Last Sunday we began a month long study of the amazing story of Ruth.  One of the striking things about Ruth’s story is that, although she was a woman whose life merited a book in the old Testament (and a mention in the New), many things we expect to see in a “Bible story” are missing from hers.

The story of Ruth contains no supernatural events. There are no visiting angels…no burning bushes…no voice of God speaking from the cloud…No miracles.

The story of Ruth doesn’t even include any supernatural acts on her part.  Ruth never exhibits any superhuman strength…never walks on water…never prophesies of future events…never calls down a plague…never even leads her nation.

The story of Ruth is actually about about someone that most of us would overlook as inconsequential…but God found to be extraordinary!

Here’s something I think that ALL of us can take away from the story of Ruth: our day to day “work” matters…often more than we will EVER know.  As Christ-followers, Its perfectly normal (and correct) to believe and pray in faith for God to perform miracles in our lives.  The Book of Ruth shows, however,  that even if we NEVER SEE God intervene in our circumstances…even if it feels like we are just plodding along, merely “Surviving”…God is still at work behind the scenes.  God can use our simple, faithful, (often overlooked) work to change history!

If you missed last weeks intro to the story of Ruth you can check out the podcast here: http://actionchurch.com/2011/11/10/determined-week-1-%e2%80%93-podcast-for-sunday-november-6th/  or on iTunes.

Today, as you care for you family…as you help your neighbors and friends…as you work at your job…as you work hard to learn as a student…as you struggle to pay the bills…as you “survive”… remember that your life, your work, and your story matter, more that you’ll probably EVER know.

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

 I Corinthians 10:31