God's Word for Me Today
Wednesday, December 19, 2001
Unwrapping a Christ-Centered Christmas!
A note about online study
Introduction to God's Word for Me Today
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Ruth journeyed to a land she had never seen with Naomi, in order that she might worship You as her God. My I be willing to go wherever You lead me today, and do whatever it is that You call me to do. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit, who empowers me and gifts me to live out the life You have given me with courage, commitment and compassion. Bless my reading of Your Word today. Imprint its message on my mind and heart, that I may live it as I go about this day putting You first in all that I am and do. These things I pray in Jesus’ name.
God's Word for Me Today: Ruth 2
1 Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi's husband, Elimelech. 2 One day Ruth said to Naomi, "Let me go out into the fields to gather leftover grain behind anyone who will let me do it."And Naomi said, "All right, my daughter, go ahead." 3 So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.
4 While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. "The LORD be with you!" he said."The LORD bless you!" the harvesters replied. 5 Then Boaz asked his foreman, "Who is that girl over there?" 6 And the foreman replied, "She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. 7 She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes' rest over there in the shelter." 8 Boaz went over and said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don't go to any other fields. Stay right behind the women working in my field. 9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to bother you. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well." 10 Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. "Why are you being so kind to me?" she asked. "I am only a foreigner." 11 "Yes, I know," Boaz replied. "But I also know about the love and kindness you have shown your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. 12 May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully." 13 "I hope I continue to please you, sir," she replied. "You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not as worthy as your workers." 14 At lunchtime Boaz called to her, "Come over here and help yourself to some of our food. You can dip your bread in the wine if you like." So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her food – more than she could eat. 15 When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, "Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. 16 And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don't give her a hard time!"
17 So Ruth gathered barley there all day, and when she beat out the grain that evening, it came to about half a bushel. 18 She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the food that was left over from her lunch. 19 "So much!" Naomi exclaimed. "Where did you gather all this grain today? Where did you work? May the LORD bless the one who helped you!" So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked. And she said, "The man I worked with today is named Boaz." 20 "May the LORD bless him!" Naomi told her daughter-in-law. "He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband. That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers." 21 Then Ruth said, "What's more, Boaz even told me to come back and stay with his harvesters until the entire harvest is completed." 22 "This is wonderful!" Naomi exclaimed. "Do as he said. Stay with his workers right through the whole harvest. You will be safe there, unlike in other fields." 23 So Ruth worked alongside the women in Boaz's fields and gathered grain with them until the end of the barley harvest. Then she worked with them through the wheat harvest, too. But all the while she lived with her mother-in-law.
Questions for Reflection
Have you ever been helped out of a difficult situation by someone you didn’t know? What was your feeling toward that person?
What is the most difficult work you have ever done? Was there anyone there to help you, or make the work easier?
Questions for Exploration
What role does Boaz play in Ruth and Naomi’s life? (2:1-23)
What virtuous traits does Ruth display in this chapter?(2:1-23)
Questions for Understanding
What impact does Ruth have on Boaz in this text?
Why does Boaz show such kindness to Ruth?
Questions for Application
What one action carried out by either Ruth or Boaz in today’s Scripture could you do today that would make someone’s life better? Commit to doing it!
What member of your family or church family needs your prayers and support today? Take time to pray for that person.
A Family Redeemer!
Naomi tells Ruth that Boaz is one of their “family redeemers” in today’s Scripture. As we’ll see in our next two day’s readings, that means that Boaz had the responsibility to see that Naomi’s husband’s property was retained in his family. It could also mean in some cases that he was required to marry the widow of the relative to insure that a child would be born to carry on the family line. The family redeemer literally held the future of the family in his hands. It was his responsibility and his opportunity to “redeem” or buy back the family’s heritage.
In many ways Jesus fulfills the role of “family redeemer” for us. We were dead in sin, before Jesus came to die in our places. When He shed his blood on the cross, He paid the price of our redemption, so that we could be set right with God and become part of God’s family. As we move to within several days of celebrating the birth of Jesus, how important it is to remember that it is because of Him that every person who has ever lived or ever will live has the opportunity to be redeemed and be part of God’s family. As Boaz will act to redeem Naomi’s land and also become Ruth’s husband in readings over the next couple days, so Jesus, redeemed us and promises life with Him forever for all who trust in him and claim that great and wonderful redemption! While we’re celebrating Jesus’ birth next Tuesday, it’s great that we’ve already received the whole “package” of redemption from Him as life’s greatest gift of all!
To view the studies for other days, visit the God's Word for Me Today calendar.