THE PROVISION OF GRACE
Text: Ruth 3:1-5
Introduction
1. “The way to have faith is to step out, forgetting about your fears and doubts, and to trust God that whatever happens, He will be there.” — Tanya Eavenson
2. The book of Ruth is one of the most beautiful love stories in Scripture—but it’s much more than romance. It’s a story of faith, loyalty, and God’s providence working through ordinary people who choose to trust Him even when they can’t see the outcome.
3. Read Ruth 3:1-5
Transition: Let’s go along as…
I. Ruth Steps Out in Faith
A. Life was difficult for widows in ancient Israel, especially if you were from another country. This plays a big role in our text today.
B. In v. 1 we read, “One day Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, it’s time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for.”
1. As we discussed in earlier messages, Boaz was a close relative of Naomi’s husband Elimelech.
2. So, one day Naomi spoke to Ruth and told her it’s time that I find a “permanent home” for you.
3. The phrase “permanent home” comes from a Hebrew word that means “a place of tranquility, rest, and safety,” and it referred to the condition of safety and protection offered in Israelite society by marriage.
4. Naomi realized that she wasn’t going to live forever, and when she passed away, Ruth would be homeless.
5. It would be one thing to survive as a widow in a foreign land during Naomi’s lifetime, but quite another to do so after she was gone.
6. Naomi needs to provide a safe family relationship for Ruth’s future.
C. In v. 2, we begin to see Naomi’s plan unfold. She says to Ruth, “Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he’s been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor.”
1. Naomi looks at Boaz’s kindness toward Ruth in allowing her to work alongside of his female workers as a sign that he had a special place in his heart for her.
2. She took this as a strong sign that Boaz would be willing to play the part of the family redeemer towards Ruth and take her as his wife.
3. This was more than Naomi being a “match maker,” she had obviously given this some serious thought.
4. Furthermore, she knew that Boaz would be winnowing barley at the threshing floor that night and saw this as a good opportunity to see if he was willing to marry Ruth.
5. The threshing floor was a level place made either of smooth rock or a hardened earth located on a hill where the grain would be separated from the chaff by tossing the threshed grain into the air, by using an implement similar to a pitchfork, and the wind would separate the chaff from the grain by blowing it away, and the heavier grain would drop back to the ground.
D. Next, Ruth had to get Ruth ready, so in v.3 she tells her, “Now do as I tell you—take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking.”
1. First, Naomi tells Ruth to go wash by taking a bath and to put on perfume.
2. Then she told Ruth to put on her best clothes. Now, take into consideration that Ruth’s best clothes were probably not very fancy since they were poor. But she was to put on the best she had available.
3. Then Naomi instructs Ruth not to let Boaz see her until he had finished having dinner and had something to drink.
4. Nothing makes a man more agreeable than after he’s had a full stomach!
E. Next, Naomi tells Ruth in v. 4, “Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do.”
1. She told Ruth to look and see where Boaz lies down for the night, uncover his feet, and lie down.
2. Naomi believed that Boaz would see this as Ruth asking for him to marry her.
3. Now, the phrase “uncover his feet” is often used with sexual overtones, but not always.
4. It’s like when we use the word foot. It can mean the part of the body at the bottom of your leg, or it can be used as a measurement, like, five feet-six inches. The way you tell the difference is the context.
5. In this context, Ruth is depicted as a moral woman who wouldn’t use sex as means to get Boaz to marry her.
6. So, Ruth’s action of uncovering his feet and lying down is a non-verbal, customary way of requesting marriage.
7. This is indicated by Naomi’s instruction that “he will tell you what to do.”
F. Ruth then replies to Naomi, “I will do everything you say.”
1. Ruth’s respect for Naomi is seen in her willingness to do as Naomi requested.
2. Keep in mind, this was not a fool proof plan, and anything could go wrong.
3. First, Boaz could say “No!” It could be seen as Ruth trying to climb the social ladder in marrying a wealthy, highly respected man.
4. So, Ruth was taking a risk, but she trusted Naomi and was willing to do as she said.
Transition: Now, let’s take a look at…
II. Our Journey of Faith
A. Sometimes, receiving God’s grace requires stepping out in faith. Not recklessness, but obedient courage—doing what’s right even when the outcome is uncertain.
1. “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-9).
2. “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” (Martin Luther King Jr.).
3. All throughout Scripture, both in the Old and New Testaments, we see people of faith as risk takers.
4. Just like Abraham, Moses, and Joshua before her, Ruth was a risk taker.
5. She took a risk, and stepped out in faith, even though she didn’t know where it was going to lead her.
6. We also need to step out in faith. Grace is a gift, but sometimes we need to put ourselves in a position to receive that gift by faith.
7. We need to be willing to leave our comfort and security and go where God leads us, even when He won’t tell us where we are going.
8. We need to be willing to step out into the wilderness and trust God to lead us to the Promised Land.
9. We need to be willing to face our giant with nothing but a rock, sling, and a stick.
10. Step out in faith and see the glory of God in all its splendor.
B. Trusting God means saying “yes,” even before we see the results.
1. “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.” 3 The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about.” (Gen. 22:2-3).
2. God asked Abraham to take his son Isaac, the son of promise that he had waited so long for, and take him out, and kill him as a sacrifice to the Lord.
3. Without argument or hesitation, Abraham set out the next morning to do exactly as God commanded him. Talk about trust!
4. Ruth did the same thing. Without argument, or a bad case of the “yeah but’s” she told Naomi “I will do everything you say.”
5. Are you willing to do everything that God says?
6. Are you willing to step out and trust Him even when things in front of you are uncertain?
7. “So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:6-7, ESV).
Conclusion
What’s the point preacher? When you find yourself in a season of uncertainty—when you don’t know how things will turn out—remember Ruth. Step forward in faith. Trust the God who sees the bigger story. Because when we move in faith, God moves in grace.
