Ruth 3:12-15
The night before my wedding I could barely sleep! The anticipation and excitement of the day ahead was all I could think of. I couldn’t wait for my soon to be husband to see my dress. I couldn’t wait to celebrate with family and friends. I wondered what the weather would be like (storms were predicted). I wondered how everything would come together. I thought of how my life was about to change! Those nervous jitters I had were nothing compared to Ruth in this chapter! Here she is approaching Boaz at night and hoping Boaz will agree to be a guardian redeemer for her family (AKA-MARRY HER!). What does he say? In a nut shell, he says “Maybe. If my other relative won’t.” Can you imagine trying to sleep that night not knowing if you’d be marrying Boaz or a total stranger? Yikes! “Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning,” (Verse 13). You see, Boaz was doing the right thing. He knows he is qualified to marry Ruth due to being a relative of Elimelek, Naomi's husband. Yet, he was a distant relative compared to another man in the family. Boaz tells Ruth it’s only right for the other to have “first dibs” on her, before he does. In the morning, he sends her back to Naomi with plenty of food. Boaz is always such a gentleman! He’s doing the right thing by asking his relative first and then he also makes sure Ruth and her mother in law have plenty to eat in the meantime.
The great news here is that whether it’s Boaz or another male in the family, Ruth and Naomi were about to be taken care of. The struggle was about to be over and a guardian redeemer was going to rescue them by marrying Ruth! The only problem was, they didn’t know who it would be. Ruth not once complained or questioned Boaz’ decision. She understood, and now it was time to wait and see what was going to happen next. I’m sure in Ruth's mind she didn’t matter who it was, she just genuinely wanted a better life for her mother in law, Naomi. The chapter ends without us knowing who it is! It’s like watching a dating show and not knowing who they will choose in the next episode. Am I right? Although we have to read on to find out who Mr. Right is, we can take an important lesson away from verses 12-15 in this chapter. In life, we won’t always know the answers right away or know how a certain situation will unfold. What we do know is this: God is with us in the waiting. He already knows how our situation will turn out. We don’t have to figure it all out, we just need to stay close to God. “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord,” (Psalm 27:14). While we wait, we must be strong and take heart. I believe that is just what Ruth did. Boaz even calls her a “Woman of noble character,” in this chapter. Where else in scripture do we see a woman of noble character? Proverbs 31. Oh to be like Ruth!
The great news here is that whether it’s Boaz or another male in the family, Ruth and Naomi were about to be taken care of. The struggle was about to be over and a guardian redeemer was going to rescue them by marrying Ruth! The only problem was, they didn’t know who it would be. Ruth not once complained or questioned Boaz’ decision. She understood, and now it was time to wait and see what was going to happen next. I’m sure in Ruth's mind she didn’t matter who it was, she just genuinely wanted a better life for her mother in law, Naomi. The chapter ends without us knowing who it is! It’s like watching a dating show and not knowing who they will choose in the next episode. Am I right? Although we have to read on to find out who Mr. Right is, we can take an important lesson away from verses 12-15 in this chapter. In life, we won’t always know the answers right away or know how a certain situation will unfold. What we do know is this: God is with us in the waiting. He already knows how our situation will turn out. We don’t have to figure it all out, we just need to stay close to God. “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord,” (Psalm 27:14). While we wait, we must be strong and take heart. I believe that is just what Ruth did. Boaz even calls her a “Woman of noble character,” in this chapter. Where else in scripture do we see a woman of noble character? Proverbs 31. Oh to be like Ruth!
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