A Royal Wedding

Naomi does not get our criticism, but our pity. She is among many who would conclude, based on their immediate circumstances that even God is against her.

Here is the point. Ruth and Boaz have not even met yet. But the Lord, somewhere beneath the surface and amid all the tragedy and devastation, is working out a plan, setting the stage for what He will do ahead. He does not necessarily cause bad things to happen, but he can work through anything to accomplish His will.

THE LORD IS WORKING OUT A PLAN.

Singles: Trust the Lord that in his timing and his way God will, if it be His will, introduce into your life one who will be your helpmate.

Couples wanting to have children. You do not know how the Lord is working.

Parents: I do not care how small your children are, begin praying for the person God will bring into his or her life to share in marriage.

Married Couples: Believing you married someone because it was God’s will gives endurance to your relationship.

· My wife and I grew up on opposite sides of Knoxville going to different churches, attending different schools, with separate lives. But we believe our meeting in college and our successive courtship and marriage was not just good fortune or coincidence. Rather, we believe that it was the will of God.

· Nina married Hal well into her retirement.

· Forrest and Rose Lunsway oldest couple ever married on March 19, his 100 birthday. She is 93.

While Naomi wallows in her grief, Ruth takes some initiative: She goes in the fields to glean. In the Old Testament times, there was not food stamps, but there was a system of assistance to the poor. After harvesting bundles of barley and wheat, the harvesters were not to go back and pick up the loose grains. These were left for the underprivileged to collect for their own use. It also gave them the pride and dignity of working for what they received rather than simply waiting around for some government or charitable handout.

By the providence of God, Ruth finds herself in the field of Boaz, a relative of Naomi and a wealthy man. Seeing this attractive Moabite woman in his field, Boaz inquires, Who is that young woman. I suspect he was thinking, “She’s pretty!”

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?” Ruth 2:4-5 NIV

Boaz’ foreman informs him that she is the Moabite woman who had returned to Bethlehem with Naomi and added that she had asked permission to collect grain left by the harvesters and that she had work steadily. Fittingly impressed, Boaz begins the subtle formalities of courtship:

He tells her not to go to anyone else’s fields but his. He instructed the men who worked for him not to bother her. And he gave her permission to drink from the water supplied for his employees. He invites her to have lunch with him (its their first date). He compliments her devotion to Naomi. He quietly tells his workers to intentionally leave some extra grains for her to pick up. That is what we do when we are sweet on someone. We try to make a good impression in hopes that that person will like us.