Quick Note – Ruth 2:11-12 – Under the Wings of the Almighty God

Ruth 2:11-12 – But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before.  The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”

In the book of Mark, a rich young ruler came to meet Jesus and ask Him how he could obtain eternal life.  Jesus then told him that he should keep the commandments.  The ruler said that he had kept everything since he was young.  To which Christ responded, “You lack one thing:  go, sell all that you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”  Jesus was telling the man to give up everything and follow Him. 

After hearing these words, the rich young ruler went home sorrowful, because he did not want to give up his possessions.  It was then that Jesus said it would be more difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.  The crowd was astonished, because riches and blessings were considered by them a blessing from God, and if anyone should go, it would be those who had riches.  Jesus then told them that, “With man it is impossible, but not with God.  For all things are possible with God.”  Peter then mentioned to Jesus that the disciples had left everything and followed Him.  I am not sure why Peter said these things other than to emphasize how they had been different than the rich young ruler and maybe to see what their reward would be.  Jesus then said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”  Jesus assured them that they would be rewarded for their faithfulness.

In Ruth 2, Ruth, a Moabite widow, returned with her mother-in-law Naomi to Israel.  There she was surrounded by things that she was not used to.  She had left her mother and father.  She had left her home country.  She had left her culture behind.  She had even abandoned her gods.  She was a foreigner in a foreign land without a husband and without a penny to her name.  She had to glean (pick up the scraps) in the field just to provide food for her household.  But she did all of this because she loved her mother-in-law Naomi.  When she was gleaning one day, she came to the field of a man named Boaz, who then showed her favor.  Boaz was a relative of Naomi’s and heard all the good things that Ruth had done.  How she had left everything to watch over Naomi.  How she went to a foreign land to be surrounded by unfamiliar things and to serve.  And Boaz said, “The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

Ruth chose to place her faith and trust in God, when she came with Naomi to Bethlehem.  She chose to abandon her idols, to abandon the wickedness of her past life, to abandon everything she knew to follow God.  She came under the wings of God, and she found refuge.  Boaz would eventually marry Ruth; they would have children; and that child would be the grandfather of one of the greatest kings of Israel David and would be recognized in the lineage of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Ruth gave up all for God, and God took care of her. 

I grew up in a Christian home, so I never had to worry about what family or friends would say when I became a Christian.  It was a time of joy for us.  I never had to worry about persecution or abandoning my past or living in this new situation.  But I know that it isn’t the same for others.  Many have had to give up friends, even family, their old ways of life to follow God.  But know as a fact, that even if you might feel alone for a while, God is there with you.  He has placed His hands over you and will love and care for you.  You are not alone.  You have come into the protection of His wings, and He will be your refuge. 

Boaz told this to Ruth.  Jesus told this to His disciples.  It won’t be easy.  It won’t be without trouble at times.  But it will be rewarding.  For you have come into the protection of the Almighty God.