Ruth 3:1-9: a reflection

1Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2Now isn’t Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he will be winnowing barley tonight on the threshing floor. 3Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed, and go down to the threshing floor; but don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall note the place where he is lying. Then you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down. Then he will tell you what to do.” 5She said to her, “All that you say, I will do.” 6She went down to the threshing floor, and did everything that her mother-in-law told her. 7When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8At midnight, the man was startled and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet. 9He said, “Who are you?” She answered, “I am Ruth your servant. Therefore spread the corner of your garment over your servant; for you are a near kinsman.”

When Ruth comes to Boaz at the threshing floor and asks him, as her near kinsman, to spread the corner of his garment over her, she is seeking refuge and redemption under the covering of her redeemer. Spread the corner of your garment over your servant, she says, for you are a near kinsman. To spread one's garment over another was a gesture of taking them under one's protection and care; and Ruth, a poor widow, comes to Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer, seeking to be taken under his covering, redeemed and protected. She casts herself on his kindness as the one who has the right and the means to redeem her. This is a picture of seeking refuge and redemption under the covering of a redeemer. Ruth sought refuge under the covering of her redeemer. She came to the redeemer to be taken under his protection. Seeking refuge under the redeemer's covering is casting ourselves on his kindness. Ruth cast herself on the kindness of her kinsman-redeemer.

Notice what Ruth does and what it pictures. She was a poor widow, without security or means; but she had a kinsman-redeemer in Boaz, one with the right and the means to redeem her, to take her under his protection and provide for her. And so she came to him, at some risk and in humility, and asked him to spread his garment over her, to take her under his covering as her redeemer. She cast herself on his kindness, seeking refuge and redemption under his protection. This beautifully pictures what we do in coming to Christ, our kinsman-redeemer. We are, spiritually, poor and without security, unable to redeem ourselves; but Christ has become our redeemer, one with both the right and the means to redeem us and take us under his protection. And we come to him, as Ruth came to Boaz, casting ourselves on his kindness, seeking refuge and redemption under his covering, asking him to take us as his own. To seek refuge and redemption under the covering of Christ our redeemer, casting ourselves on his kindness, is the way of faith. We come to Christ our redeemer, seeking refuge under his covering. Cast yourself on the kindness of Christ, your kinsman-redeemer. Christ has the right and means to redeem us; we come under his protection. Seek refuge and redemption under the covering of Christ.

That is worth resting in, for we can come to Christ our redeemer as Ruth came to Boaz, casting ourselves on his kindness and seeking refuge and redemption under his covering. We can feel poor and without security, unable to redeem or protect ourselves; but as Ruth came to her kinsman-redeemer and asked to be taken under his covering, so we can come to Christ, our redeemer, who has the right and means to redeem us, and seek refuge under his protection. Christ is our redeemer. When you feel without security or means to save yourself, come to Christ your redeemer, seeking refuge under his covering. Rest in the truth that we can come to Christ our redeemer as Ruth came to Boaz, casting ourselves on his kindness and seeking refuge and redemption under his covering, as Ruth, a poor widow without security, came to Boaz her near kinsman at the threshing floor and asked him to spread the corner of his garment over her, to take her under his protection as her kinsman-redeemer; for to spread one's garment over another was a gesture of taking them under one's care, and Ruth cast herself on Boaz's kindness as the one who had the right and the means to redeem her, which beautifully pictures what we do in coming to Christ, our kinsman-redeemer, since we are spiritually poor and without security, unable to redeem ourselves, but Christ has become our redeemer, one with both the right and the means to redeem us and take us under his protection, so that we come to him as Ruth came to Boaz, casting ourselves on his kindness, seeking refuge and redemption under his covering, and asking him to take us as his own.

Lord, when Ruth comes to Boaz at the threshing floor and asks him, as her near kinsman, to spread the corner of his garment over her, she is seeking refuge and redemption under the covering of her redeemer. Spread the corner of your garment over your servant, she says, for you are a near kinsman. To spread one's garment over another was a gesture of taking them under one's protection and care; and Ruth, a poor widow, comes to Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer, seeking to be taken under his covering, redeemed and protected. She casts herself on his kindness as the one who has the right and the means to redeem her. This is a picture of seeking refuge and redemption under the covering of a redeemer. Show me what Ruth does and what it pictures. She was a poor widow, without security or means; but she had a kinsman-redeemer in Boaz, one with the right and the means to redeem her. And so she came to him, in humility, and asked him to spread his garment over her. She cast herself on his kindness, seeking refuge and redemption under his protection. This beautifully pictures what I do in coming to Christ, my kinsman-redeemer. I am, spiritually, poor and without security, unable to redeem myself; but Christ has become my redeemer, one with both the right and the means to redeem me and take me under his protection. And I come to him, as Ruth came to Boaz, casting myself on his kindness, seeking refuge and redemption under his covering. Take that to my heart, for I can come to Christ my redeemer as Ruth came to Boaz. When I feel poor and without security, unable to save myself, help me come to Christ my redeemer, Lord, casting myself on his kindness and seeking refuge and redemption under his covering, that he may take me as his own.