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Book Review: The Gospel According to Ruth – Kevin Foster

This is a review of the Christian, non-fiction, devotional book The Gospel According to Ruth – A Season of Harvest 121 Days of Devotions by Kevin Foster. The book’s synopsis claims it draws out the many metaphors found in the story of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz.”

Ruth Devotional cover

I found the author’s theology to be strong and the writing clear, eloquent and well-edited. It is apparent that Foster was led by the Spirit of God in his time meditating on the book of Ruth; guiding as him to expound upon the metaphors, enabling him to reveal the relevance of other stories in the Bible to those found in Ruth.  Although I understood what he was hoping to accomplish, I sometimes found the distance Foster strayed from the focal verses confusing. I guess my focus was on the book of Ruth and awaited more exploration into each verse featured at the start of the individual devotionals.

I will say, however, how impressed I was at the bold expressions of faith Foster portrayed, such as this (found on page 2), “Friends, serving the gods of the people around you cripples your walk with the true and living God. Serving other gods is more than bowing down before a lifeless relic or the worshipping of symbolic statues…they are the things the world strives after, things that vie for mastery of your imagination and flesh…Whatever occupies your imagination occupies you…Be not deceived – you’re either serving God or the idols of this world. To whom are you bowing your heart?”

I found many important messages sprinkled throughout the devotional. Another example is on page 126, “Unless we’ve been comforted by God, we aren’t equipped to extend the comforts of God to others. God is the God of all comfort, “who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:4).”

Foster seems to be setting out to save the hearts of God’s people with this work..harvesting for the Lord, and I commend him for allowing himself to be God’s vessel.

 

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