 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down.8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.” 14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.” Meditation The loyal love of the Lord for His people is revealed by the remarkable synergy of His sovereign grace working through human agency for His purposes of redemptive restoration. Christians walk by faith, fully leaning into God’s divine design for all of life, to experience the depth of the Lord’s steadfast love. Dialog between Naomi and Ruth bookend today’s reading (1-5, 16-18), emphasizing Ruth’s bold proposal to Boaz. Naomi’s direction for Ruth was risky, putting the foreign refugee in a vulnerable position at the feet (literally) of a powerful man. Ruth did everything Naomi requested, obedience manifest in a marriage proposal to Boaz. Using the same language of refuge Ruth sought by serving the Lord (2:12), Ruth goes to Boaz at midnight and asks him to “spread his wings” over her as a redeemer. That is, to take up his responsibility to provide for a widow in the family through marriage. Ruth’s bold proposal displays radical faith in God and His design for restoration. Honoring God by treating Ruth with dignity, Boaz is eager to take up the widow’s cause but first needs to honor the process. Promising to bring the desperate situation to resolution, Boaz seals his intention with six measures of barley. God seals His loyal love for us through the work of Jesus, filling our hearts with first fruits of His faithfulness until Christ comes to consummate His covenant faithfulness (1 John 3:1-3). Our bold proposal is to walk in faith, fully leaning into His sovereign grace by trusting His divine design for all of life. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you about Ruth’s bold proposal, specifically her willingness to fully walk in Naomi’s direction and trust God’s design for restoration? -Where do you lean for restoration and strength, places or people other than God and His design for life? -How does the sealing of God’s steadfast love through the finished work of Jesus, making believers children of God, empower your faith to lean more fully into God and His design for redemptive restoration? Key Verse 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” Comments are closed.
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