God will reward you in public.

Day 33

Ruth 4:11

Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses”.

God will reward you in public.

God’s love and mercy go so much farther than we can see or even imagine. And his grace is like an oxymoron that we will never understand. Human nature will always lean toward what it can see with its finite mind. But the mind of God goes much further. God’s promises are in the “yes” and the “amen”. Always. Anyone would think that even when God, in his mercy, decides to bless us or reward us for something we don’t deserve, He would do it in private so as not to tarnish his name or justice or damage his reputation before others. But He doesn’t care. That is how much He loves us. He treats each one of us as if we were the only person in the world.

Circumstances for Ruth and Naomi were not the prettiest. Naomi’s shame and widowhood were public. Comments and rumors abounded. The women of the town talked. Just as Jesus offered himself, Boaz had mercy on them and decided to redeem them, even when he didn’t have to. He even could have raped her that night on the threshing floor. After all, she came to him when he was drunk. But he didn’t do it in secret. He did it in public. And God rewarded him in public.

God’s kingdom is upside down. Everything that we think doesn’t make any sense to the human mind is pulverized in the face of all divine logic. We can sin in secret. We can sin in public. Our trials may be private. They can be public. But God, always, will reward us in public. No, it doesn’t tarnish his name. It doesn’t compromise his justice. It does not damage his reputation. On the contrary. It makes it clear that we are nothing in His presence, and makes us depend on Him and hold on to His grace more.

God’s grace and power go much further than anything we can comprehend. Have you found yourself under the weight of a sin, yours or someone else’s? Have you felt overwhelmed by circumstances outside of your control? #getittogethergirl. Remember who you are and to whom you belong. If you have to confess, confess. If you have to amend, amend. Bring your burdens to your redeemer, to your Boaz. He will reward you properly, in His time, and all will be witnesses.

Lord, you have seen my shame and nakedness. In some cases, others have, too. But while others can only talk behind my back and avoid my presence, you have seen my heart, wounded and broken. All I can do is bring to you the broken pieces that are left, and yield to your grace to receive the redemption that my soul so needs. Restore me, Lord, I beg. Take my nakedness and dress it up with honor. Take my shame and bring me a blessing. Only then will I be worthy before you. In the name of Jesus, amen.

My reflection:

“Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Day Mathew 6:6 (NKJV)