A Perfect Plan

 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.” Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek. Ruth 2:2-3

The more we’ve studied the story of Ruth this month, the more I’ve grown to love it.  There are no miracles in this book — no prophets, no angels sending a message, no unexplainable healings.  Yet this story is so undeniably powerful because it’s relatable.  These are ordinary people dealing with ordinary circumstances that show God’s extraordinary kindness.

I think we can all agree that the economy could be better. (Understatement, yes?)  You may know families who have had to make tough decisions in order to continue providing.  For my husband and I, it meant moving.  Much like Ruth moved from Moab to Israel in hopes of the best possible life for her and Naomi, my husband and I moved from everything and everyone we knew in Nashville so that my husband could further his career in Orlando.

Once she arrived in Judah, Ruth went to glean in the fields.  God had provided this opportunity through Deuteronomy 24:21-22 when He commanded, “When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.”

So Ruth deals with loss and financial hardship and moves away to a land where God has commanded his people to care for the widow and the foreigner — of which she is both.   And though she moved for these reasons, God had much bigger plans in mind.  She didn’t glean in just any field, but in Boaz’s field, her kinsman redeemer and the man who would become the father of Ruth’s child Obed.  And Obed became the father of Jesse, who became the father of David, and so on and so forth until you get to Jesus.  That was the big plan.

We don’t always understand why God works the way he does.  I came to Orlando kicking and screaming (not literally, ya’ll, but pretty stinkin’ close).  I moped the entire first month here.  But then God started doing some cool stuff.  We needed a church, so I got on an online forum for people who were moving to Florida and someone told me about Real Life.  God had a bigger plan for us.  He stripped us from our comfort and security in Nashville and brought us to a place where we would depend on him completely.  Then He led us to walk through the doors of Real Life and to people, who like Boaz, love God and let that love spill out into the lives of others with exceptional kindness.  And our lives have never been the same.

Trust God.  He’s good.  It’s a simple principle that we’ve all heard, but Ruth is a reminder of that.  And don’t we constantly need reminders of that?  What makes you nervous?  What is giving you anxiety?  Could it be that God is going to use that exact situation to rock your world and draw you closer to him?

Let go of the worry, and hold to His promises and His faithfulness.  Ruth is part of the cloud of witnesses that attest to the goodness of God.  He cared for the foreigners, widows & fatherless in Deuteronomy. He cared for Ruth.  He cares for flowers and birds.  He cares for you, because He’s crazy about you.

~ Whitney Sewell

Wonderful Father, thank you, thank you, thank you for your goodness and kindness.  Thank you for caring about the widow, the fatherless, and the foreigner.  Thank you for loving me.  Help me to look for opportunities to bless others as Boaz did, and keep reminding me to trust you as Ruth did.  Forgive me of my times of doubt, Lord.  I want to depend on you completely.  I love you! Amen.

Other scriptures to study:

• Deuteronomy 24:17-22
• Hebrews 12:1-3
• Psalm 18:1-2
• Matthew 6:25-34
• Psalm 22:4-5