Thursday, September 10, 2015

Ruth 2: Ruth Finds A Friend

Sometimes coincidences are exactly that: mere coincidences.  At other times, however, coincidences reveal the hand of God working behind the scenes.

When Ruth makes up her mind to go out to the field to glean behind the reapers, whose field does she enter?  A man named Boaz, who just happens to be a relative of Naomi's late husband Elimelech.  And when Boaz happens to take notice of the young woman gleaning in his fields and hears who she is, he is moved to help her.  These coincidences add up to a story of blessing for Ruth and Naomi.

Boaz has heard Ruth's story of her return with her mother-in-law, and he approves of her devotion (vs. 11-12).  In response, Boaz ensures that Ruth is safe and able to glean in his fields.  He commands the young men not to bother her (vs. 9).  He also makes sure that his reapers leave a little extra for her to gather (vs. 16).  At lunchtime, he gives her bread and wine to eat until she is satisfied (vs. 14).

When Ruth returns home after such a successful day of gleaning, Naomi knows right away that someone must have shown her favor.  Hearing her daughter-in-law's story, Naomi is filled with praise: "Blessed be he [Boaz] by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!"

Could Naomi's bitter heart be moving instead to a position of hope and joy?  Stay tuned!

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