It Starts Small

Through the book of Ruth, we learn about the power of decisions. Often times we hold onto the power of choice and hang it over the heads of those around us. We use our choices to try and punish others. We use our choices to fulfill our emptiness and loneliness, but we also have an opportunity to use the power of our choices for God’s purpose and will. Our choices bring great blessing or great curses.

We also learn about God’s amazing grace in the book of Ruth!

Names in “old times,” had very specific meanings. My name has no meaning. It was just a name that was liked and given to me. In Biblical times, especially, names had meaning.

Elimelch: My God is King

Naomi: pleasantness

Mahlon: Joyful Song

Chilion: Perfection

When Elimelec and his sons die, Naomi changes her name to Mara which meant bitterness. After loosing her husband and sons and finds herself with no means to take care of herself, she decides to return to her homeland. Ruth, turned from her own people and pagan gods to return with Naomi.

Ruth meets Boaz, whose name means In him is strength. Boaz loves Ruth so much that he buys back all of her dead husbands estates and marries her. Before we get to that, we get an amazing picture of grace.

Elimlec is a picture of Israel. Naomi, remember means pleasantness. Israel turned its back on God during this time of history. They were leaderless and scattered about. Darkness, sin, had covered all of the Kingdom of Judah. Just like Israel, Elimlec turned his back to God. Instead of God being King, God was dead to him. God was dead to Israel. Instead of having pleasantness, bitterness came. There was no song, nor perfection.

Interestingly enough, Ruth means a gentle bird. Remember, Ruth is a picture of the body of Christ, the Christian. Boaz is a picture of Christ.

2 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. 10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? Ruth 2:2,10

Something remarkable happens. Ruth decides to go to the fields to gleam the left overs. They had returned right as the barley harvest was happening. It was custom in Hebrew law to leave portions of the harvest for the poor to come gather wheat or barley. Ruth knows she needs to go gleam what is left over. It’s amazing how God leads her to a field owned by Boaz. She took great risk doing this. By now, word has spread that Naomi has returned and her pagan daughter in law had come with her. Jewish law did not apply to outsiders. She could have easily been chased away.

Isn’t is amazing how God arranges circumstances in our life for our goodness. Ruth heads out to gleam the fields and she unknowingly picks a field of Boaz. Just after she gets to the field, Boaz shows up. Bias is a very honorable and good man. He goes to the fields to help his workers with the harvest.

Boaz sees Ruth gleaming the leftovers. This is just like Jesus. Jesus sees us and calls us before we even see him. God loved us before we ever knew him. We love him because he loved us first. The workers tell Boaz that she’s the Moabite that returned with Naomi. He approaches Ruth and tells her to not worry about other fields, only gleam from his fields. Just like Jesus, Boaz sought her out and spoke to her first.

He tells her to glean the fields with his maidservants. He instructed all the workers to not touch her. He asks her to eat with them and if she’s thirsty to drink the water they have. He tells his servants to leave grain on purpose for her to gather. He tells his workers to protect her.

This is a picture of Jesus! He sees that we are hungry and thirsty. We are lonely and empty. He comes to us and calls our name. Grace is the love that God shows us. You can’t earn grace, it is freely given. Grace is love we can not earn or seek until he touches our heart.

Saving Grace: God sees our situation and leads us

Sovereign Grace: God arranges the circumstances

Seeking Grace: God loves us so much that he comes to us first. He speaks to us first.

Satisfying Grace: God provides all that we need physically, emotionally, and spiritually

Securing Grace: God protects his people

I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around the grace of God. To be loved so much by him, even though I have done sinful things. God is our redeemer and when we get ourselves right, have true redemption, he blesses us beyond measure. We can’t earn his blessing. He is generous. We see this picture in how Boaz treats Ruth. He sees her first. He speaks to her first. He fills her hunger and thirst. He protects her. What a beautiful picture not only as an example for husbands, but an example of Jesus.

I was Ruth for a very long time. I knew of God, but never had a personal relationship with my Savior. I was empty, lonely, starving, and thirsty. This entire journey has been God leading me to the right fields. To sit down with my Savior and eat with him and fellowship with him. He’s been protecting and guarding me with his truth and his love. I’m so thankful to have a true relationship with Jesus in my life. To know he’s working ahead and behind to make all things right. To turn things around for the purpose of our Heavenly Father. I’m thankful for grace, that no matter what I’ve done, he still loves me and calls me his friend!

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10