Behind the Scenes - July 14

Read Ruth 2:1-7 (ESV)

Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The LORD be with you!” And they answered, “The LORD bless you.” Then Boaz said to this young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.”

Reflect

How can you see God working behind the scenes in today’s passage? Can you notice Him working behind the scenes in your life?

What a coincidence! Have you ever heard someone say something like that? It just so happened that someone was in the right place at the right time. Or, it just so happened that you were provided with the money that you need at just the right moment. Little, lucky, chance encounters and random surprises present themselves all the time if we are paying attention.

But as believers in a sovereign God, we know that these “coincidences” aren’t actually coincidences. We know that whenever something “just so happens” in our lives, it isn’t because we got lucky and it isn’t because the stars aligned and it isn’t because statistically speaking the odds were bound to work in our favor at some point. We know that these things happen because God is at work behind the scenes.

In today’s passage, Naomi was back in Bethlehem with her foreign daughter-in-law, Ruth. Remember that as widows, they had no one to provide for them. But as it just so happened, way back in the days of Moses, when God was establishing the nation of Israel, He put into law provisions for the needy. In Deuteronomy 15:11, He commanded (through Moses): “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’”

One of the ways that Israel was to provide for the needy is described in Leviticus 19:9-10: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.”

Even though Ruth was a Moabite, not an Israelite, she must have known about this law because she knew what she had to do for them to survive. She had to go out into the fields and glean the leftovers the harvests left behind. The Lord had faithfully provided a way for them to be fed but she couldn’t just sit around and sulk. It is possible that Naomi was too elderly to work beside her in the fields. It’s also possible that she was still stuck in her grief, bitterness, and despair. Whatever the case, Ruth knew it was up to her to get to work in the field. But before heading out on her own, she asked permission from her mother-in-law.

In addition to knowing that God commanded the Israelites to leave the gleanings behind for the poor, she must have known that not all of the Israelites followed this law consistently because she knew she had to “find favor” in someone’s eyes. Apparently, permission to glean the fields was sometimes denied despite God’s direct command to allow it.

But, as it just so happened, Ruth came upon Boaz’s portion of the field. He was a distant relative of Naomi’s husband (this will be even more important later). He also just so happened to be a wealthy man of good and godly character. And he just so happened to notice Ruth and ask after her.

Now, I don’t know about you but it takes more faith for me to believe that all of this “just so happened” because the “fates allowed” or “the odds were in Ruth’s favor.” None of this was luck. All of this was God at work behind the scenes. All of this was divine providence. God is sovereign, He is in control, and He was working in their lives according to His purposes as we will continue to see.

Today, I urge you to pay attention and try to notice all of the ways that God is working providentially behind the scenes in your life because He is working. But we often don’t even notice.

Respond

Lord, I confess that sometimes, I fail to notice all of the ways that You are at work in my life. But other times, I simply cannot know everything that You are doing because my knowledge is finite while Your knowledge is infinite. But, even when I can’t see what You are doing behind the scenes, help me to trust in You. I know that You are sovereign and powerful and good. Amen.

Reveal: Next time something “just so happens,” rather than attributing the coincidence to chance or luck or something else, rightly attribute it to God at work and reveal His sovereignty to those around you.

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