Two-minute read.
May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
Ruth 2:12
Ruth, a Moabitess, followed her mother-in-law Naomi to Bethlehem after her husband’s death, which meant she followed Naomi’s God. Using the imagery of a baby bird nestling beneath its mother’s wings, Boaz, Ruth’s kinsmen redeemer, blesses her submission and obedience.
According to Jewish protocol, a kinsmen redeemer married his deceased relative’s wife, dedicating the first child to them to perpetuate his name for future generations. Boaz met Ruth when she came to glean leftover grain stocks in his field; impressed by her work ethic, he ordered his men to leave extra for her to gather.
People notice the work we do and honor it, just as Boaz did Ruth. God sees all we do, even when we think no one else notices. The long hours we labor for the Lord, the anguished prayers we pray for loved ones, and the tenacity we use to pursue His will for our lives, God sees it all and blesses us for our efforts. The Creator understands the motive of our hearts, and even if we fail, God understands the right intentions. And what we deem as failure, the Lord can use as a stepping stone to success.
Whenever I produce something for my crafting business, I encounter many failures. However, I learned from each one and eventually developed a saleable product. We can’t give up when things seem to fall apart; we must persevere, taking refuge under the Lord’s wings, seeking His direction, and finding His will. When we do, like Ruth, God will richly reward us and protect us.
Praise:
Praise God for His rich rewards.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for noticing our efforts to pursue You and richly rewarding us with Your presence in our lives. Please help us follow You closely, becoming more sensitive to Your promptings and aligning our hearts with Yours.
IJNIP. Amen
