Ruth had certainly found a wonderful place to be included. Boaz had apparently taken an interest in her having realized who she was. Ruth didn’t know the connection, and her willingness to work hard and be grateful was very pleasing to Boaz I’m sure. This working relationship appears to have continued beyond this first day to include a whole harvest season. That would be good news for Naomi and Ruth.
Have you ever found yourself in a new situation? Perhaps you have felt unsure of yourself at some time in your life. I think of my first day on a new job. Everything is new. There is so much to learn, people to meet. There is a rush of excitement, too, at the chance for a new beginning. Think back to a time when everything was new and different. You may even remember a little fear thrown in. Fear of the unknown can often cripple us. Continue reading “Ruth 2:14-23 – The Family Redeemer”
Our story unfolds a bit more today. What did we learn about Ruth today? She is devoted, and she loves deeply. Ruth didn’t want Naomi, her mother-in-law to go back to Judah alone. Ruth wasn’t thinking about her own needs or own future. She was being selfless and wanted to support Naomi. Afterall, Naomi had lost a husband and two sons and was all alone in the world.
There is a lot of information in these few short verses. We have been introduced to Ruth, but her character has yet to unfold. What we do have is a backdrop to Ruth’s story. The setting is before kings reigned, sometime during the time of the Judges. Ruth is a Moabite woman who married Mahlon, a man from Bethlehem. Mahlon had moved to and settled in Moab, an area about 40 miles from his home, to escape the famine in his land. Ruth’s husband has now died, and she finds herself a widow.
We are living stones. That is an image not on my radar. I may be living and breathing, seeing and smelling– but as a stone? Not so much. But when you play out the metaphor here, with Jesus being the cornerstone, I’m thrilled to be a living stone.
