God's Word for Me Today
Thursday, December 20, 2001
Unwrapping a Christ-Centered Christmas!
A note about online study
Introduction to God's Word for Me Today
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Jesus, our “family redeemer,” who came among us for a time and showed us exactly how You call us who bear His name to live. We thank You that He did what we could not do through our effort—re-establish the broken relationship with You. We praise You that when He died to redeem us, that You vindicated Him by raising Him from the dead! As we draw closer and closer to the celebration of His birth, I thank You for all that came after that marvelous birth, which has brought us into communion with You and to the assurance that wherever we are in this life, You are with us, and that You will remain with us for all eternity. This I pray in Jesus’ name.
God's Word for Me Today: Ruth 3
1 One day Naomi said to Ruth, "My daughter, it's time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for. 2 Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he's been very kind by letting you gather grain with his workers. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. 3 Now do as I tell you – take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don't let Boaz see you until he has finished his meal. 4 Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do." 5 "I will do everything you say," Ruth replied.
6 So she went down to the threshing floor that night and followed the instructions of her mother-in-law. 7 After Boaz had finished his meal and was in good spirits, he lay down beside the heap of grain and went to sleep. Then Ruth came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 Around midnight, Boaz suddenly woke up and turned over. He was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet! 9 "Who are you?" he demanded." I am your servant Ruth," she replied. "Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer." 10 "The LORD bless you, my daughter!" Boaz exclaimed. "You are showing more family loyalty now than ever by not running after a younger man, whether rich or poor. 11 Now don't worry about a thing, my daughter. I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town knows you are an honorable woman. 12 But there is one problem. While it is true that I am one of your family redeemers, there is another man who is more closely related to you than I am. 13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning I will talk to him. If he is willing to redeem you, then let him marry you. But if he is not willing, then as surely as the LORD lives, I will marry you! Now lie down here until morning."
14 So Ruth lay at Boaz's feet until the morning, but she got up before it was light enough for people to recognize each other. For Boaz said, "No one must know that a woman was here at the threshing floor." 15 Boaz also said to her, "Bring your cloak and spread it out." He measured out six scoops of barley into the cloak and helped her put it on her back. Then Boaz returned to the town. 16 When Ruth went back to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, "What happened, my daughter?" Ruth told Naomi everything Boaz had done for her, 17 and she added, "He gave me these six scoops of barley and said, 'Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.'" 18 Then Naomi said to her, "Just be patient, my daughter, until we hear what happens. The man won't rest until he has followed through on this. He will settle it today."
Questions for Reflection
When have you felt the safest in your life?
What role does God have in Your sense of well-being?
Questions for Exploration
What was Naomi’s plan for Ruth to get a “permanent home” and “be provided for”? (3:1-13)
How did the plan work? (3:8-18)
Questions for Understanding
How did Naomi know that Boaz would want to have Ruth as his wife?
What is the significance of Boaz’s response to Ruth, when he discovered her lying at his feet in the middle of the night.
Questions for Application
For whom do you have the responsibility of providing protection? Pray and asked God to give you the ability to be faithful in this responsibility.
What action from today’s Scripture motivates you to carrying out an action on behalf of someone you know and love?
A Practical Faith!
One of the common criticisms I’ve heard of Christianity over the years is that it’s a “pie in the sky” faith. That is, the promises of Christianity are for going to heaven someday, but they don’t deal with the real issues of life today. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In both the Old and New Testaments, we find that the God of Israel and His Son, Jesus are infinitely practical. In today’s Scripture Ruth needs a permanent home and to be provided for, as Naomi put it. Naomi devises a plan that will ultimately get Ruth a husband—Boaz. While the plan may seem a little like a soap opera, with Ruth getting all dressed up in her best outfit, and going to Boaz’s place of business and lying down at his feet after he has lain down to sleep for the night; Naomi’s inspiration can only have come from God. How can I say that? Because Ruth is destined to be Jesus’ Great, great, great……grandmother. God certainly knew that, and designed that. God used Naomi to bring Ruth and Boaz together. God used Boaz to bring protection to Naomi and Ruth, and God used Ruth, to make Boaz aware of the goodness that can be found in a Moabite woman, who is dedicated to Him. Each person in the story played a part in the practical fulfillment of the others needs. That’s the way God works—He uses us to fulfill the needs of others, so that all of us will recognize that we need Him and one another . When someone says that Christianity isn’t a practical faith, tell them to read Ruth! Better yet, tell them to read the Gospels and see all the practical needs Jesus met! After all, being practical runs in His family!
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