Tragedy was evident in the
lives of Naomi and Ruth. Their husbands were gone. Their lives were
changed, and now the impact was so strong upon Naomi that she changed
her name to “Marah” which means “bitter” when she returned
home. While they suffered, God was preparing a barley harvest, and
while they endured mental and emotional pain, the Almighty prepared a
kinsman named Boaz who entered our story in yesterday's verse. Today
our verse shares one of the most important concepts when we are
feeling low. It is found in Ruth chapter two and verse two where it
reads:
And Ruth the Moabitess
said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn
after [him] in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her,
Go, my daughter.
As we
look into this verse, it is interesting to note the honor and respect
that Ruth has for her mother-in-law Naomi: “And Ruth the
Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now...”. The scripture points
out Ruth's nationality as a foreign one, but the respect she shows
Naomi by asking permission is what is notable. Again in a society
where the daughter-in-law mother-in-law relationship is usually
strained, this relationship is remarkable. One of the traits that is
loved by our Heavenly Father is when we have respect unto
authorities. Jesus even noted this trait in the Centurion in the
gospel of Luke in chapter seven and verse eight, and Ruth certainly
shows respect to Naomi.
Ruth's
request is a simple one, yet important. She asked, “Let me now
go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I
shall find grace.” The Hebrew law gave provision for the poor.
Harvesters were not to glean every grain in their fields, but were to
leave the corners unharvested and only reap one time as they
gathered. Those who were poor and disadvantaged could then go to the
field and gather from that which was left behind. In the book of
Leviticus in chapter twenty-two and verse twenty-three it says:
And when you reap the
harvest of your land, you shalt not make clean riddance of the
corners of your field when you reap, neither shalt you gather any
gleaning of your harvest: you shalt leave them unto the poor, and to
the stranger: I [am] the LORD your God.
Somehow
Ruth knew this law, and she asked permission of Naomi to join some
random field with the hope that she would join to a field of a
gracious person. Little did she know that she was directly in the
providence of God Almighty.
Naomi
gives her a simple answer, “And she said unto here, Go, my
daughter.” Once again we are struck with the relationship
between Naomi and Ruth. She said, “my daughter.” It is a
marvel if we look at it long enough for there to be a fellowship of
survivors whenever death occurs. Ruth was like an adopted daughter,
and the evidence of their closeness is seen by there commitment to
decide together about simply going to a field to harvest.
What is
important about this verse is that Ruth moved. In other words,
tragedy was still impacting, but Ruth went to the field. There was
life that was needed to be lived, and Ruth was going to do what it
took to sustain it. Certainly she and Naomi could have chosen to just
mope around, be depressed and never go out of their lodging, but Ruth
decided to move. Sometimes when trouble occurs our best choice is
simply to move. Ruth had no idea she was moving in the providence of
God, but she was. Ruth didn't know the full plan the Almighty had for
both she and Naomi. She simply made the first move. As it has been
said, “it is much easier to steer a moving car than a parked one”,
and sometimes the greatest step is simply the next one. Perhaps there
are areas in our lives that need just the first step to begin the
process for fulfilling more than our hearts could ever desire. The
Almighty awaits, and like Ruth, it's our move.
Next
time we will continue to look at what just “happened” to occur
when Ruth went to the field, so read ahead, and we shall join
together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites,
www.amazon.com
; www.barnesandnobles.com
; download
to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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