At His Feet

When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile.  Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. Ruth 3:7 (NIV)

The story of Ruth is a great example of God’s provision.  Ruth was married to one of Naomi’s sons.  Circumstances happened and Naomi’s husband and both her sons died.  So she decided to return back to her hometown.  Her other daughter-in-law went back to her family, but Ruth – despite Naomi’s encouragement to do otherwise – insisted on staying with Naomi.

When they arrived in Bethlehem, Naomi’s hometown, they had no money.  For food, Ruth went into a field to gather whatever grain she could.  Boaz, the farm owner, noticed Ruth and asked his workers to be kind to her and leave plenty of grain for her.  Ruth stayed all day and was able to pick up one ephah of grain, which amounted to a bushel.  Ruth returned home and told Naomi about the generous landowner.  Naomi was pleased to learn that it was Boaz, a relative, who – according to their custom – had the right to become Ruth’s kinsmen redeemer.  A kinsmen redeemer is one who assumes responsibility by marriage and eliminates any financial debt.  So Naomi instructed Ruth on what to do.  She was to lie at his feet.

This simple act, at his feet, initiated a wealth of blessings.  One of which was that Boaz and Ruth married and became great-grandparents of King David.  But more immediately, that night, Boaz sent Ruth home with six ephah of grain.  That was six times as much as she gathered on her own all day.  This reminds me of the account of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-41. Mary gleaned more by sitting at the feet of Jesus than Martha did working apart from Him, all day.

Today, let us remember that God does provide for us.  When we take the time to sit or even lay at His feet - that is, when we humble ourselves and allow His Words to infiltrate our hearts - we then open the floodgates of many blessings.