PART IV - RUTH'S REWARD

  


PART IV

RUTH’S REWARD

Receive His reward

 Day 31

Ruth 4:1

Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there.

God will reward you in the wait.

No one likes to wait. Sometimes I can’t sleep, so I start thinking of things I would like to have or do. Sometimes they are frugal, others make more sense. Some are simple, others complicated. But I like to think about the moment when I finally accomplish them, how happy they would make me. I don’t know if that is a wise thing to do, and it doesn’t matter. Dreaming makes me happy.

This chapter in Ruth presents Boaz coming up to the door of the city, sort of like the public square where men would gather to talk about business and the issues of the day. The verse says that Boaz sat there. The implication is that Boaz sat down to wait. I would like to know what went through his mind while he waited. Was he seeing Ruth dressed like a bride, smiling, waiting for him? Did he see a houseful of children jumping, playing, and yelling? Did he see his harvest multiplied by the addition of new land? Did he see his name gaining fame and a good reputation? It doesn’t matter. Boaz dreamed. And while he dreamed, he was happy, but it was hard.

No, no one likes to wait. Waiting is hard. But, how many times do we not realize how happy we are when we wait and dream about the final outcome? A wedding. The birth of a child. That application we sent to our favorite college. The application we put in for our dream job. The loan approval for that home that we want to purchase. Our children’s graduation. Our first grandchild. The salvation of our husband. A child who honors God. The final salvation that we will finally see when Jesus comes triumphantly in the heavens. And how happy are we when we think of that outcome, even when it is not yet in sight! How ironic that amid all the trials and tribulations we have to go through while we wait, we can still be happy with the result!

And Ruth? She was also waiting. She was also dreaming. I can only imagine that some of her thoughts could be so similar to those of Boaz. She will finally receive the reward that she so longed for and needed. She would finally be redeemed. She could finally walk with her head high.

But sometimes we are so worried about the final results that we can’t see the blessings along the way, the small blessings that God gives us to make the wait a bit more pleasant and bearable. We worry so much about graduation that we ignore the good grades we receive in the small quizzes. We worry so much about our children having a large house to live in that we ignore the small times we can spend with them, and the satisfaction that their innocent smiles bring us.

Have you started visualizing your reward yet? Have you started dreaming about the result of your work and all your effort? #getittogethergirl, don’t be so overwhelmed with difficulties that you miss out all the other blessings God has placed along the way. Enjoy the wait. Dream. Work. Savor your daily bread. The blessing is in the wait.

My dear Lord, I know that my redemption is near. I know that that problem, that condition, those circumstances, will soon be resolved. What I don’t know is if the result will be what I want and expect, because only you know what is to come and what is best for me. I pray that you help me enjoy the small moments and not miss out on the blessing of your presence. Give me the strength to wait and the wisdom to not worry because you have control over my life and my circumstances. In the name of Jesus, amen.

My reflection:

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.

Matthew 5:12

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