The Book of Ruth - Part 2

Book of Ruth, chapter 2 is where we're going to be tonight and going to be diving in to see Ruth reminds us that even when we cannot see what God is doing, he's still writing the story. I don't know about you, but that brings me a lot of comfort and peace in my life. I'm glad he's not done working on me cuz I'll be honest, I need him working on me every day. I need the Lord. Amen. Amen. Last week, we left Naomi and Ruth walking back into Bethlehem. Naomi had come home, but she had not come home healed. She is returning to the right place, but it is obvious that she's still carrying pain from the language that she used.

As we were going verse by verse, it was evident that she's still dealing with a lot. And I feel like this story has the ability for you and I to connect to it because let's be honest, life typically doesn't go the way we want it to. If you and I were going to write our story, I guarantee you we would write it in a different way. But I I dare say that the majority of us that are in the room tonight, if we're honest, when we look backwards across our life, most of the time the moments that we were closest to God were in the difficult times.

Most of the things that shape us and form us and make us into the people that God wants us to be is the difficult seasons. They're there. I don't like them and I know you don't like them either, but when I look back across my 50 years of life during those tough times, I remember just how close I felt to the Lord. And when it's all said and done, that's really important, being close to God. In fact, sometimes God has to remove the things that I thought I needed so much from me so that I can really see just how great he really is. Now, that sounds crazy, but I'm just speaking for me, but I I dare say I'm not alone in this room.

That there are many of us who had seasons of life similar that way. So, Naomi, she's coming home. She's returning to the right place, but again, she's still carrying the pain. We know that because we see at the end of chapter 1, verse number 20. And my wife is reading again for me tonight. So, y'all give her a hand. my lovely, beautiful assistant, Justin. She's got the main microphone, too. I forgot to tell you that before. My bad. Chasse, will you read Ruth 1 20 and 21 for us? And she said unto them, "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me." I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty.

Why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?" >> So, she believes that she has come home empty. She sees all that she's lost. And because of that, she's somewhat blinded by what she still has. And I can identify with that. There's been times in my life when I was so focused on what I was dealing with, what I was frustrated with, what wasn't working out, what I had prayed so earnestly and hard about and felt like God had just for whatever reason left it undone. It caused me to be unaware of all that he was still doing in my life.

Anybody ever felt that way? Yeah. Like, God, I'm I'm so laser focused on this frustrating situation or this circumstance that seems to be overwhelming me. It has a way of almost putting blinders on us for me to see all of the other things that God is still doing in our lives. I'm thankful he works in the background. She sees that she's lost, but what she's what she's not aware of because of being so so narrow focused is that God was doing some restoring in the background of her life. She thinks her story is about what happened behind her. All the while God is still ahead of her working out things on her behalf.

So, I'm excited to get into chapter two. >> I don't understand. >> I don't understand either. The Lord rebuked thee. I'm excited to get into chapter two tonight to see how this story continues on. So, we're going to go to chapter two. If you have your Bibles over there, if not, scripture will be on the wall. Chapter 2, verse number one. >> And Naomi had a kinsman of her husbands, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Alimc, and his name was Boaz. Naomi doesn't know Boaz is about to become an important part of their story. In fact, Ruth doesn't even know Boaz exists.

Boaz doesn't know that a Moabiti widow named Ruth is about to walk into his field. But here's what we do know as we read the story is God wasn't surprised. I love it when he's not caught off guard because he's never caught off guard. You and I are. >> Life has a way of surprising us. But God wasn't surprised by this moment. Again, he's orchestrating in the background of their lives all that he's wanting to see come to pass. That's what I love about this opening chapter. Before Ruth knows there's a Boaz, God already has him planted there. She needs God more than she ever really realizes that he's already positioning provision for them to take care of their situation.

She doesn't know where she's going, but God already has the field in mind where she's going to go to. And we're going to see the way the language is loaded in scripture that's here. Sometimes you and I, we we assume that because we don't know what happens next, nothing's going to happen because we pray and let's be honest, we we we give it a good we give it a good college try for a day or two, but as if we don't see the heavens open up, often times we're tempted to just like, well, I don't guess it's going to happen. And we may still mumble some words, but let's be honest, a lot of times we find ourselves easily defeated.

Anybody besides me going to raise their hand and say they get easily defeated? Yeah. It's kind of human nature, isn't it? And I feel like our culture and our society in North America doesn't help us any because we are in an impatient bunch. And what happens often times is because of how we are so used to things happening in our everyday life by the stuff that we can control. Often times we allow that same mindset to to drift into our relationship with God. You know, you and I, we go through the line at Chick-fil-A, and if it takes more than six minutes for me to get my chicken sandwich, I see myself getting a little bit worked up.

Now, you know, you're the same way. Don't look at me and smile. But you got to be careful because if we're not aware of what we're doing, it slips into our prayer life and we have this expectation that God, you should have already answered the prayer. Lord, I' I've been here like for a week now. I prayed about this. God, I gave up I gave up an ice cream cone for you. Surely, Lord, you see the sacrifice that I've committed to you. Why have you not opened the heavens up and answered my prayer? I know it's quiet. It's okay. You can be quiet, but I know I've been there, too.

I'm admitting I got my hand in the air. I'm I find myself chassis will take a lap. I'm not a patient person. But sometimes God is working things through us that take time. >> Remember, he stands outside of time. You and I get we we we get really worked up on the clock and the calendar. Don't act like I'm not talking about you. You know I am. But God stands outside of time. In fact, time is his creation. He he put time inside of eternity. Just let let that settle in your mind for just a minute. Sometimes we assume, but just because we don't know nothing's going on.

But when God's at work, just because you don't see it, in fact, I'm going to read it to you the way I wrote it. Just because you don't know what God's doing doesn't mean God doesn't know what he's doing. He always knows what he's doing. We have to trust the process. Naomi thinks that she's returned empty. And as we read through this, they're just simply thinking about survival mode. They've been so rocked. And let's be honest, their story is a is a hard one to read. It's a it's tough. It's difficult. We have sympathy for them. We we want things to get better for them, but they're not thinking big picture.

They're in they are in survival mode, but God's already thinking about redemption. So, let's go to verse number two. >> And Ruth the Moabitis 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." >> Now, this is interesting. Okay, this is a little Can pastor get on a soap box for just a minute. Would y'all bear with me? Can I just be Can I just be a little transparent, Kevin? That makes my wife really nervous. But here here's my thing. When I look at this, she doesn't sit in the house waiting for something miraculous to happen.

Can I say that again? She doesn't just sit around waiting for a miracle to happen. She gets up and she goes to work >> and she does what she can do. She gets up and she goes to work and she does what she can do >> expecting that she's going to receive grace somewhere. >> Not sitting in the house waiting on God to drive the buy with a truckload of money and drop it in the yard. I'm going to say it again. She gets up and she goes to work and she does what she can do. >> Right. >> Amen. >> God expects you to participate in your life.

>> Right? >> There are times when God will do a miracle like that. But more often than not, the miracle comes in the process of you doing what you can do. >> That's good preaching. She cannot control what tomorrow holds, but she knows who holds tomorrow and she gets up and she goes to the field. There's a principle here I think that needs to be explored. Faith trusts God with what only God can do while faithfully doing what God has given you the ability to do. >> She got up, went to work, and did what she could do. So many times your situation would be better if you would stop sitting in the house being frustrated about what hasn't worked >> when you still have the ability to do something.

>> So go do something. >> Amen. >> Sometimes while we're waiting God for God to do something, God is waiting for you to get up and go to the field. Right? >> He's waiting to see, do you have enough faith to trust me outside of the house >> to let me lead you to where I'm going to do a work in your life? >> Maybe, just maybe, he wants to do something outside of your house. Maybe he's going to divinely direct your steps. Boy, I feel like I got Bible for that. >> Something like the steps of a righteous man are >> ordered. Wow. Not ordered for you to go to the living room from the kitchen.

but ordered by the Lord. >> Ruth's faith wasn't passive. She requested an opportunity to glean and then put her faith into action. She didn't have a whole plan, but she didn't know. She knew this. Nothing's going to happen here if I sit. I got to get out and take a I got to take a chance. I got to put my faith into action. Often, that's all God's asking for. You don't have to know what the next five years look like. You just got to get up and go to work. >> You don't have to have it all figured out. Just get up and trust, hey, there's still something that I can do.

And go do it. >> Just take the next faithful step. Amen. >> Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Take the next faithful step. >> Because here's what's going to happen. It's in the next verse. Read verse number three for us. >> 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 Amc. >> Her hap was Everybody say her hap. >> Her. Well, that's not language we use, is it? Her hap. But I know you should be excited about the hap. Her hap. The New King James says by chance.

Almost as if the author is saying winky winky winky. It just so happens to be that she by chance it was her hap that she landed in Boaz's field. No. No. Because she was willing to put her faith into action. >> I'm going to go and see. Right. It talks about grace. I'll get into that in just a minute. If by if by grace the language is there. It's loaded language. As always, the scriptur is full of loaded language. if if by grace someone might show favor to us and then it says it was her hap just by chance she happened to land in Boaz's field.

It wasn't by chance. God was already divinely ordering her steps. He was already at work in the process. And I believe with everything in me, it was because she was willing to say, you know what, I'm just going to sit here and just wait for something to happen to me. I'm going to trust that God's going to do something. But in the meantime, I still have some ability. >> I'm I have some energy. I have some strength. I haven't lost it all. I know I know from an outside perspective, you may think I've lost it all, but I I still got a little strength. I still got a little little hope.

I still got a little bit of faith. I still got to trust that God's going to show up. I don't know how. I don't know when. I don't know where. But I know I'm not going to sit here. I can at least go find if there's a field. MAYBE SOMEBODY WILL BE KIND to me. And it was her hap >> by chance. as she landed in Boaz's field. God was leading her towards the redeemer. What appeared to be from the natural to be a coincidence is completely different when it's viewed from heaven. Just so happened. But when you look backwards over our life, how many times have we seen with clarity that it wasn't just chance?

It was God. >> How many of us have had those God moments? We didn't realize it at the beginning, but when I look back in my life, how good and faithful my God has been to me. He has never left me. There were times I was a little nervous. There were some times I didn't always know how it was going to work out. But when I look back across my life, God has been good and faithful time and time and timing. It wasn't chance. No, no, no. It was God. >> There was divine interventions in our life. That what was going on here. You know, we we think about those things, you know, it just so happened moments.

Just so happened that you met that person. Just so happened to be there that day. Just so happened that you got that phone call. Just so happened it was in the mailbox. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. It was your app. No, no, no, no. It was your God is what it was. Because he loves you. He's good. He's always good. He's working RIGHT NOW IN THE BACK. I DON'T know who I'm speaking to, but somebody needs to hear this. He's working in the background of your life right now. You're worried and you're stressed. Oh, I feel God right now.

I wish somebody full of the spirit would just engage with me right now. On Wednesday night, we can be spiritual on Wednesday night. Just throw your hands up right now. God, you're working right now in the background of our life. Thank you, Jesus, for your goodness and your mercy. Thank you for what you're doing in areas we don't even aware of, God, in the background of our life, Lord, in the corners there. You're working on our behalf. Oh, thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. He is good. >> Here's here's something for you. Here's here's here's a note for you notetakers.

You don't have to see the hand of God to be in the hand of God. >> You don't have to see the hand of God to be in the hand of God. He was already in the field working. >> She just had to take a step of faith. >> She just had to leave and go out. When I think about this, I think about poor Job. You know that story in the Bible of Job, the oldest book in the Bible. It's a story that gets us all. I look at Job and I'm thinking, man, this guy's just doing everything right. I mean, it's it's the scripture says he was a perfect man.

I don't believe he was Jesus Christ perfect. But I'll be honest with you, he's the only one in the scriptures that was said that about. That's pretty cool. There's a whole lot of other characters that are in there. They said they were perfect. But this this perfect one now is perfect because of how he was living. How he was living. But this is what I know. In the middle of his frustrations, right? I want you to read this. Probably my favorite part of Job. I'm read this to you. I want you to listen to these words. In the middle of his loss, he literally lost it all.

Lost his kids, lost his wealth, lost it everything in the matter of one day. Lost it all. Listen to what he says in Job 23:8. Look, I go forward, but he's not there. And backwards, but I cannot perceive him. And when he works on the left hand, I cannot behold him. And when he turns to the right hand, I cannot see him. But he knows the way I take. And when he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. That's somebody who's determined, who's made their mind up to say, you know what? Just because it hasn't worked out for me the way I wanted it to.

I'm not giving up on God. I don't even feel him right now. I can't see him. I don't know where he's working at. I don't know if he's behind me or before me, on my left or on my right or up or down. But I know that HE KNOWS WHERE I'M AT. >> HE'S THE WHERE HE HASN'T LOST ME. I MAY HAVE LOST HIM, BUT HE HAS NOT LOST ME. MY GOD KNOWS WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW. >> OH, what faith, >> guys? Sometimes it just doesn't go the way we want it TO GO. BUT DON'T GIVE UP ON GOD. THE LAST THING YOU NEED TO DO IS GIVE UP ON GOD.

ALWAYS HAVE HOPE ENOUGH TO SAY, "GOD, I don't KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BUT WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH ME, I'LL BE PURE GOLD ON THE OTHER SIDE. YOU'RE WORKING ON MY BEHALF." HOW WONDERFULLY GOOD IS OUR GOD. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. Ruth has no idea what's waiting on her in that field. We're about to discover that grace is there. Read verse 4-7 for us. >> And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the reapers, "The Lord be with you." And they answered him, "The Lord bless thee." Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, "It is the Moabites damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab." And she said, "I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheavs." So she came and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she teried a little in the house.

Do >> you notice how she's identified the Moabitish damsel? That's still the label that she carries. All right? That's still the the thing that she's wearing. It's it's it's not necessarily her fault. She can't help that that's where she's from, but that's still how she's being identified. This is important piece of the story. You can't skip over this. As I say often times, we we want to rush the story. Don't rush the story. Go through it slow. Every word has meaning. Every word has purpose that's here. She's not from Bethlehem. She's not an Israelite. Doesn't have a family standing there at all. She doesn't belong.

She knows this. She's aware of her situation, too. But there, everybody else that sees her knows who she is. That's why she's not walking through the field with an attitude of entitlement. That's why she made the statement, "In whose sight I shall find grace." That's an important word in this chapter, grace. Ruth understands if I'm going to make it, somebody's got to show me some favor. Somebody's got to have some kindness. Somebody's got to have some love there for me. And isn't that our story? We didn't come to God demanding what we deserved. Because here's the here's the truth, guys. You don't want what you deserve.

I know I don't. I want mercy. I want grace. That's what I'm thankful for. New mercy and new grace every day. I need it in my life. I don't know about you, but I know I need it. And here's here's a little wink wink. You need it, too. I'm so thankful God doesn't give us what we deserve because none of us would have a testimony if we did. When we came needing mercy, when we came needing forgiveness, and we came needing somebody to do for us what we can do for ourselves, we came looking for grace. And Ruth was about to discover that grace was already waiting in the field.

Look at verse number 8. NT 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. 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 a thirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. >> Boaz begins doing things Ruth never asked him to do. This is the beautiful picture of redemption. God has a way of doing things for us that we never knew we needed.

We we we thought we knew what we needed. We we thought we knew how the solution needed to come about and how the plan was going to work. We we we we we have that ability, right? We we we we're really good at trying to play God. Well, Lord, if you would just listen to me, I could give you a few pointers on how my life could be better off. If you would just do this and do that, if you would just provide this and remove that and and God, all the while is like, you don't even you don't even know. You you can't even process.

You know, you don't even have the ability to comprehend or understand. My ways are above your ways and higher than your ways. I'm not thinking down there on that level where you are. He comes down to where we are, >> right? >> But he has a way of orchestrating working some things out. I want you to look at this is a beautiful picture of redemption in the story here. Ruth never asked him. She asked permission to glean and all of a sudden Boaz is extending her an invitation to belong. Everybody say belong. She asked for an opportunity to work and she provide and Boaz is providing protection.

She came looking for grain and Boaz gives her access to water. There's so many like we we could spend a month just diving into this chapter on the spiritual implications that are there, right? She was hoping somebody would just let her survive and Bo starts treating her like she belongs to in this field. He tells her to remain in this field. He says, "Listen to this." He says, "Stay close to the workers. I've already told them about you. I I know that they identified you as a Moabitetish girl, but I'm I'm here to tell you don't don't go to another field. Don't go looking somewhere else.

You just come back here. I've already given instructions to those I'm in command of to watch over you. How good is our God? >> He's already given instructions to those that are under his command. You know what? You watch over them. You take care of them. I know that. Look, look there. I want you to go ahead of them and just drop handfuls of stuff down so that when they happen upon it >> how good is our God >> that while we're just trying to find enough we're we're just trying to find enough >> she went out trying to get enough for a day I just God I just want to survive the day and he's like no no no no I'm not about you surviving the day >> I want you I want you not to go to don't look at somebody else's field I want you You belong to me.

You have a place here in my field. I've already orchestrated those to to watch out for you and they're going to go ahead of you and you're just trying to get enough for today. I'm going to give you enough to sustain you, to take care of you during the lean time. >> You can't read the book of Ruth and just go through it casually. It is a picture of redemption throughout the pages. Every verse that's there shows how good and faithful AND WONDERFUL OUR GOD IS. >> Just remain here. And this is where Boaz gives us such a beautiful picture of Jesus. Stay in my field.

Don't go glean in another field. Stay right here, Ruth. You don't need to wander from the field anymore. Don't worry about what's going to happen to you. I'm watching over you. This language is loaded with love. It's loaded with protection and security and redemption that is there. Stay in my field. There will be provision and protection and water here. I mean, Moabites, a Moabitete woman who had been brought in would have been a slave. She would have been drawn water for the workers. But in God's economy, the workers are drawing water for her. She's not supposed to be there. She doesn't belong. She has a story.

She has a history. SHE HAS A PAST. SHE HAS A And he says, "No, no, no, no, no. Don't worry about that. You You You don't put your eyes anywhere else. You come right here. I'm watching her. I'm taking care of you." That's our God. That was your story. And that's my story. We're not disqualified from where we come from. Aren't you happy about that? I'm glad I didn't have to qualify myself. I There's no way I'm worthy of his love. He just gives it. WHY? BECAUSE WE BELONG to him. Amen. >> Don't go looking SOMEWHERE ELSE WHEN GOD GOD THE whole time saying, "Stay in my field.

>> Stay here with me. I'll give you presence >> and provision and protection." So guys, stay in his word. Stay connected to God. Don't look elsewhere. The enemy is trying to always get you to look somewhere else. Always trying to show you the grass is greener on the other side. And God's trying to tell you, "Just stay in my field. If you'll stay here, I got water for you. I got protection for you. I got provision for you. Don't look. you you may be tempted, but don't look. Don't go over there. >> Stay under my authority. Stay faithful when you're getting hands full. Stay faithful when it feels like you're picking up one stalk at a time.

The safest place Ruth could possibly be be was in the field where Boaz told her to stay. Look at verse number 10. Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, "Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?" >> There it is again. Grace. There it is. What a beautiful picture of love, grace, unmarited favor. She says, "I don't what what what have I done? I'm a stranger." Boaz, do you even know who I am? like surely if you knew me. Isn't that the way we are?

God's working on us and we're trying to disqualify ourselves. God, I I'm not worthy. I'm I'm God, if you if you knew if you knew what I've done, Lord, he knows. >> He's aware. And in spite of you, he loves you. >> Amen. >> Did you hear what I said? In spite of you, he loves you. >> You're not disqualified from God's love. You're not the one who's unique. I'm just going to say that. You're not the one that's unlovable. You're not the one. You're not. We always try to think we're worse than everybody else. That your sin is the biggest sin that has ever been committed.

I'm here to tell you, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO, NO. HIS LOVE STILL REACHES FOR YOU. >> You can't do anything to be disqualified from the love of God. It's just there. >> It's not like human love. I've said many times, human love is always dependent upon what we get. Well, you know, I have to say this all the time, but if you take pastor out for lunch, pastor kind of likes that. That way when your phone call comes in, I'm like, "Hey, they took me to lunch." I'm just kidding. Just kidding. Just kidding. Just kidding. That was terrible. God's love is not that way.

He already knows you're going to mess up and he still loves you. He still says, "You know what? I'd like to walk with you." He still says, "I want you to stay in my field. I don't want you to look anywhere else. I have protection and provision and water for you." Grace, she's overwhelmed because she knows she hasn't earned the treatment that she's receiving. But here's a here's a here's a here's another note for you. Okay, guys. This this is where worship begins. When our gratitude meets God's grace, worship starts. I'm g say that again. When our gratitude meets God's grace, that's where worship starts.

That's why that's why it's impossible for you to worship and think about your problems. >> You can't you cannot truly be engaged in worship and and be anxious at the same time. It is an impossibility >> because you come in with gratitude because you know you don't deserve it. You know you haven't earned it. You know, you know well as anybody that you don't deserve those things, but when you realize he loves you anyway, they can't stop you from worshiping. That's what the enemy hates so much. That's why he's always whispering here. You're not worthy. You're disqualified. You look you're not good enough. They know.

Everybody knows. Everybody knows. Stop listening to the enemy. Because whatever he's telling you, it's always the opposite is true. If he's telling you you're unworthy, you're worthy. Not because of you, because of him. Because of him, because of his precious blood, because of what he did at Calvary, he redeemed us. He purchased us. HE BOUGHT US BACK. WE COULDN'T DO IT on him. He span THE GULF THAT YOU AND I couldn't do. He says, "You know what? I'll reach down into the mess of your life. I'll come walking right down into your storm and I'll pluck you right out. I'll take you back to my field where there's provision and protection and water and I'll watch over you.

DON'T LOOK ELSEWHERE. I LOVE YOU. THAT'S OUR GOD." HOW GOOD IS OUR GOD? >> Can you love him again? Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. You are so good, God. When you remember how he found you, that's what Ruth's doing. She's remembering. How many of you know, How many you remember? I was a mess. Maybe not you, but I was, but I dare say there was others that were a mess in this room, too, when he found you. Aren't you thankful he didn't walk away? He wasn't scared. He wasn't intimidated by your problems or your circumstances or your situation.

He wasn't put off by it. He was still drawn to you. How wonderfully good is our God. She says, Why have I found grace? Verse number 11 and 12. And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thine husband, and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou kneest not here to for. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

>> Okay, let's just be honest, guys. That was so much said right there. I mean, there's five sermons. Any of you preachers and you want to be preachers, you should be taking those verses she just read right there and dissecting them. There are some good messages right there. Let's unpack it just a little bit. She thought she was just an anonymous stranger, but Boaz already knew her story. She was known. He knew about her loss. He knew about her sacrifice. In fact, he was praising her. It has been known what you have done. Why you have stood by you have stood by your mother-in-law. We know this.

She knew about her. He knew about her faithfulness and that she had chosen the God of Israel. That language given thee the Lord God of Israel under whose wings thou come to trust. The redeemer knew her story before she ever met the redeemer. He didn't run from her. He didn't kick her out of the field. He didn't say the workers, you know, the question was asked, "Who is that?" And when he was told who she was, immediately immediately he goes and has a conversation with her and all of a sudden starts treating her kindly. All of a sudden starts giving her provision and protection and saying, "Look, I've taken care of you.

Don't you go anywhere else. I've already got stuff going ahead of you. You stay here." The redeemer knew her before she even realized what was going on. He was already making plans and preparations. That's our God. Whatever you're going through right now, I want you to know the redeemer is already aware of your circumstances and he's already got provision planned for you. STAY IN THE FIELD. THE WORST thing you could do is give UP ON GOD NOW WHEN you need him the most. >> Jesus knows your story. He's still extending grace. He uses this language under whose wings thou art come to trust. Ruth has changed coverings.

She left Moab behind. She left the gods of Moab behind in search of something that was better. She left the security and everything that was familiar behind. Her family, everything that everything that was all her beginnings, all of her, as the language says, your nativity, the your beginnings that were there, you've left all those things. And you've come here. And Boaz begins to spread out his wings and says, "You're going to see in, you know, in our next next week. You want to come back next week because it's really good. We're going to come back to this moment about this spread of the wings stuff.

I'm going to unpack it next week. You going to be here next week >> because it's really good next week. This one's okay. Next week's going to be really good. Not accidental imagery. Ruth has taken refuge beneath the wings of God. And soon God will use a redeemer to become a part of the answer to their prayer. She has no idea what he's she doesn't know at this point. She's just trying to say, "Why are you being kind to me? Why are you extending me grace? Why are you doing this for me?" She has no idea that she's actually going to be put into the lineage of David all the way down to Jesus Christ.

That's why guys I'm telling you you short change yourself when you go to another field. >> It's not by chance. I don't believe in chance. I believe in divine interruptions. >> And there was a divine interruption in her life that's lit that is setting her up as only God can do. Only in God's economy can a Moabitete make it into the lineage of Jesus Christ. Only in God's economy. Not man would have never written her in. No way. She'd been disqualified. Wouldn't even give her a chance. But the redeemer says, "You know what? I'm going to step into the situation. I want to insert myself into your equation.

Stay in my field. Glean here. Take my provision. Take my water. Take my protection. Let me provide for you. You don't deserve it, Ruth." No, you don't. But I'm giving it anyway. Absolutely beautiful providence. Another note for you. Sometimes God answers prayers through people and circumstances he's already positioned around you. >> I'll say it again for you notetakers. Sometimes God answers prayers through people and circumstances he's already positioned around you. You don't know. You don't know. You know, just for a second, look, look to your left and look to your right. You don't know. Could be one of those around you right there that God is going to use in your life to do something powerful.

You don't know, >> right? You don't know. Ruth woke up that morning thinking I needed to find some grain. And God was thinking, I'm going to introduce you to a redeemer. We We sell ourselves short so many times. We're going out just looking for enough to get by the day. Well, Lord, if you could just let me just have two Oreos and a slice of baloney. And God's like, baloney? I'm not going to underell baloney cuz smoke baloney is pretty good. But God's like, I got something better than baloney. I got something better than a cracker. I got something better than just a handful of grain.

I'm going to take care of you in ways you can't even imagine. Ruth, she went to look for enough to survive another day. And God was quietly setting up the redemption for her entire future and for generations to come. Guys, it's bigger than just you. As I've tell you all the time, we don't live in vacuums. I'm telling you, God not only will work on your behalf, but he will set your family up, too. That's the way God works. This wasn't just about Ruth and about Naomi. It was about the generations that were to come. God was already saying, "Look, I will take care. You're just trying to get through the day.

I'm trying to take care of you for generations." Because when God's working behind the scenes, what looks like an ordinary field may actually be the place where your story begins to change. Look at verse 14. Hands full of purpose coming here. And Boaz said unto her, "At meal time, come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar." And she sat beside the reapers. And he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. >> Something has changed for Ruth. She started the morning on the edge of the field, hoping somebody would allow her to pick up what was left over.

And by lunchtime, she's at the owner's table. You used to be excited. Am I the only one excited about this? I mean, how do you think about this? She just showed up. I can see her out there. Just imagine this this this young girl, you know, got a little little sack and she's just hoping to get just a handful of grain, just a handful of stuff. And she's just kind of like I can see her just at the edge of the fence thinking, "Hey, hey, you guys maybe think it might be all right if I was to hop the fence and just kind of go behind you." And then at lunchtime, she's sitting at the master's table.

Can our God do it? >> Amen. >> Only God will take you from the edge of the field and by lunchtime you're sitting at the table. That's what God will do. That's what God would. He has the ability. You We don't see it. I'm just going to get up today, right? She had enough faith to get up and say, "Look, nothing's happening here in the house. So, I'm going to get out and try something. I'm just go maybe somebody will show me grace." Oh, more grace than you could imagine, Ruth. More more going on than you can imagine. That's what our God does. He's got more in store for you than you can even dream up.

There's no way she had her mind when I got up today. You know what? and I'll be at the owner's TABLE BY LUNCHTIME. NO WAY. SHE knows that. Just like there's no way you know what God has in store for you. And there's too many testimonies in this room tonight of God's provision and protection and security. YOU OUGHT TO BE STANDING ON YOUR FEET RIGHT NOW IN THIS SAYING, "MY GOD IS GOOD, PASTOR. I KNOW I'M LIVING PROOF OF WHAT GOD MY FAMILY IS A TESTIMONY OF HIS GOOD. WE WERE ON THE EDGE OF THE FIELD. But I'm TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, I DINE AT THE MASTER'S TABLE ALL THE TIME BECAUSE HE'S GOOD AND HE'S FAITHFUL AND grace has been extended to me.

>> I know it's WEDNESDAY NIGHT, BUT MAN, GOD IS GOOD. HE IS GOOD. HE IS GOOD. >> HALLELUJAH. >> AMEN. >> You guys settle down. Sit down. >> It's Wednesday night. She's at Boaz's table. She came as a stranger looking for leftovers. But now she sits at the table and she sucks with the master. Here, dip your bread in the vinegar. The imagery, the beauty of how merciful our God is. Ruth didn't earn the seat. She wasn't a part of the family. She doesn't even know who Boaz really is at this point in the story. She doesn't have a clue. We don't get to that until next week.

You got to come back. Next week's going to be good. This one's just setting you up. This is just the the appetizer. Okay, you got to come back next week. Boaz invited her. And that's our story. We came as outsiders with nothing to bargain with. And somehow, by the grace of God, the redeemer made room for us at his table. Do you understand that? We don't deserve to be there, guys. We don't We don't deserve We don't fit in. And we don't we we're we're not. But he grafted us in. You and I, we we're not it's not by our lineage. It's not by our blood count.

It's not by our last name. But in spite of all of those things, HE SAYS, "I LOVE YOU. COME SIT with me AT MY TABLE." OH, HOW good is our God. Hands full of purpose are coming. Verses 15- 16. And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheav, and reproach her not. And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them that she may glean them, and rebuke her not." >> Leave that verse up for just a second. I love that phrase, handsful of purpose. >> Handsful of purpose.

That's what he gives us. So many times we're wandering around aimlessly, not knowing what to do, thinking we've wasted it all, thinking we made mistakes, thinking of what has happened to us that was beyond our control. We're now disqualified. But I'm here to tell you, he's given you handsful of purpose in your life. Just for you. Just for you. Oh, the enemy doesn't want you to pick up the handful of purpose. I'm here to tell you, I rebuke the enemy in Jesus name. You have purpose in your life if you'll pick IT UP. HE HAS ALREADY ORDAINED AND ORCHESTRATED. HE'S WENT BEFORE YOU IN THE FIELD AND LAID IT DOWN.

ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS WALK IN THAT PROVISION AND PICK IT UP. >> GOD, >> he is so good. >> That's our God. What Ruth doesn't know is somewhere ahead of her, Boaz has already given order concerning her. Ruth is gathering what looks like it's accidental, but Boaz is providing it with intent and purpose in her life. We call these things coincidental, but I don't believe in that. We're looking at it backwards. It's handsful of purpose. hands full of purpose in our life. Oh, how good is God. Some things you thought would stumble across actually are things that God deliberately placed in your path.

But here's another note for you. Are you ready? Notetakers. I'll say it twice, but here's a note for you. Don't become so accustomed to God's goodness that you start calling his blessing coincidence. Don't become so accustomed to God's goodness that you start calling his blessing a coincidence. It's not a coincidence. No, my friends, his hands full of purpose. He intentionally planted there for and you won't find it if you go to another field. You have to stay in the field. >> Now, I got to stick in my notes. I'm going to get over here off somewhere. I don't need to be yet. Boaz had provided these things.

But listen, Ruth still had to pick them up. >> She would not have found the purpose sitting with Naomi sucking her thumb in the house. Right. >> Right. >> Have I said that already? >> Some point you got to get up and do what you can do. >> And I promise you, he will meet you in the field. >> He will meet you in the field. And there's more in the field than you can imagine or even dream. There's hands full of purpose in the field. >> Verse number 17. >> So she gleaned in the field until even and beat out that she had gleaned.

And it was about an epha of barley. >> I don't think you can process that. Look, look, that's not a normal amount, okay? That's not what you and I you go and it's not a it's not a shirt, you know, fool like putting it. No, no, no, no. It it is a day's worth of labor like it's a huge sack. She's she's she's coming in like because that's what God does. There's always more in his equation than we ever imagined or dreamed. more more because that's what our God is worth. And this isn't prosperity doctrine. I rebuke that in Jesus name. It's divine provision that's there.

Boaz had it there, but she had to go pick it up. >> Right. >> She had to do the work. >> Yeah. >> I'm going to get off that because I I think I've said it enough. God provides what we need, but it does not eliminate our participation. Faith does what it can and trusts God to do what it cannot. Faith does what it can and trusts God to do what it cannot. And by the end of the day, Ruth has gathered an extraordinary amount of barley. She went into the field looking for enough to survive. And she came home with more than enough. Why?

Because it's evidence of his faithfulness. Look at verse 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. >> Now remember Naomi, remember Miss Call me, call me Myra, right? Call me bitter. The almighty had dealt bitterly with me. I went out for when the Lord brought me back empty. Ruth walks through the door carrying evidence that God has not forgotten him. All of a sudden, all of a sudden, there's an attitude change. And I love this. Sometimes God doesn't argue with our bitterness.

He just keeps putting evidence of his faithfulness in front of us. I'm going to say that again. Sometimes God doesn't argue with our bitterness. He just keeps putting evidence of his faithfulness in front of us. And what happens next is so important because for the first time since the return from Moab, her vocabulary is about to change. All of a sudden, Miss Bitter becomes Miss Blessed. Look at verse 19. Her mother-in-law said unto her, "Where hast thou gleaned today, and where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee?" And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said, "The man's name with whom I wrought today is Boaz." >> Naomi looks at Ruth and what she brings in the door and she's like, "Whoa, hang on a minute.

Something something's happened here. Something This isn't like what a normal widow gleans. This is this isn't just a sandwich. All of a sudden, you come back with groceries. The pantry is now full. Praise be to the Lord with a full pantry. Notice the word that suddenly comes out of Naomi's mouth. Blessed. Did you see that? All of a sudden, Miss Bitter is now Miss Blessed. That's significant because last time we heard Naomi talking about God said this in verse number 20 of of chapter one. She said unto them, "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me." >> Chapter one, bitter.

Chapter two, blessed. Isn't it amazing what God will do and how quickly it'll happen? >> Oh, if we would just realize that stop complaining all the time and get up and do what you can do. Stop sitting around crying because it hasn't worked out the way you want it to. I'm telling you, there's somebody in the field who's already putting hands full of purpose out there. There's provision out there. Get out of the house and go to work. >> Put your faith to work AND WATCH WHAT GOD WILL DO. I promise you, he will never disappoint. >> It may not happen the moment you want it, but I'm telling you, there's a room full of witnesses here to say, "He's a faithful and a good God.

I never seen it the way it happened in my life. I wouldn't have scripted it up, BUT GOD HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME." OH YES HE IS. YES HE is >> from bitter to blessed. His circumstances have not been completely fixed yet. But Naomi is beginning to recognize that God's working. Why? Because it's important when you discover who owns the field. Verse number 19. And her mother-in-law said unto her, "Where hast thou glean today? And where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee?" And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought and said, "The man's name with whom I wrought today is Boaz." >> I can just see Naomi going, "Wait, wait a minute.

Wait a minute. Hang on, hang on, hang on. Just back it up just a second. Whose field did you go to? What did you say his name was?" Boaz. And all of a sudden, something changed in Naomi's mind. All of a sudden, it started recalling back memory. Hey, wait a minute. That name I know Boaz. Boaz. Wait a minute. Wait. Something about that name. Boaz. Verse number 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." Oh, it's not it's not just Boaz.

Rou, let me tell you something about this. I I don't know why I didn't think about this, but I see all of a sudden we're being blessed that God has been working on our behalf. I thought I was coming back empty, but all the while God has been working in the background of our life. That that guy you just talked about, that field you just went to, he is actually our kin and he's our nearkin. He is actually he has the ability to redeem us. Wait a minute. All of a sudden, hope comes flooding into the house because of God's divine provision. He's family. He's kinsman.

And there's the possibility of redemption. God has been working all along. God didn't start working when Naomi started feeling better. He was still working while she was bitter. Oh, are you thankful for that? >> That even when you were down, as my papy used to say, in the mrubs and complaining about everything, he was still working. Even though you wasn't buying in, he was still working on your behalf. Your inability to see what God is doing does not mean God's not doing something. Naomi thought God had taken everything from her, but she realizes that he has not forgotten me. He still loves me. But the story is not finished yet.

And here's what I love about the end of Ruth 2. Is nothing's resolved. But I don't know about you, but I feel better right now. Do you feel better? All of a sudden, this story that was so horrible and terrible in chapter one, by the time we get to the end of chapter two, nothing's changed yet. But all of a sudden, there's some hope. All of a sudden, there's some proof that God has not forgotten Ruth and Naomi. In fact, God has still been working in the background of their lives. But now, they have started to see that God has not given up on them even though they gave up on God.

>> That's how good our God is. Let me tell you something, guys. You got to stay in the field. Verse number 23. >> So, she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean until the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest and dwelt with her mother-in-law. >> And that's how chapter 2 closes. Ruth stays in the field. Nothing spectacular happens the next morning. Listen to me. This is important. Don't you miss my last I got two minutes with you guys. I'm watching the clock. Don't you miss these last two minutes. The next morning she got up and she went back out to the field.

And the next morning after that she went up and got back. We went through two harvest. That verse right there has two harvests that she goes through. You know what it tells me is that every morning she got up knowing I got to go do my part. And when I do my part, God's going to do his. >> And you're not going to get to chapter three if you don't understand the principles of chapter 2. There's more than just coming into church on Sundays and Wednesdays and getting a little getting a little refresher and think that Thursday morning I can coast until Sunday. No. On Thursday morning, tomorrow morning you got to get up and guess what?

You got to go back out to the field. >> Got to get up on Friday morning, you got to go back to the field. >> But here's what I know. If you go back to the field, that's where you'll find the provision. That's >> right. >> It's in the field. The protection's in the field. The water, it's in the field. >> Yeah. >> What you need is in the field. You can't stay at home. You got to go out to the field. You got to get up every day understanding I still need you to be Lord of my life today. I can't ride off Sunday's high.

I can't even on a good Wednesday night. I can't ride off Wednesday night high the rest of the week. I got to do my part. I got to stay IN THE FIELD. STAY THE THE THE lesson to be learned in in chapter two is you got to stay in the right field. >> Amen. >> So if you're waiting on God, stay in the field. If you don't understand what he's doing, stay in the field. If you can't feel him right now, stay in the field. If it doesn't make sense, stay in the field. The best advice I can give you right now, I'm telling you, I'm speaking to somebody, maybe somebody online right now.

Stay in the field. Don't give up. Don't go to another field. Stay where you know the redeemer is at. Even if you don't see him right now, he's already orchestrated everything that you need in the field. >> Amen. At the beginning of Ruth 2, Ruth wakes up with one thing. We need food. She took the next faithful step. Naomi came home saying, "I am empty." But we end up with with chapter two with the house being full, provision being there. And the lesson as you stand with me today is that you got to learn how to stay in the field. Maybe tonight you don't need God to show you the whole plan.

Because here's the deal, guys. He rarely gives you the whole plan. >> But he does give you the ability to take the next right step. And that's my prayer as we end tonight is that you will take the next right step and that you will stay in the field. Let's pray. Jesus, you are so good. God, you are so good. I love that we see in your holy scriptures, God, how you work and they orchestrate things in the background of our life. I'm so thankful, Lord, that even when I don't see you and I can't even feel you, you are still working on my behalf.

God, I'm so thankful that you put hands full of purpose in the field where I'm laboring. Lord, I pray today for someone who's been struggling because of frustrations and disappointments and circumstances. They've been feeling overwhelmed. They've been feeling forgotten. They've been feeling like they've empty, God, that they're empty. I pray tonight that they would realize and see, Lord, that you have more for them in the field than they can ever imagine. and God give them a boldness and a courage to keep taking the next right step to leave the house and go to the field and do what they can in Jesus name we pray.

Amen. Amen. Love you guys.