Come Home for Christmas
Thursday, December 7, 2006
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, I pray that Your love will be my highest goal today. I pray that every ounce of power that You give me through Your Holy Spirit this day will be directed to living Your love in my life. May my words and actions be Yours, and may they make Your Good News real to my family, friends, and all with whom I have contact today! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
God’s Word Today
Ruth 2:1-23
Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi's husband, Elimelech. 2 One day Ruth said to Naomi, "Let me go out into the fields to gather leftover grain behind anyone who will let me do it." And Naomi said, "All right, my daughter, go ahead." 3 So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech. 4 While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. "The LORD be with you!" he said. "The LORD bless you!" the harvesters replied. 5 Then Boaz asked his foreman, "Who is that girl over there?" 6 And the foreman replied, "She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. 7 She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes' rest over there in the shelter." 8 Boaz went over and said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don't go to any other fields. Stay right behind the women working in my field. 9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to bother you. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well." 10 Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. "Why are you being so kind to me?" she asked. "I am only a foreigner." 11 "Yes, I know," Boaz replied. "But I also know about the love and kindness you have shown your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. 12 May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully." 13 "I hope I continue to please you, sir," she replied. "You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not as worthy as your workers." 14 At lunchtime Boaz called to her, "Come over here and help yourself to some of our food. You can dip your bread in the wine if you like." So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her food – more than she could eat. 15 When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, "Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. 16 And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don't give her a hard time!" 17 So Ruth gathered barley there all day, and when she beat out the grain that evening, it came to about half a bushel. 18 She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the food that was left over from her lunch. 19 "So much!" Naomi exclaimed. "Where did you gather all this grain today? Where did you work? May the LORD bless the one who helped you!" So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked. And she said, "The man I worked with today is named Boaz." 20 "May the LORD bless him!" Naomi told her daughter-in-law. "He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband. That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers." 21 Then Ruth said, "What's more, Boaz even told me to come back and stay with his harvesters until the entire harvest is completed." 22 "This is wonderful!" Naomi exclaimed. "Do as he said. Stay with his workers right through the whole harvest. You will be safe there, unlike in other fields." 23 So Ruth worked alongside the women in Boaz's fields and gathered grain with them until the end of the barley harvest. Then she worked with them through the wheat harvest, too. But all the while she lived with her mother-in-law.
Reflecting on God’s Word
Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth have come home to Bethlehem. (Orpah did not return with them.) Their arrival creates a stir in the town. Some of the people couldn’t believe it was Naomi (Ruth 1:19-22).
Naomi and Ruth could have blamed bad luck on their circumstances – dead husbands, sons and no futures. However, the Bible doesn’t talk about “luck.” Instead, it talks about God’s “favor.” Naomi and Ruth are going to be blessed by God’s favor!
We are introduced to Boaz in verse 1. Who is he?
Boaz is similar to an English knight. Although his wealth is mentioned in verse 1, all other mentions of Boaz refer to his character. Boaz is a noble person.
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
What does Naomi ask permission to do in verse 2?
Of all the fields, in all the places, where does Ruth end up?
Is this luck or God’s favor? (Verse 4).
Understanding God’s Purpose for Us
God is constantly at work behind the “seen,” arranging events and people in our lives to flood us with His favor.
Think of a time in your life when you experienced God’s favor. How do you know that God provided – and it wasn’t coincidence or luck?
Applying God’s Word to Our Purpose
What is our response to God’s favor? (See Ruth 2:19-20).
Take time to thank God today for His favor.
Thoughts
The best-known words of Ruth are most often heard at weddings, even though they were spoken by a grieving young widow to her mother-in-law, Naomi. Ruth said, "Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God" (Ruth 1:16).
Ruth had no legal or cultural responsibility to Naomi, who also was a widow and had no means of support. No one would have blamed Ruth for staying with her own people in Moab where the chances of remarriage were greater.
Naomi even urged Ruth to stay, but Ruth was determined to go with her to Judah, and to follow her God. Ruth's unselfish devotion was considered worthy of praise. Boaz, a relative of Naomi, told her "I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. 12 May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully (2:11-12).
Promises spoken at a wedding are full of hope and meaning, but Ruth's words have survived the centuries because of her unwavering commitment to God and a person in need. She points us to the value of loving sacrifice for the Lord, and to His rich blessing on all who rely on God for favor.