God of the Ordinary: A Study in Ruthနမူနာ

THE LORD BE WITH YOU!

“And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, ‘The LORD be with you!’ And they answered, ‘The LORD bless you.’” RUTH 2:4 (ESV)

You can learn a lot about a person from their hellos.

When Boaz entered his field (and the book of Ruth) and greeted his workers, the depth of his character and his relationship with God became clear.

Boaz lived with the awareness of God’s presence, which showed in his daily routines. The same was true of many saints throughout the Old Testament. They saw no separation between the sacred and the secular; rather, all of life was to be lived before the face of God. When you and I live with similar devotion, we experience radical transformation and blessing in our words and relationships.

Notice that when Boaz showed up, he didn’t simply throw the name of the Lord around casually or profanely. He intentionally and reverently used God’s name in his greeting, acknowledging God's place of authority and intimacy in his life. Such reverence curbs superficiality in our talk and encourages us to seek God’s blessing in every circumstance—when we lie down, get up, walk along the road, or converse with others (Deuteronomy 6:7).

Upon his entrance into the field, Boaz set the tone for his workers by blessing them. His example should provoke us to ask ourselves, “What tone am I setting in my workplace, home, grocery store, and church?” Suppose the blessing and contentment of the Lord attend your life. Whether you are a CEO or an intern, whether your work involves balancing the books or changing countless diapers, you can return blessing with blessing by pointing back to Him in all you do and say.

If Christ has truly come into your life as Lord and Savior, your faith should echo throughout every moment. Don’t approach “time with God” only as a fifteen-minute daily meeting, hoping that will sustain you for the rest of the day. You’ll never be able to bring others into the presence of a God in whose presence you do not live. Speak of Him in your conversation. Bring His presence and promises to mind in your day's small triumphs and difficulties. Seek to form a habit of conversing with Him throughout your waking hours. Live with an awareness of God’s presence, and it will show in your routines and reactions.

Only, O Lord, in Thy dear love

Fit us for perfect rest above;

And help us, this and every day,

To live more nearly as we pray.[1]

• How is God calling me to think differently?
• How is God reordering my heart’s affections—what I love?
• What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading: COLOSSIANS 4:2-6

[1] John Keble, “New Every Morning Is the Love” (1822).