe the kindness and faith of this man of God. Boaz immediately sets about the task of redemption. Before he can redeem Ruth he must first meet up with the closer relative, and it just so happened that this man was walking by the gate as Boaz was there to bring his case!

Again, we have the wonderful providential provision of God. Boaz goes to the gate to start proceedings (for the gate was where the rulers and elders met to make decisions), and then “Behold, the close relative … came by” (Ruth 4:1). How marvellous is our God!

            Now Boaz tells this man that he could redeem the piece of land that once belonged to Elimelech (Ruth 4:3,4). He mentions also that if he does not want to redeem it then Boaz would. Presented this way the offer seems like a great deal, so the close relative says that he will indeed redeem the land (Ruth 4:4). And then Boaz adds something which gives the closer relative pause for thought. He states that when he redeems the land he must also take Ruth as wife to perpetuate Elimelech’s name in Israel. Hearing this the close relative changes his mind, and it appears that he is concerned that his inheritance will be affected by Ruth and Naomi’s presence. So, the close relative gives Boaz what he has hoped for – the chance to redeem the land and take Ruth for his wife. The deal is then legally ratified before witnesses (Ruth 4:6-10).

            In all of these events we are meant also to see Christ Jesus as our Kinsman Redeemer. At this point we are shown that through Ruth will come first Obed and from him Jesse who was the father of David. In David we see the promise of the Christ. All of this story occurs in Bethlehem, where Christ Jesus was eventually to be born. Matthew records this genealogy we have in Ruth 4:18-22 as an important link in the chain which gives us Christ born of the virgin Mary. Some twelve centuries will need to pass by before we reach the Lord Jesus, but in this short story we see much of the grace and glory of the gospel. Christ is the one who redeems us from our sins and lost estate. We have seen not only that God overrules in the affairs of people in a wonderful way, and that He is also showing us how it will be that he will save us from our sins. In Ruth and her story of redemption by Boaz we can see the great goodness of the Lord’s redemption of lost sinners. She was a Moabitess, and so despised by Israel. But she came to faith in God and was given a lot more than she ever bargained for!

            There is coming a greater harvest one day. May we be among those whom the great Kinsman Redeemer has chosen as His wife!

May 22nd 2022: James Sibley

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Ruth chapter 3: Finding Rest

We are going to consider what it means to find true rest. What does it mean to rest in your everyday life? Is it to do nothing? I can only have restful rest if I can fully switch off. For rest to be restful, you have to know that things are being taken care of. True rest comes from a settled security, knowing that things are ok, things are taken care of.

As we look at rest in this chapter, let’s recap what has taken place. The book of Ruth opens with Naomi and Elimelech, her husband and their two sons in Bethlehem. There’s a famine in that land. Whether rightly or wrongly, they go to the land of Moab to look for food. While they are there, their two sons get married to women from Moab. In time, Elimelech and both of their sons pass away. So, we are left with Naomi, Ruth and Orpah, her two daughters-in-law. In time, Naomi hears that the famine has stopped in Bethlehem, her homeland. She makes the decision to return. She sets out on her journey with her two daughters-in-law following after her. She then decides to send them back, telling them that there is no point in them coming with her. Orpah returns back to her homeland in Moab. Ruth, after whom the book is named, decides that she wants to leave her homeland, wanting to commit her future to her mother-in-law, as well as to Naomi’s God. She says in chapter 1, “You God shall be my God.”

In chapter 2, these two widows are in a very vulnerable position, with no-one to help them, no-one to look after them. In that time and culture, it was a difficult position to be in. We see that Ruth seeks to go out to find food and sustenance for Naomi and herself. God’s sovereignty leads her into the fields of Boaz. As the harvest goes on, she is able to collect lots of food. This leads to where we are now, in chapter 3.

Chapter 3 opens with Naomi now turning to Ruth saying, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?” (Ruth 3:1). Naomi wants to find rest for Ruth. The harvest is drawing to an end. Whilst their most immediate need for food has been met, there is still a question mark over their situation that Ruth and Naomi find themselves in. What are they going to do when the food runs out? Where would their long-term security come from? What if another famine came? What would they do?

Previously in the book it was Ruth who had taken the initiative but now Naomi steps in, looking to find rest for her daughter-in-law. Now that the harvest is drawing to a close, they are able to direct their energies elsewhere, to this deeper need, the need of rest, the need of long-term security for themselves.

Before, when Ruth was working in Boaz’s fields, they had a brief interaction. But it seems that no further meetings had taken place between Ruth and Boaz. We often like to romanticise the book of Ruth, of their eyes meeting across the field as they progressively fall in love. But that doesn’t seem to actually happen in reality; it seems they haven’t communicated since that first interaction. Boaz gives no indication of realising what is about to unfold. He doesn’t seem to realise that he was able to offer Ruth and Naomi long-term security. It might be that Ruth was still in mourning. The text does not make this clear.

Naomi makes this proposal, “Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.”  5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.” (Ruth 3:2-5).

Naomi’s proposal is to get Boaz to resolve their situation by providing for Ruth a home and a family. The way that Naomi has planned for this to happen is for Ruth to sneak into the threshing floor, to uncover Boaz’s feet and then for her to wait and see what Boaz would say. Ruth readily agrees to this plan, which might be a little bit surprising because this is a bold plan. It’s a potentially dangerous plan. It’s a reputationally risky plan.

The threshing floors in those days were places where all the people who had land would go and thresh out their crops. They were owned by the whole community and the times of threshing were community affairs. We see Boaz there, eating and drinking with the other people. With eating and drinking, no doubt lots of dodgy activities took place. Remember, this was the time of the Judges, when so many people were far away from the Lord. They were doing what was right in their own eyes. It is safe to assume that these things took place at the threshing floor as well. It would have been easy for a man like Boaz to take advantage of a woman like Ruth, putting herself in such a vulnerable position.

Is what Naomi was doing foolish? No. Naomi has seen enough of Boaz, of his kindness and generosity that he showed to Ruth and herself to know that she can trust him, to know that Ruth can trust him. Naomi has come to recognise that God is at work in that situation, that God has been leading them to where they are. So, in reality, this is a bold act of faith, trusting that God is in control and trusting that Boaz will seek to do the right thing.

Ruth follows Naomi’s proposal; she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do, “6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” (Ruth 3:6-9).

Ruth follows Naomi’s’ proposal almost exactly. But instead of just identifying herself as Naomi told her to, and then waiting for Boaz to tell her what to do, Ruth, through her actions and words, makes a proposal of her own. When asked who she was, Ruth says, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” (Ruth 3:9). She uncovers his feet and asks him to spread a corner, or the wing, of his garment over her. No doubt, Boaz would have understood this for what it was – a request for Boaz to redeem her, to marry her. This also refers back to chapter 2:12, where Boaz says to Ruth, “The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” Boaz said that to Ruth in chapter 2, now Ruth says to Boz, in chapter 3, ‘You cover me with your wings, with the wings of your garment.’ Ruth is asking Boaz to be the answer to his own prayer, to provide safety and security for her and her family.

As Naomi knew, these guardian redeemers had a moral and a legal obligation to step in and help family members who were in trouble, through buying their land, through marrying them and raising up a family through them. Ruth waits, no doubt with baited breath, for Boaz’s response. How would he respond to such a brave proposal, from one coming from a foreigner, from a widow, from someone who had nothing, in a vulnerable position? Well, he responds, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich.11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman.” (Ruth 3:10)

Boaz responds, as he so often has, with words of blessing, talking about her kindness and her character. He responds with a promise, “do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask.”  The message from Boaz is that the rest which Ruth and Naomi are looking for is coming.

But there’s a problem here, “And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I.” (Ruth 3:12). But Boaz reiterates the promise, “Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.” (Ruth 3:13).

This matter will be taken care of. Boaz promises that it will be taken care of. Ruth knows that this matter will be resolved. She can trust Boaz. She lays down to rest for the night, knowing that when morning came, this would be taken care of. When morning came, Boaz even made sure that Ruth’s reputation was protected, making sure she left before it got light, making sure that no-one knew she has been there in case they thought anything untoward had taken place. So, Ruth leaves in the morning, returning to Naomi.

Ruth could have returned battered, bruised, abused and with nothing but instead Boaz sends her home with a promise and a pledge to that promise, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” (Ruth 3:15-17). Ruth tells Naomi how it went, showing that Boaz had promised that he would resolve the situation, showing her that he had sent her back with a gift to share with her mother-in-law. What is this gift? A pledge, a promise, a tangible reminder of the promise that Boaz has made that he will resolve their situation.

Seeing all this, Naomi knows that her plan has worked, that God has been faithful. And so she says, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.” (Ruth 3:18). At this point, the chapter comes full circle. The chapter starts with Naomi saying to Ruth that she must find rest for her, and it finishes with her telling Ruth that Boaz will not rest until the matter is resolved. Rest is coming because Boaz will not rest until it is sorted.

Now, to us. I’m sure that some of us here this morning are in verse 1, seeking rest. We are aware of our need for rest. Not just the kind of rest that a good night’s sleep will provide, or even a nice holiday. We are longing for the kind of rest that comes only from being settled, being secure, having a firm foundation on which to live our lives. Some of us are feeling like life, that satisfaction, are slipping through our fingers. Here is a message that Ruth points us to – apart from Jesus, no true and lasting rest can be found. Rest is only found in Him. He says, “Come to Me, all who are weary, all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

How does Jesus give rest? He is gentle and humble of heart. His heart for His people, His welcome, in the way He deals with our sins and our guilt, providing acceptance and forgiveness and love, give rest. It is in the hope that he gives us of life eternal. Only this, which only he can give, can give us true rest. Only knowing, that no matter what happens, even if we die, we will go to heaven and be with Him. Only that can give us this kind of rest in this life. The curse of sin is toil, but the blessing of Jesus is true rest. This is rest – to know we are loved, we are forgiven and accepted, to know that it is not about our performance, trying to win His love, rather it’s about Him, His love for us, what He’s done for us.

Another thing that gives us rest is knowing that Jesus does not change as we change. In our sufferings and in our struggles, He is always the same. He is constant in His love for us, constant in His presence with us, constant in both His power and His goodness. He is working in us, working for us. Apart from Christ, there is no rest. Apart from Jesus, we are all in judgement, stuck in sin. Apart from Jesus we have no solid foundation to live this life and no hope in death.

How can we find rest in Jesus? How do we get the rest that Jesus offers? We just come to Him. He invites us through His word to come to Him. Here’s the great difference between Jesus and Boaz – did you note the elaborate preparation that Ruth underwent before she went to see Boaz? She washed, she put on perfume, put on her best clothes and then she went. We don’t need any elaborate preparation to come to Jesus. We don’t need to sit and work at making ourselves beautiful before we come to Jesus. All that He requires is for you to feel your need for Him. He gives it all. We just go to Him, come to Him with our needs, with our thirst, with our hunger, with our sickness, with our sin, with our burdens, with our weariness. All of this we bring to Him, for Him to deal with, for Him to give us rest.

We find more than rest in Him, we find that He makes us lovely, pleasing to Him. One day we’ll be glorified in heaven, with Him. Do you desire rest? Do you feel the weight of weariness? Come to Him. Trust in His life, in His death, in His Resurrection. All of these He did for us so that we can know true rest, rest that comes from forgiveness, acceptance and hope of life eternal.

Ruth didn’t know exactly how rest was going to come to her. This passage ends with still not knowing whether Boaz or this unnamed man will redeem her. Even though rest is coming, there are still so many things that remain uncertain before her, whereas for us it is clear. This rest is only found in trusting Jesus Christ. This life on earth has many uncertainties but in all of this we can be certain of one thing – that Jesus Christ never changes. A firm foundation never changes.

We have rest in Christ – not the full rest of heaven – that is still to come. One day we will know true and full eternal rest, free from sin, free from suffering. But until then we know the rest that comes from His gentleness with us, and the love and acceptance that he gives to us. So, we need not fear. This has all been dealt with. As sure as the Lord lives, He will bring this to completion. The writer to the Hebrews says, ‘Our forerunner Jesus is in heaven, so we will go there to be with Him.’

In Jesus we have rest from trying to do things in our own strength. We can turn to Him. Some of us can find ourselves feeling exhausted in our Christian life because we forget our justification. We forget that our standing before God comes from Jesus Christ. Rest only in Him. God declares us righteous because of what Jesus did in His righteous life and in His death on the cross. That alone is our standing before God. Jesus has already died for our sins. That should bring rest to us.

Life will not be easy but in Christ we can find rest. Rest is a conscious part of your walk with God, coming to Him for rest. We can do that as we come to God in prayer. Unload yourself to Him. Pray, and in your heart, cast your cares onto Him, as Peter says. Ask Him to spread His wings over you and to give you rest and security in the midst of life’s storms. In all of this, remember that just as Boaz sent Ruth back to Naomi, full, so Jesus has not left us empty on earth alone. He has left us with the Spirit, with the Comforter, with the one who reminds us of our adoption as God’s children, as a deposit and a pledge of the life to come. The Spirit is within us to prepare us for eternity, to remind us that’s where we are heading, and to bring our progress in the Christian life to completion.

So, we can rest in Jesus because He did not rest until the work of dealing with sin and death was done. The good work that he has started within us, He will bring to completion. So, rest. Stop striving. Stop struggling. Rest in Him.