~ In God’s Field ~

[Lani]

Ruth 2:1-9, 15-23


1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.
3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.
5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:
7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.
8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:
9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.


15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.
18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.
19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.
21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.
23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.


[Jesus] said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest… to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV)



Daily I go to the garden looking for a few butterbeans to pick, shell and put in the refrigerator with other shelled ones. When I have enough beans, I wash and cook hem for dinner. This morning as I pulled on the tangled bean vines, I thought about the Bible story of Ruth’s faithfulness in gleaning Boaz’s wheat field to harvest enough grain for Naomi’s and her meager meals. Like Ruth, I look expectantly over many plants to harvest a small amount of food.

Much as Ruth might have felt in being responsible for Naomi, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by a sense of my responsibility for God’s ministry. I’m a member of a small church, and there are few of us to do what needs to be done. But picking beans in my garden this morning reminded me that I can be joyous in persistently working in God’s field. Just as I glean my garden for those few beans, I will work God’s field, searching for God’s children and seeking a bountiful harvest.


Prayer: Blessed Lord, guide us and open doors for us as we reach out to people in our communities who need to know Christ’s love. Amen.

Prayer Focus of Day: Small Churches

Story shared by: R. Miller (LA)
Source: Upper Room Daily Devotional: 9/24/11