Ruth 4:14 — “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer.”
When Naomi returned to Bethlehem, she walked back into her hometown with grief heavy upon her shoulders. She said, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:20).
Her heart felt empty. Her future felt uncertain. Her hope felt buried beneath years of loss.
Yet God never abandoned her. Redemption began quietly, through Ruth’s loyalty, Boaz’s kindness, and God’s unseen orchestration. By the time we reach Ruth 4:14, the town that once whispered about Naomi’s suffering now celebrates her restoration.
God did not forget her story. He rewrote it.
The women of Bethlehem blessed Naomi, saying, “The Lord has not left you without a redeemer.” Those words reveal a powerful truth:
God restores joy by redeeming what life tried to steal.
Redemption means:
– God buys back lost time
– God repairs broken seasons
– God resurrects buried joy
– God restores identity
– God rebuilds hope
Psalm 130:7 says, “With the Lord is steadfast love, and with Him is plentiful redemption.” Redemption does not return you to where you used to be; redemption lifts you into a better place than you have ever been.
When Ruth gleaned in Boaz’s field, she gathered more than grain. She gathered evidence that God was already working. Ruth 2:16 shows Boaz instructing his men to drop handfuls on purpose. Those handfuls signaled the beginning of Naomi’s restoration.
Likewise, God often starts redemption with small signs:
a renewed smile, an answered prayer, a new opportunity, a quiet assurance in your spirit. Joy starts rising before the full breakthrough appears.
Joel 2:25 promises, “I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten.”
This means God redeems lost years, lost seasons, and lost joy. Nothing you lost is beyond His ability to rebuild.
Naomi believed her joy had died in Moab. Yet God had a resurrection waiting for her in Bethlehem. The birth of Obed became a sign that her future still held beauty and purpose.
In the same way, joy may feel buried under disappointment, grief, delay, or exhaustion. However, God does not allow joy to die permanently. He preserves it. He protects it. He revives it at the appointed time.
Psalm 30:11 declares, “You turned my mourning into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.”
God does not simply replace sadness; He transforms it.
The year may have carried heaviness, but God often writes His greatest chapters in the final pages. December carries a prophetic invitation:
Do not count out what God can redeem.
Just as Naomi came home empty but ended full, God can fill your heart again. Joy is not gone. Joy is not forgotten. Joy awaits resurrection.
Lift your expectation.
Redemption will meet you in the field of your obedience, your faith, your commitment, and your worship.
Prayer
Redeem every part of my story with joy, Lord. Restore what was broken, revive what felt lost, and rewrite every chapter with Your goodness. Let this month reveal Your redeeming power in my life. Amen.
