Reading: Ruth
And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens
thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the
threshingfloor. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and
put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor:
but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall
have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when he
lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall
lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee
down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do(Ruth 2:2-4).
Ruth was a Moabitess, banned from the congregation of
Israel by law and tradition (Deut. 23:3). Her story, then, is one of
double redemption. Before she ever met Boaz, before he ever
covered her with his skirt (Ruth 3:9-13) and fulfilled the role of
family redeemer (Ruth 4:9-10), she was covered by grace and
redeemed by God Himself. When Elimelech took his family and fled to Moab to escape
the famine in Israel, he acted out of self-preservation rather
than faith. The same can be said for his sons’ decisions to take
Moabite wives. If they were to marry, the Moabites were the only
women available, so they felt their choice was justified despite
God’s decree against intermarrying. All three men died without
ever returning to their homeland, still under the misguided belief
that forging their own path had been necessary and right. In death, they left behind three devastated, childless widows.
As an older woman past childbearing age, Naomi accepted her
fate and prepared to return to her homeland, her faith in God
all she had left to cling to. Orpah and Ruth had considerably
more options. Both were young widows, relieved of obligation
through the death of their husbands and the release of their
mother-in-law. They could return to their mother’s homes, find
new husbands, and get on with their lives. Although it clearly
grieved her to do so (Ruth 1:9-14), Orpah did just that. Ruth,
on the other hand, clung to Naomi. And Ruth said, Intreat me
not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for
whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will
lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part
thee and me (1:16-17). In the first act of genuine faith we see in today’s reading,
Ruth turns her back on everything she ever knew, gives up her
religion, parents, siblings, extended family, culture, and country,
and resolves to follow God's path. If any man come to Me,
and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children,
and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he
cannot be My disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his
cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple (Luke
14:26-27). Ruth had every incentive to turn back and none to
go forward, yet still she continued on. Love for Naomi and the
burning spark of faith she did not yet understand spurred her
onward. Just as she would later lay down at the feet of Boaz,
Ruth laid herself down at the feet of God, and in that moment
of surrender, she became a child of God. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I
perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every
nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is
accepted with Him(Acts 10:34-35). Thought For Today:Salvation can be found even through
the folly of others. With God, all is possible. Christ Revealed:Through Bethlehem (Ruth 2:4; 4:11), which means “House
of Bread.” Jesus, the Bread of Life, satisfies the spiritual hunger of all who
come to Him. Then Jesus said unto them . . . I am the Bread of Life: he
that cometh to Me shall never hunger (John 6:32-35). Word Studies:1:1 sojourn = temporarily live; 1:2 continued = stayed; 1:8
the dead = their dead husbands; 1:16 Intreat = Ask; 1:18 minded = determined;
1:19 moved = concerned; 2:2 glean = gather leftover; corn = grain;
2:8 fast by = close to. Pray For Staff:Tifany Parisi • Government Officials: Rep. Tony Cardenas
(CA), , Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA), Sen. Angus King (ME),Rep. Mark DeSauinier
(CA) • Country: Venezuela (28,868,486) Northern South America • Major Language:
Spanish • Religious Freedom (anti-semitism by gov’t owned/affiliated
media & gov’t religious intimidation) • 96% Roman Catholic; 2% Protestant;
2% Other • Prayer Suggestion: Pray in one accord with other Christians. Optional ReadingActs 1