Ruth

Reading through The Message has been very healing for me -- I'm finding more and more that the plainer language helps me to understand in a way I never thought possible.

For instance:  Reading Ruth is incredible.  It was always a good story -- but the Message makes it live.

Find it here: Ruth

The story of a loyal, brave, tough woman (who was also a foreigner) and how she ends up in the lineage of David.

I can't tell you how much this means to me right now.

^8-9 Then Boaz spoke to Ruth: "Listen, my daughter. From now on don't go to any other field to glean—stay right here in this one. And stay close to my young women. Watch where they are harvesting and follow them. And don't worry about a thing; I've given orders to my servants not to harass you. When you get thirsty, feel free to go and drink from the water buckets that the servants have filled."

 ¹⁰ She dropped to her knees, then bowed her face to the ground. "How does this happen that you should pick me out and treat me so kindly—me, a foreigner?"

 ^11-12 Boaz answered her, "I've heard all about you—heard about the way you treated your mother-in-law after the death of her husband, and how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth and have come to live among a bunch of total strangers. God reward you well for what you've done—and with a generous bonus besides from God, to whom you've come seeking protection under his wings." 

I've also been reading Samuel -- the heartbroken Hannah, her spiteful rival, and God, who treated Hannah tenderly and not only gave her Samuel, but five more children.  God's gentleness with women, even in the Old Testament (where some evil, wretched things are recorded without comment, which always seemed so harsh to me until I realized that it wasn't IN the Bible because it was good -- it's to show just how wretched humanity is without redemption. If you see God interacting with humans, especially females, there is a grace and tenderness there that is truly wonderful -- particularly with Ruth, Hannah, prostitutes, ailing women and his mother), is beautiful.

To see the Creator of the Universe so compassionate to a single, tiny individual -- it's miraculous.