Unveiled Love - Ruth (Part 4)

A godly relationship flourishes through prayer...and this is exactly where this final part of Ruth's story starts...We see Naomi's heart for Ruth and Boaz because the Lord had placed them there, so that Naomi would pray for, support, and encourage them in godly wisdom. The most beautiful prayers I have heard are ones that have not been rushed, but have taken time to express the deepest intimacy's of thought. Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz took their time in prayer seeking God's will. These events played out in God's perfect timing - Boaz had time to notice Ruth's virtues and integrity and Ruth has time to respect and admire Boaz. A good reputation comes from a God-honoring character and your kindness towards everyone around you. Naomi was there to give Ruth that extra nudge she needed...Now Naomi did this with full confidence in the Lord's guiding. We as Christian women need to be very careful in this area. Many of us are guilty of putting false ideas into our friends minds of men around them...yes it may be motivated in that you want to see your friend happy, but a lot of time it may do more harm than good. Sometimes we choose to listen more to what our girl friends have to say about who you think is "Mr. Perfect (at the time)" than what the Lord has to say because you know your friend will tell you exactly what you want to hear, which often times leads us down a rabbit trail of thoughts most of the time concluding at the altar picturing yourself in a white dress and attaching "his" last name to the end of yours...that is a dangerous game of false fantasies. Be careful who you listen to and try to discern gossip from wisdom. In Ruth's case Naomi was speaking from wisdom. It is very profitable to take and heed wisdom from godly counsel. There is so much to learn from the older saints. Ruth trusted Naomi’s judgment and advice and followed in it. Boaz was Ruth's Kinsman-Redeemer. As we saw how God provided for the poor and widow's under the Law by gleaning God also provided for the widow's and the family line through the Kinsman-Redeemer. Naomi had told Ruth that she was to go wash herself, put on her best garments, and go down to the threshing floor where Boaz slept. Ruth made herself even more lovely than she already had shown herself to be in humility and vulnerability before the feet of her lord. Uncovering his feet was an ancient Near Eastern custom of a marriage proposal. That is as far as Ruth was instructed to go and from their had to wait and trust in God's leading. I can only imagine the God given boldness this woman needed. Her action took great risk...if anyone saw her it would ruin her reputation and his. I imagine with each step it took more effort than the last and with each step her heart beat harder to the point it felt like it would paralyze her...she had come too far to turn back...and I am sure her trembling made it all the more a reality of what she was about to do. Ruth placed herself as a servant at his feet. Boaz awoke and was startled by this young woman that lay at his feet, but when Ruth told him who she was and who he was to her, Boaz responded in warmth. He said, “Blessed are you of the LORD, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of the town know that you are a virtuous woman.” Boaz needed strength just as much as Ruth - here is a man well along in years who has never been married nor seemed to have any prospects and was now being offered marriage from a lovely, honorable, young woman - God knew his heart...this was his prize of years of waiting and faithfulness. I wonder what God spoke to Boaz in those quiet hours when he felt so lonely longing for companionship. I wonder if He whispered promises of blessings to come... Boaz expressed the character of Christ in this, he saw Ruth as pure and holy. Love conquers all things and in Boaz case it conquered pride. Boaz was a well known man in the city and to take on a young foreign widow as his wife could have caused there to be gossip. He had much to lose and not much to gain in this situation in the worlds eyes, but he was righteous. Boaz focused on Ruth’s virtuous qualities and God honored him. Both Ruth and Boaz showed each other such kindness and I believe are a wonderful example of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." Not only did Boaz want to accept Ruth and have her as his wife, but he fought for her as well. You see there was someone closer in relation to Naomi than himself and by law Boaz had to go to him first because he was the next in line to take Ruth as his wife. Boaz explained this to Ruth and told her to rest, assuring her he would do everything in his power to make sure she would be okay. Boaz sent her home with six ephahs of barley, proving he already desired to be Ruth’s provider. What a man! Ladies, if there is a quality you want to seek in a man it is a man that will fight for you no matter what the circumstances...I have known of too many hearts that have been broken because men have not stepped up to the plate to fight for the women they say they are committed to...and let me tell you love YOU ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR! May no one ever make you feel otherwise. You are precious in His sight. Boaz continued in obedience to Gods law even though the hope of his longing and answered prayers was at his fingertips he maintained godliness and faithfulness. Jehovah-Tsidkenu "The Lord our Righteousness". Boaz knew and trusted in Gods sovereignty more than in his own human strength or effort. AS GOD WILLS...He gives wisdom in every circumstance. Waiting is the hardest thing to do sometimes, especially in a situation like Ruth had. I know that if it were me I would be uneasily pacing and anxiously waiting. Naomi again in her wisdom encouraged Ruth to sit still because she knew Boaz was going to not rest until he concluded all the matters of the day. I am sure Naomi was feeling almost or just as much anxiousness as Ruth was, but her response was to turn to the Lord. What a beautiful picture I see, I picture Naomi and Ruth sitting together and bringing everything before the Lord in prayer, and as they were praying God was working! God puts the desires of His heart in our hearts. Though Ruth and Boaz may have been concerned God had already reserved each heart for the other, and what God reserves no man can touch. Boaz had gone to the city gate and before the council of ten men announced that he hoped to buy Ruth’s inheritance and take her as his wife. Boaz also cleverly offered the closest relative to Naomi, what he could acquire. However, he only presented half of the information at first then twisted it in his own favor. The closest relative did not want to complicate his inheritance by marrying a widow and so he gave it over to Boaz. Boaz’s heart must have almost lept out of his chest, though he trusted in God, and knew in his heart Ruth would be his wife, he did not have full assurance until that moment when the shoe was passed. Not only did Boaz rejoice, but also all the witnesses rejoiced with him, and they prayed a blessing over his marriage and household. “So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.” God brought such blessings out of tragedy to this household. From Ruth’s line came King David (she was his great grandmother). The events recorded in Ruth were all in part of God’s preparation for the birth of David and even more so of Jesus. God can use every circumstance to build His kingdom. Ruth did not know her life was serving and bringing God glory for a larger purpose. Neither do we know how God is using our lives for a greater purpose than what we see right now. We are given choices and opportunities in this life and we need to respond to them with an eternal mindset. God desires for you to have the very best. His expectations will surprise you and far exceed your own...but the price of it will be patience, faith, and trust. SIT STILL. My prayer for all of us is that the Lord be molding us into the women intended for those men...into the wives who will add to our (future) husbands crown. May we be filled with unconditional wholehearted love for them. Love that exceeds what we are capable of giving in our human ability...love that comes from and is sourced through Christ alone. Amen! In His Love, Anna