The story of Ruth continues to teach me new lessons. If we have heard the story of Ruth before, then we know Boaz is her kinsman redeemer, also representative of Jesus and His working in each of our lives. A “kinsman-redeemer”, very simply defined, was a person, the closest relative, who would deliver a member of his family from difficult circumstances. With that in mind, in Ruth 2:11-12, three phrases stand out:
- “Yes, I know…” (Ruth 2:11) —> Boaz knew everything concerning Ruth and her situation. And God knows each one of our situations as well. Hebrews 4:13 tells us, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes.” He sees every difficulty, every wound buried deep, every tear cried in private.
- “I have heard…” (Ruth 2:11) —> Boaz had heard much about Ruth. Our reputation will go before us. May we be careful and cultivate good character. May we also remember He hears our every prayer, every cry. There isn’t anything which He does not hear. “I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (Psalm 116:1,2 NLT). He hears every prayer whispered, every word barely said aloud.
- “I am only….” (Ruth 2:10) —> No matter what we “only” are, God is concerned for us and notices us. “I am only a wife, a mother, a student, a grandmother, a secretary, a teacher, a worker, etc.” When we give Him all that we are, He blesses it and uses us for His glory in ways we may never have anticipated. We are enough in Him. He never uses the word “only” in His thoughts of us.
This detail in Ruth reminds each of us that our God knows our situations, personally and intimately. He hears our cries and prayers. He works in our lives because of His great love for us. He knows we need to be rescued, redeemed.
He knows we need a Savior.
Today I am joining … Playdates With God and Soli Deo Gloria and Titus 2 Tues. and Tell Me A Story and Testimony Tues. and Teaching What Is Good and Unite .
Love, love, love when we can draw out principals from scripture and be reminded of His care for us. Great post, Joanne. Thanks for linking up today!
It is amazing to me what He reveals to us in the midst of a familiar story. Always something new & fresh. Thank you for hosting!
Amen, Joanne! Your post blesses me today! God is so good to remind me of his faithfulness through you!
Helen, I am grateful for your visit here. It is wonderful to be going on the Ruth journey with you! He is always faithful to us. Always. Blessings, friend!
I’m glad you shared these three phases. I’ve read the story many times, but not sure that I caught those before. So thank you, Joanne. There’s always so much we can learn from listening to each other.
It is amazing what stands out at different times, Lisa. I know I have read this portion even recently but missed those words. So grateful He always gives us a fresh insight. Thank you for sharing with me!
God was watching out for Ruth because he saw her heart and gentle spirit. She was willing to leave all to follow her beloved mother-in-law. Sometimes God asks us to leave the old things behind and reach out for the new. Awesome thoughts presented here. “Thank you for sharing with us here at “Tell Me a Story.”
Hazel, I am so glad you continue to share your insights on Ruth with me as well. May we be as humble and obedient & willing as Ruth and so reap (no pun intended) the benefits of all that God has for us. So grateful to have linked with you again. Thank you for hosting!
I love the story of Ruth and I love the points you made. It is so cool how God puts these little pictures for us in the Bible through other people’s lives
Thank you for stopping here & getting a small picture from the greater picture of Ruth. Enjoy the rest of your week!
So good! The more I read about Ruth and hear other’s reflections, I know that I would like to live my life like Ruth. We all need to be redeemed and we are so blessed to have been saved by Jesus Christ. Love this series-keep it coming!
To be like Ruth. So very true, Mary. I am glad that you have enjoyed the posts on Ruth. Never intended it to happen like that. But in doing the Hello Morning study, it kind of happened 🙂 Thanks for your encouragement!
Yes, I’ve been a “Ruth” fan for years and years. She certainly had a heart for the Lord and stepped out of the non-God portion where she lived, so many being used as sacrifices in her country area. She put herself at risk to go with Naomi, and she was a loving girl and a blessing.
Thank you for stopping here & for sharing with me. I have so appreciated your thoughts.
Joanne, So many good things to learn here! Have never done an in depth study on Ruth before, but wow, I love that, a “kinsman-redeemer”. Just the sound of it! Great parallel between Boaz and Christ! I love that HE is OUR kinsman-redeemer! Great post!
Thank you so much, Jen. The parallel is amazing!