As Ruth recounts Boaz’s invitation to stay with his workers through the harvest, we see how Boaz offers provision and protection. It must have been a huge relief to both Ruth and Naomi that Ruth could work safely and securely, knowing that she had a secure source of food and income.
Again, Naomi’s comments paint a stark picture of the risks that faced them had Boaz not made this offer: insecurity and danger.
We ask once more, where is God in this story? Picking up on Boaz’s words from earlier in Chapter 2, in choosing to stay with Naomi, Ruth has come to take refuge under God’s wings. Here, in the land which God had given his people, God provides: for Boaz, and for all who work in his fields, including two poor widows. The provision and protection that Ruth and Naomi experience come through Boaz, but God is the ultimate source.
God’s provision and protect rarely descends from the clouds. Instead, God works through our everyday circumstances – and through the people around us – to provide, protect and bless us. Do we recognise God’s presence in our story, and do we see his hand behind the provision, protection and blessings we enjoy?
