Ruth 2:18-23
18 And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.” 21 And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’” 22 And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” 23 So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
Psalm 119:68
You are good and do good;
teach me your statutes.
SOAP: Ruth 2:20
Ruth comes home with full hands after a day of gleaning, and Naomi rejoices in the Providential work of God who has orchestrated events to provide for their need. Naomi is teaching Ruth about God’s character – He is kind and provides for His children. Ruth gleaning in the field of Boaz was not a coincidence – God’s redemption was at work in their lives.
During difficult times, we must trust that God is at work in ways that we cannot see. He is a good God, and He will always supply what we need. As we trust in His care, our understanding of His grace expands. Just as Ruth gleaned in the fields, we must continue to glean where God has placed us – putting feet to our faith and trusting that our Provider will never leave us empty handed.
Father, thank You for your kindness. Help us to trust that you are orchestrating events in our lives and rest in the knowledge that Your provision will never run out. Amen.