Big Idea: Even if you don’t get it right, God will make it right.
Scripture: Ruth 3:1-9 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. Now Boaz … is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”
“I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.
When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!
“Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”
Devotion: One of the perks of growing up in church is the worship music that has settled into my soul. From hymns to modern day worship and everything in between (what I endearingly call “middle-aged songs”), I love it all. And when I am filled with joy or sorrow, clarity or uncertainty, I often find that a song comes to mind.
When I think about our big idea from the book of Ruth for today—even if you don’t get it right, God will make it right—I am reminded of one of those lovely, middle-aged songs. In particular, this line, “But when I hear You whisper, ‘Child life up your head,’ I remember, oh God, you’re not done with me yet. I am redeemed.”
Redemption is one of the main threads that we see throughout the book of Ruth. From today’s passage, we see that Ruth presents herself before Boaz and asks him to be her guardian-redeemer. She does exactly as her mother-in-law, Naomi, instructs her to. And then she lays it all out on the threshing floor before Boaz, trusting that God’s plan will come to fruition one way or another. He is a guardian-redeemer. The qualifications to be such were that he was related by blood, have the resources and ability to pay the debt of the widow in full, and be willing to do so. Boaz was each of these things for Ruth. He was willing to redeem her life after her husband passed away.
But from a much broader perspective, we all need redemption in a much deeper way. We need someone to pay our debt in full. And we have that in Jesus. He was willing to do so and paid the penalty one and for all on the cross. Jesus is our great and glorious Boaz, redeeming our lives.
This means that even when we don’t get things right in this life, God can make it right. We know that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). All things. That means even when we screw it up in the worst way, God can still use us and make it right. We are redeemed.
Our redemption is such a beautiful truth that we get to live out every single day. You are not too far gone. You haven’t screwed up too much. The book of Ruth points us to a greater redeemer-—Jesus.
Perhaps you just need the reminder today that you are a child of God. Lift up your head. He isn’t done with you yet – you are redeemed.
Reflect:
• What emotions do you feel when you think about being redeemed? • What emotions do you feel when you think about being redeemed?
• Take some time to thank God for the beautiful gift of redemption.
