Hi ho, hi ho it is off to work I go... OK so it is a line most of us know... but let me ask this question "Who is providing for your needs?" I would say that most of us would take credit for provide, after all we are the ones going to work. Others might be willing to say that our employer provides to a degree since they have provided a job where you work. Now the second question, are you willing to give God credit for providing everything! Your work, your health, your ability to do your job well, God has provided everything.
That is the attitude that Boaz is expressing to Ruth. He is pointing out that any reward "wages" she might be receiving through him was really coming from the Lord, NOT HIM.
Ruth 2:11-13 12 " May the Lord reward your work, and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge." 13 Then she said, "I have found favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and indeed have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants." NASU
So when you consider what you have, will you praise the Lord or will you think that you are the best at what you do and that is why you are successful.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
"A Birdie Told Me"
When you were a kid, did you ever wonder how it is that your parents "knew" what you had done. Maybe you were at a friends or playing down the street at the park and when you get home they ask you about something you did that day.
Busted!... humm, how did they know.... now that you are the parent, you have ways to find out and keep track of your kids.
Boaz, had heard a lot about Ruth and her care for Naomi and because of her actions he extends to her an extra measure of kindness and grace.
Ruth 2:8-11 8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, " Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids. 9 "Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have commanded the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw." 10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?" 11 Boaz replied to her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. NASU
Boaz said:
Busted!... humm, how did they know.... now that you are the parent, you have ways to find out and keep track of your kids.
Boaz, had heard a lot about Ruth and her care for Naomi and because of her actions he extends to her an extra measure of kindness and grace.
Ruth 2:8-11 8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, " Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids. 9 "Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have commanded the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw." 10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?" 11 Boaz replied to her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. NASU
Boaz said:
- Glean only in my fields.
- Follow my reapers.
- Drink water from my water jars that my servants have gathered.
- I have been told "A birdie told me" all that you have done.. "you work hard for the benefit of Naomi, you have sacrificed much without consideration for yourself.
Ruth is amazed and confused:
- Fell on her face before Boaz (a show of thankfulness not to plead for help)
- Wonders why she is being blessed, she is an "outsider"
When you learn something about a person what do you do? Do you show kindness beyond anyones expection? Do you go over and above.
Boaz showed grace to Ruth which she felt was undeserved.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Meeting "The Right" Person
I am sure you have heard the phase, "It is not what you know but who you know". The sad truth with that statement is that we are willing to toss aside all our principles to get someone to notice us and to be know by them. How sad... Let us take a look at Ruth and see what caused her to be "noticed/impressed" by Boaz.
Ruth 2:4-7 4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, " May the Lord be with you." And they said to him, "May the Lord bless you." 5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, "Whose young woman is this?" 6 The servant in charge of the reapers replied, "She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab. 7 "And she said, 'Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.' Thus she came and has remained from the morning until now; she has been sitting in the house for a little while." NASU
Ruth 2:4-7 4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, " May the Lord be with you." And they said to him, "May the Lord bless you." 5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, "Whose young woman is this?" 6 The servant in charge of the reapers replied, "She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab. 7 "And she said, 'Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.' Thus she came and has remained from the morning until now; she has been sitting in the house for a little while." NASU
- Boaz came into his fields and encouraged his workers.
- Boaz wanted God's best for them.
Boaz knew his employees (servants), he noticed someone new.
Ruth was not "insistant" on being helped.
- She asked permission to come into the field.
- She worked hard and long without much rest.
- She wasn't working to be noticed, she was working hard to gather grain.
Ruth did not go out to find someone to impress, she work hard around the other servants. However, all that hard work did catch the eye of the "field foreman".
The right person who Ruth as getting to know was the God of Israel.
So are you working hard to impress someone; a boss, a girl, maybe even fellow co-workers or are you working hard because it is the right thing to do.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
It Didn't Just Happen
When things comes together at just the right moment in time it is easy to forget how God has been working. How many times have you said either to yourself or out loud "wow, that was lucky". I want to tell you today, that is not a true statement. God is God and in our daily lives there is NO luck. We see this as we continue our examination in the book of Ruth.
Ruth and Naomi have return and the havest of barley is beginning. Ruth desires to go and collect grain in the fields that has been harvested. The law made provision for the poor to glean in fields after the harvesters have been through it. However, not ever land owner was thrilled with this and some were mean and hurtful to those who attempted to glean on their land.
Let's read:
Ruth 2:1-3 Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor." And she said to her, "Go, my daughter." 3 So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. NASU
Notice Ruth first request to Naomi.. Please, let me go and glean in the field in whose sight I find favor. This is almost like a prayer.. I want to glean, will you pray that I will enter a field where I find favor...aka... don't get beat up.
Naomi response with "go my daughter"... I feel like there is an implied... you go and I will pray.
Notice the writer of Ruth (believed to be Samuel) uses the phase "she happened to come" because we have no explaination for these events. Going forward we do not see God hand, it is only after all the events have taken place do we have an opportunity to see God working in this situation.
Are you face with difficult events in your life. Begin with prayer. Ask God to guide you then move forward and make decisions trusting that God will in fact be your guide.
Ruth "just happened' into the field of Boaz. We will see later, that is exactly where she needed to be in order for God to be glorified.
You too, can wind up exactly where God wants if you trust Him.
Ruth and Naomi have return and the havest of barley is beginning. Ruth desires to go and collect grain in the fields that has been harvested. The law made provision for the poor to glean in fields after the harvesters have been through it. However, not ever land owner was thrilled with this and some were mean and hurtful to those who attempted to glean on their land.
Let's read:
Ruth 2:1-3 Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor." And she said to her, "Go, my daughter." 3 So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. NASU
Notice Ruth first request to Naomi.. Please, let me go and glean in the field in whose sight I find favor. This is almost like a prayer.. I want to glean, will you pray that I will enter a field where I find favor...aka... don't get beat up.
Naomi response with "go my daughter"... I feel like there is an implied... you go and I will pray.
Notice the writer of Ruth (believed to be Samuel) uses the phase "she happened to come" because we have no explaination for these events. Going forward we do not see God hand, it is only after all the events have taken place do we have an opportunity to see God working in this situation.
Are you face with difficult events in your life. Begin with prayer. Ask God to guide you then move forward and make decisions trusting that God will in fact be your guide.
Ruth "just happened' into the field of Boaz. We will see later, that is exactly where she needed to be in order for God to be glorified.
You too, can wind up exactly where God wants if you trust Him.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Returning Home Bitter Sweet
Often we think that coming home is going to be a joyous, happy time. But sometimes people return home because they feel they have to and not because they are excited to do so.
Naomi was return to Israel but only because she saw no other options. She wasn't happy about coming home, in fact, we see that she told her friends not to call her Naomi "pleasant" but rather call her Mara "bitter". Naomi had no hope and saw no reason to have hope.
Ruth 1:19-22 19 So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, "Is this Naomi?" 20 She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 "I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?"
22 So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. NASU
"BUT GOD"
When Naomi and Ruth returned we notice one key statement. It was the beginning of the barley harvest. God is about to show Naomi and Ruth just how much He cared and how He has been working in their lives. John Piper says "You can not see the soveriegnity of God looking forward only backwards" (I believe I have that correct). This is something we must understand, God does not tells us in advance what He is doing and often we only see how God worked all things for His glory. Naomi return to Israel bitter and without hope because she failed to trust God for things unseen.
Are you feeling hopeless? Now is the time to trust God. It is not trust if you know everything. God calls you to trust Him and he has shown it time and time again through the Bible and other lives of believers. He is reaching out to you, TRUST IN HIM TODAY!
Naomi was return to Israel but only because she saw no other options. She wasn't happy about coming home, in fact, we see that she told her friends not to call her Naomi "pleasant" but rather call her Mara "bitter". Naomi had no hope and saw no reason to have hope.
Ruth 1:19-22 19 So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, "Is this Naomi?" 20 She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 "I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?"
22 So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. NASU
"BUT GOD"
When Naomi and Ruth returned we notice one key statement. It was the beginning of the barley harvest. God is about to show Naomi and Ruth just how much He cared and how He has been working in their lives. John Piper says "You can not see the soveriegnity of God looking forward only backwards" (I believe I have that correct). This is something we must understand, God does not tells us in advance what He is doing and often we only see how God worked all things for His glory. Naomi return to Israel bitter and without hope because she failed to trust God for things unseen.
Are you feeling hopeless? Now is the time to trust God. It is not trust if you know everything. God calls you to trust Him and he has shown it time and time again through the Bible and other lives of believers. He is reaching out to you, TRUST IN HIM TODAY!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Commitment
I found it interesting that in the midst of these difficult times that fewer people are getting divorces. With the lack of money to pay for a divorce they are learning to work through their issues, ie... be committed to one another. This type of commitment is not the same as what Ruth made to Naomi. Hers' was a commitment to God and a connection to following Naomi.
Ruth 1:14-18 14 And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 Then she said, "Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law." 16 But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 "Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me." 18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her. NASU
Notice the statements that Ruth makes:
Ruth 1:14-18 14 And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 Then she said, "Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law." 16 But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 "Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me." 18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her. NASU
Notice the statements that Ruth makes:
- Where you lodge I will lodge--willing to change location
- Your people will be my people--will to abandon family/friends for new family/friends
- Your God will become my God--change in "religion"
- Will die in the same place as you die--a life time commitment to this change
- Only death will separate us
Naomi reconized the strength of Ruth's commitment, but what made that change? I believe we see the change in progress when looking at the statement, "your God will be my God." Ruth may not have known all about the God of heaven but God was working in her heart and life to draw her to himself. He was making that change. Elimelech didn't just happen to go to Moab. God allowed him to go so that he could bring Ruth to faith. Somewhere, she learn of God's greatness and goodness. She wanted more and was willing to "give up" what little she may have had in Moab to gain something she couldn't even touch, knowing more of God.
Do you feel drawn to know more about God. I want to encourage you, don't hold on to the worlds possession and miss what God can give to you. Reach out, make that commitment to go to God, He is calling you.
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