Dwell & Delight in the Word Sample

TAKING OUR STUDY DEEPER:

“She (Ruth) uncovered his feet (v.7), which was intended as a gentle way of waking him up. As the night breeze blew over his exposed feet he ‘shivered and twisted’ (as the verbs in v.8 are literally rendered). Although some have claimed that uncovering Boaz’s feet was a sexual act, there was no hint of immorality here. Boaz greeted her in the name of the Lord (3:10), called her a woman of excellence, protected her through the night (3:13), and guarded her reputation in the morning (3:14).”

A NOTE OF ENCOURAGMENT
from Tessa Afshar

The book of Ruth is shaped by choices. This isn’t a story about what happens to these characters, but about what these characters choose for their lives, and how God interacts with those choices.

Elimelech chooses to leave Bethlehem. He chooses to live in Moab. Naomi chooses to return to her homeland after her sons die. Ruth chooses to cleave to Naomi. She chooses to go gleaning. She chooses to honor Boaz’s invitation to remain in his fields. Boaz chooses to protect Ruth. He chooses to provide for her. And the choices continue.

The book of Ruth shows us that our choices matter.

Like Naomi and Ruth, we have no way of seeing far beyond our immediate circumstances, and even that is sometimes murky. But our choices weigh beyond our comprehension. Because rooted in every choice, there is an invitation. An invitation from the Lord: will you choose to live the life I want for you?