By Jameson Barker
Do you wear glasses or contacts? Do you remember the first time you put them on or in? Your world went from being fuzzy and unfocused to being able to see clearly. The vague and blurry lines you were accustomed to were now crisp and clean. The blobs of colors were now hard shapes. After seeing clearly, we think about how crazy it was that we saw the world in a way that was so undefined. How did we live that way for so long?
We can easily read Scripture with the same faintness. We can lose sight of how God is the main participant in every storyline. We get sidetracked by the details. Perhaps we get caught up in the narrative of the story. Up until this point in our story, Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz have appeared to be the main characters. But in today’s reading, we are reminded that God is the one at work behind the scenes. He is orchestrating everything that is happening. After the giving of the sandal, the declaration of intent, and the response of the witnesses, Ruth and Boaz get married. The moment has finally come where Naomi is redeemed. Furthermore, Ruth gets pregnant and gives birth to a son.
We are wrapped up in the story unfolding and the happy ending we hope for. Then we are reminded of who the real main character is. The shadowy veil is lifted by the women of the city as they come and ascribe to the Lord all that has happened. The first thing they do is praise God. They offer praise that was commonly used at the time, “Blessed be the LORD” (Ruth 4:14). They were attributing thankfulness to where it belonged. Was Boaz kind? Absolutely, but he was following the will of the Lord.
Then, the women point back to God working in all things by giving Naomi a redeemer (v.14). He was the one who brought Ruth to Boaz. It was God’s will that brought a child into the world. This child (Obed) would be the redeemer of Naomi, not Boaz. Obed would be the one that would restore life to Naomi and Ruth. But this was all brought about by God.
What are you praising yourself or others for instead of God? Is there an area of your life that you need to refocus by putting the spotlight on God? How can you seek the will of God instead of your own will? Pause for a moment and pray, “Blessed be the LORD!” (v.14).
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