[Anglican Communion 13 May 2020] Topic: Divine Favour
TOPIC: Divine Favour
READ: RUTH 2:1-12 (NKJV)
- There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name [was] Boaz.
- So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after [him] in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”
- Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field [belonging] to Boaz, who [was] of the family of Elimelech.
- Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “The LORD [be] with you!” And they answered him, “The LORD bless you!”
- Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman [is] this?”
- So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It [is] the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.
- “And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.”
- Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women.
- “[Let] your eyes [be] on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.”
- So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I [am] a foreigner?”
- And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and [how] you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before.
- “The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”
THE MESSAGE:
Gleaning among farmers implies going over the fields several times to maximise harvest recovery. But in Leviticus 19:10 and 23:22, God commanded His people to deliberately leave the gleanings for the poor and the alien. Naomi and Ruth made use of this opportunity. Ruth went out hoping to find a field belonging to someone who might show her favour (verse 2), but she got a divine favour (verse 10). Notice her initiative and wise steps, first to obtain support from her mother-in-law (verse 2), and then the foreman’s permission (verses 6-7). Her industry is also commendable (verses 7,11). Today, many of our young person’s spend quality time watching movies, surfing the internet or just idling. What can be done to ignite the kind of initiative and industry we see in Ruth in our generation?
After Boaz had extended much favours to Ruth, he prayed that God would reward her (verse 12). Do you think she would have activated these favours if she remained at home complaining, or went about begging? We can agree with James 2:17 that her faith in God was shown through her actions! Thus, as we pray for divine favours, let us take definite steps of faith, knowing that God will make us return with shouts of joy (verse 12; Psalm 126:6).
PRAYER: Oh Lord our God, as I engage in honest activities, please grant me divine favours today.
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