Overwhelming Grace

Ruth 2:10

New International Version

At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

For Meditation

Some stories remain fresh and stimulating forever. The story of Ruth is one of them, particularly the piece in chapter two that developed into a love story between Ruth and Boaz.

Ruth asks to go out into the harvest fields to find grain from any favorable farmer (Ruth 2:2). She ends up in Boaz’s field, a kinsman redeemer of their family. Coincidence?

That word is not part of the vocabulary of the kingdom of God. Instead, look up the word providence, and you will find the Lord’s rich field of love and grace.

 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.

You got the hint of a spiritual man, don’t you? If you wanted a husband for your daughter, would you bypass such a man without any consideration?

Then Boaz asked his supervisor,

Who is that young woman over there? Who does she belong to?

Do not forget the word providence, my friend. When God is dealing His hand in His redemption story, providence is all over such situations. If you haven’t noticed yet, pay attention to Christ and see how He overwhelms you with what you see.

She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi (6).

The men testify to Ruth’s hard work and focus (7). That impresses Boaz. He goes over and speaks to her. Now stop right there!

Realize that though Ruth’s credentials led to the conversation with Boaz and everything that followed, it was not the actual trigger of the budding love. The Lord had already inclined the heart of Boaz towards Ruth. What follows, therefore, fits neatly into His redemptive plan.

Listen, my daughter. Stay right here … gather grain; don’t go to any other fields.

Boaz opens his field to Ruth, warns his young men concerning her, and gives her the right to the water drawn from his well (8-9). Do you get it?

What kindness! How could it lack the warmth of genuine love? The pieces are coming together on the canvas of providence, put together by the Master’s skillful brush strokes.

How does she respond to such grace?

Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner (10).”

I don’t know about you, but I am tearing up as I engage with the reaction of Ruth to the kindness of Boaz. That was my situation in the Field of Redemption on the day Christ took hold of me.

Beaten down by a cruel world, destitute, and needing a fresh breath of life, I remember how I sleepwalked into that Christian meeting in a hotel where I met my Boaz. His love flowed through the testimony of the keynote speaker for the day. My heart warmed as I saw my ugly life beamed on a big screen. Overwhelmed by His love, hot tears of sorrow from a contrite heart flooded my face, and I fell on my knees in surrender to His grace.

But has that wonder been my response to his daily flow of divine mercy and grace since then? Does the love of Christ still overwhelm me to draw such surrender and obedience to Him?

How about you? How do you respond to His grace? 

We can only fall on our face in pure worship of God in response to His abounding grace when we see ourselves in His mirror of love and mercy (Ephesians 2:12-13).

Shalom