Tuesday 14th July

Now I want us to go back a chapter. Ruth & Boaz at the threshing floor. Ruth is laying at the end of his bed.

That actually happened to me once. Yes its true, I know you won’t believe me but it did. And it was in a honeymoon suite. And the bed was occupied. By the bride & her new husband. Yes, I spent their wedding night with two of my friends ?! Very long story but essentially it was some great friends of mine from Bible College (Viv & Chris) and we’d not seen each other for a long time so the wedding was a HUGE catch up session for the gang. She invited all 6 of us up to take advantage of the facilities in the wedding suite – hot tub, food, complimentary drinks, etc… After much hilarity and reminiscing we realised the clock was ticking and it was now 2am. Viv announced it was time to go to bed. We all went to make our leave so the real business of the wedding night could ensue but she said “oh no, you can all stay”. She asked if I would take them to the airport the next morning and then she went and got changed into her old comfortable pyjamas (no wedding night lingerie here) and then got into bed?!  So we all dossed down in the wedding suite. And I was on the end of the bed. Covered by her blanket. I think the only disappointed person was Chris …. !

 

So why was Ruth doing it ? Why did she lay down at the foot of a mans bed. What is happening is Ruth is submissively at the feet of Boaz. She willingly and voluntarily submits herself into that position. And then Boaz says he will stretch his garment or his cloak over her. Now this is cultural and it normal for them even though it seem way too forward for us - but even though it’s normal doesn’t mean it was without meaning. There's a lot of symbolism going on here. Stretching his garment over her meant she is now, in a very real sense, coming under his wing and under his protection. Remember what Boaz told Ruth, "May you come to trust under the wing of God."

 

What’s interesting is that he prayed a blessing prayer and God took him at his word and Boaz himself became the answering prayer. He actually became the wing of God.

 

(Now I know Sam mentioned this last week but lets develop it a little more.)  How often do we pray for individuals or friends? We say, "We know God's got something good in store for you. God's got something great for you. I know God's going to make a breakthrough for you. He’s got someone special just for you. I know God's going to cover you with His wing," - but when God selects you to be the wing, you and me to be the wing for the person that we're talking to, do we kind of back track, "Oh, wait a minute, I don't know if I'm ready for this or not. You know, I was into the God talk thing and the blessing, but I didn't realize it was me that God was talking about."

 

 

I mean, God uses people to do His will. He doesn't always do the "angel thing." ....... He uses people to serve people. He uses people to help people. People like you and me.

 

I want to be blessed by God I really do. But I want to be a blessing more.

 

Until tomorrow.

 

Ps. I still have the letter she sent me after her honeymoon. It reads “Thanks for making the wedding night so special”  It still makes me laugh.