Ruth 2
Under God’s Wings
If you are meeting early in the day, ask everyone to look in their bag and find today’s activity.
Ask them:
- Do you like cereal?
- Do you know what cereal is made of?
If you are meeting later in the day chat about the cereal you had to eat. Ask:
- What was Ruth collecting in the field?
Encourage people to show their pictures of what “being under God’s wings” made them feel like.
Explain that while we are all together this week online, we are going to think about the story of Ruth in the Bible. Each day we will hear from Ruth. She will tell us about what she was thinking and feeling as so many strange and unsettling things happened to her. Today, while we are together, we are going to hear from Ruth once she has started to settle in Bethlehem.
Each day there will be a very short monologue written from Ruth’s perspective. You can simply have someone perform this as part of your video conference call or someone could film it for each day in advance, using different locations (there are suggested locations with the script. You can then share it as part of the conference call.
The script is available to download in the Downloads box below.
Share an image of birds with its chicks under its wings. Show birds of different sizes – geese, swans, even flamingoes! It would be very dangerous for baby birds if they didn’t have their parent’s wings to hide under.
Ruth had faced lots of dangers too. Share the whiteboard function and write Ruth in the middle of it. Then ask everyone to draw or write on the whiteboard all the dangerous and sad things that had already happened to her (family dying, no food, leaving her home, traveling a long way, new home, new language, doesn’t know anyone, no money, no work). If you are not using the whiteboard, everyone can do this on a piece of paper. When they are finished write the words that Boaz said to Ruth in big bold letters across the whiteboard, “May the Lord, under whose wing you have to come to take refuge, reward you.” (Ruth 2:12 NLT)
While everyone is looking at those words invite people to think of things that are sad, dangerous or scary in their lives just now. Share the video of Lauren Daigle singing her song “Under your wings” (you can just watch a part of the song, if that suits your group better) While they are listening to this ask them to make a list of things they are worried about just now.
Say this prayer together when you get to “bad and difficult things” ask everyone to say one of the things on their list.
Father God
Thank you
That you shelter us under your wings
Thank you that you are there for us
When bad and difficult things happen
AMEN
Say goodbye to everyone and look forward to seeing them tomorrow.