Why This Favor

Ruth 2:10

New International Version

At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

For Encouragement

Have you sincerely stood before the mirror and asked yourself why God elected you as one of His beloved children for eternity (Ephesians 1:4-10)? You, of all people!

Maybe you are one of those who think you were not as bad as the worst person on your block growing up, so God did not find it difficult to notice you. Good riddance, my friend, but stop and carefully read Ephesians 2:1-10; then come back with your report. But before my Savior, Jesus Christ, I am like Ruth before Boaz—bowed down with my face to the ground, and only one question to ask:

Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner (Ruth 2:10)?

Mephibosheth asked a similar question before King David when the king poured his favor on the son of his late friend, Jonathan, who was lame in both feet.

Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”

In today’s text, Ruth did not know how God worked with His people to restore and bless them. She did not know that God had led and guided her into the field of the guardian-redeemer of their family (v.3; 3:12). Her mindset was that of a foreigner and a Moabite whose people God had excluded from the assembly of His people, Israel (Deut. 23:3-4). She did not belong where she stood and expected no pleasantry from anybody. Only some left-over grain from anybody’s field would satisfy her indulgence and that of her aged mother-in-law.

However, as providence had it, grace stared her in the face with the kindness of God and worked through Boaz to bless her. Favor had located her in the grainfield of Boaz, and she wanted to know why (2:10). That is your story and mine in the Redemption Story of God—saved by grace alone.

Have you asked the Lord that question before? Why He chose you, who were once a Gentile by birth and called uncircumcised. You were separated from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel, and a foreigner to the covenants of the promise. You had no hope and without God in the world, but now you have received His redeeming grace (Eph. 2:11-13). Do you care to know why He offered His best to save you (6-8)?

It is humbling and draws gratitude from the heart. It defines how we handle ourselves in this grace walk with Christ. We take nothing for granted but are thankful and submitted to His service, regardless of circumstances.

May the Lord help us all set down our pride and prostrate every day before He who sits enthroned in heaven and rules over all creation, seen and invisible (1:20-21).Then, in awe, ask why you have found such favor before Christ, your Redeemer and King.

Amen!

Celebrate Our Only Able Redeemer

Ruth 4:6

New International Version

At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”

For Meditation

Boaz gave him the first right to redeem Ruth, Mahlon’s Moabite widow, because he was the closest relative in the late Elimelech’s family (Ruth 3:12; 4:1-12). The unnamed family redeemer readily agreed to redeem the property of Elimelech, but he gave it up when he realized the property came with Ruth. The transaction obligated him to marry Mahlon’s widow to raise a male child to continue the Elimelech lineage. He would not jeopardize his family estate for that purpose, so he declined (4:6).

Glory to God, Boaz, the God-ordained family redeemer, stood by to step in gladly to redeem Ruth (13). Their marriage became the bloodline of David, Israel’s first king, and ultimately, Jesus, our perfect family Redeemer (Matthew 1:5-6, 16).

We have just celebrated the occasion of our redemption by this Perfect Redeemer who gave His life a ransom for our souls (Mark 10:45). Sacrificed on the cross of Calvary, He died, got buried, and rose on the third day to declare victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). 

Just as the family redeemer couldn’t redeem Ruth because he had issues with his property to deal with, no one in all creation could redeem us because of their sin problem—not even the high priest with the sacrificial system (Hebrews 9:7; 10:1, 4). But thank God for the Perfect Lamb of God who stepped in to redeem us,

When Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God.’ (5-7).

By His perfect sacrifice, Christ has bought us from the slavery to sin into which we had sold ourselves (Romans 3:23-25; Ephesians 1:7; Titus 2:14). We rejoice because when no one else could, Christ unselfishly did it for us (Philippians 2:5-8). He paid the penalty for our sin in an exchange no other could do (2 Corinthians 5:21).

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

What an exchange, and that is the gospel!

Brethren, we have cause to celebrate Christ Jesus, our Redeemer King, not only during Easter. We have a divine obligation to let our lives reflect this joy, which flows only from Redemption Hill and the Empty Grave. We do this by setting our hearts on Him, who sits above on the right hand of God, and our mind on His holiness and not on earthly things (Colossians 3:1-3).

Can you worship Him in this self-sacrificed manner, as we live and suffer through this tumultuous world?       

Overwhelming Grace

Overwhelming Grace

Ruth 2:10

New International Version

At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

For Meditation

Some stories remain fresh and stimulating forever. The story of Ruth is one of them, particularly the piece in chapter two that developed into a love story between Ruth and Boaz.

Ruth asks to go out into the harvest fields to find grain from any favorable farmer (Ruth 2:2). She ends up in Boaz’s field, a kinsman redeemer of their family. Coincidence?

That word is not part of the vocabulary of the kingdom of God. Instead, look up the word providence, and you will find the Lord’s rich field of love and grace.

 While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The Lord be with you!” he said.

“The Lord bless you!” the harvesters replied.

You got the hint of a spiritual man, don’t you? If you wanted a husband for your daughter, would you bypass such a man without any consideration?

Then Boaz asked his supervisor,

Who is that young woman over there? Who does she belong to?

Do not forget the word providence, my friend. When God is dealing His hand in His redemption story, providence is all over such situations. If you haven’t noticed yet, pay attention to Christ and see how He overwhelms you with what you see.

She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi (6).

The men testify to Ruth’s hard work and focus (7). That impresses Boaz. He goes over and speaks to her. Now stop right there!

Realize that though Ruth’s credentials led to the conversation with Boaz and everything that followed, it was not the actual trigger of the budding love. The Lord had already inclined the heart of Boaz towards Ruth. What follows, therefore, fits neatly into His redemptive plan.

Listen, my daughter. Stay right here … gather grain; don’t go to any other fields.

Boaz opens his field to Ruth, warns his young men concerning her, and gives her the right to the water drawn from his well (8-9). Do you get it?

What kindness! How could it lack the warmth of genuine love? The pieces are coming together on the canvas of providence, put together by the Master’s skillful brush strokes.

How does she respond to such grace?

Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner (10).”

I don’t know about you, but I am tearing up as I engage with the reaction of Ruth to the kindness of Boaz. That was my situation in the Field of Redemption on the day Christ took hold of me.

Beaten down by a cruel world, destitute, and needing a fresh breath of life, I remember how I sleepwalked into that Christian meeting in a hotel where I met my Boaz. His love flowed through the testimony of the keynote speaker for the day. My heart warmed as I saw my ugly life beamed on a big screen. Overwhelmed by His love, hot tears of sorrow from a contrite heart flooded my face, and I fell on my knees in surrender to His grace.

But has that wonder been my response to his daily flow of divine mercy and grace since then? Does the love of Christ still overwhelm me to draw such surrender and obedience to Him?

How about you? How do you respond to His grace? 

We can only fall on our face in pure worship of God in response to His abounding grace when we see ourselves in His mirror of love and mercy (Ephesians 2:12-13).

Shalom