Warriors Arise: June 10, 2021
Ruth 3:10 (NKJV)Then 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.
As I read this passage, it looks to me as if Boaz had at least thought of Ruth and maybe others before her as a potential bride. Maybe he had pursued someone before but they wanted a younger or richer man than he. Maybe he had been "set up" with other girls, but they did not honor their mother (or in Ruth's case, mother-in-law) or him. Maybe they had dishonored his mother, because his mother was not an Israelite. His mother was the Jerricho woman who helped the spies escape. Ruth has come to his fields, followed his instruction and worked diligently to provide for she and her mother-in-law. He could tell when she started gleaning his fields that she had no intention of trying to use her feminine wiles to persuade him. She worked faithfully. She was not looking for handouts. Nor was she looking for a husband. She was around plenty of men and her beauty spoke for her; however, she didn't lose focus on why she had come to Israel. She came to take care of her mother-in-law not to find a husband. He had observed her. His workers had noticed her.
Ruth 3:11-12 (NKJV) And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman. 12 Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I.
Boaz is a wise man. I believe Ruth had caught his eye. However, he thought she would pursue another. Maybe he was testing her. Maybe he needed to know her intentions and more of her character. However, she had remained faithful to Naomi and diligent in her work throughout the barley harvest. Day after day she returned. She wasn't looking for handouts. She wasn't looking for a man to take on her "problems". She wasn't looking for a man to solve her problems. Boaz observed these same things about her. When she asked him to be the kinsmen redeemer he already knew there was another in line. There was someone before him. Now that he knew she was not in pursuit of another, he promised to figure out a way to be her kinsmen redeem; but how? If there was someone before him, what could he do.
Ruth 3:13-15 (NKJV) Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the Lord lives! Lie down until morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, “Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Also he said, “Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city.
He did not want her out on the streets late at night. He didn't want anything to happen to her. She had chosen him. He was not about to cast her out into the night for whatever fate may have come upon her. He knew of the predators that would be lurking. He also didn't want her reputation to be tainted. She had shown herself to be of the highest character in honoring her mother-in-law and being a diligent worker. She had not squandered her days and she wasn't looking for handouts. He instructs her to stay until morning.
I can't imagine the either one of them got much sleep the rest of the night! Boaz was trying to come up with a plan and Ruth was laying at the feet of a man. What if someone saw her? Would they think she was trying to seduce Boaz like when the Moabite women seduced the men of Israel when Balaam tried to curse them? Could she trust this man? Maybe not, but she could trust her mother-in-law. And she had sent her to Boaz so she would have to trust Boaz to be the man her mother-in-law thought him to be.
Today is your day to trust the people God has placed in your life to remove reproach society has placed upon you. Today my be your day to stand up for someone or promote them. What are you waiting for? Why would we withhold what we know we could do to lift them up, reposition them to better things, to a better life? Boaz does not bring Ruth out. He protects her. Nobody but her mother-in-law knew she went to him. Boaz made this appear to be his idea, as a kinsmen redeemer so as to honor Ruth.
Father, I ask for You to open my eyes, so I can see who I can build up with encouragement. Show me who I need to promote and give opportunity. If there is something in me that holds back my ability to promote someone else I pray I would humble myself. I pray I would acknowledge their behavior and character now and not hold them captive to their past. I pray I would seize the opportunity to help another, to remove the reproach, to protect their honor, to give them a better life. I ask for the awareness of their need. Direct my path in knowing how I can position them to have a better life. I ask for You to give me courage to step forward and extend my blessing upon their life in Jesus' name, amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus, riots, and lies. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.
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