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A Foreigner's Love Story

Writer's picture: Rebekah FrankRebekah Frank

So what exactly am I referring to when I say “Praying for Boaz?” Well, let me invite you to dive into the story of Ruth and Boaz since this is the heart of what I feel God has asked me to minister to.


The story starts with the introduction of Naomi, her husband Elimelech, and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion. Naomi and her family were originally from Bethlehem but went to live in Moab because there was a famine in the land. They lived in the time of judges when everyone acted according to their own self-interests, and God was judging them through the famine. Not too long after they moved, Naomi’s husband died leaving her with just her boys. Both Naomi’s sons married Moabite women, one named Oprah, and the other Ruth. Within ten years, both sons died, and Naomi was left with nothing. Naomi decided she would return home, now that the famine was over, and she sent her daughters-in-law back to the homes of their fathers.


Here is where our story begins. As Naomi is bidding Ruth farewell Ruth tells her she is not leaving her side, and that everything of Naomi’s will become hers. Her land, her people, her God, will now be Ruth’s identity. Let’s stop here and fully understand that Naomi was giving Ruth an out. An opportunity to have a normal life. She sent her back to her father’s house with full blessings to remarry and have her own family, but yet Ruth decides to stay with Naomi. Knowing full well that meant she would be a widow the rest of her life, and eventually she would end up alone in a foreign land when Naomi died. What a selfless and difficult thing to do! I admit I would probably be like Oprah and return to my father where I am in my hometown, surrounded by people I know, and I would have hopes of remarrying. Not Ruth though.


Ruth and Naomi went to Bethlehem and arrived at the beginning of the barley harvest - note God’s timing. Once they were settled Ruth set to work caring for herself and her mother-in-law by going out to collect the leftovers of barley that had fallen to the ground after the workers cut and bundled them, and coincidentally she ended up in Boaz’s field. In her first interaction with Boaz, he tells her to only work in his field, to stay close to his female servants, none of his people will harass her, and she may drink from the water they have on supply anytime she needs to. He also invites her for lunch and then tells his servants to purposely pull some of their good stalks of barley and leave them on the ground for her to gather. Having just met her, he is already looking after her safety, her well-being, AND if you notice he tells her that it is not him who blesses her, but God, because of all she has done for Naomi (Ruth 2:11-12). So not only does he take care of her, but he acknowledges her “dying to herself,” as she left everything she knew to be with her mother-in-law. He even prays for her! He asks that she "be rewarded by the God of Israel, under whose wings you have sought refuge." He prays that her sacrifices and faith be rewarded and that God would protect her, and redeem her under his wing.


Now after a time, Naomi devised a plan to set Ruth and Boaz up. She instructed Ruth to bathe, (probably a good idea), put on some perfume, wait for Boaz to have his fill of food and drink, and then lie down at his feet. She tells Ruth, “wait for him to instruct you”. Now, let’s pause and note a few things here about the redeeming relative. Number 1: Boaz is a relative through Elimelech which means he has a covenant-redeemer relationship with Ruth, and in the event of their marriage, both Ruth and Naomi would be rescued from poverty. In Deuteronomy 25:5-6 the rule is that it is to be the brother-in-law of the widow who is the first in line for a covenant-redeemer, or the next closest living relative. Number 2: Naomi instructed her to wait for Boaz to lay down, and then lie down at his feet. Why? Well, I would imagine that if she had laid down next to him that would’ve been a little forward and inappropriate. By laying down at his feet she makes her presence known without compromising herself or Boaz’s reputation. I don’t know about you, but if someone uncovered my feet at night I would probably get cold and wake up to notice them. One more thing to note, Naomi tells Ruth to wait for Boaz to instruct her, but as we go along in the story, that is not exactly what happens.


Ruth did as Naomi told her, she waited for Boaz to eat and drink, and then when he went to bed she laid down at his feet. When Boaz woke up Ruth identified herself and then instead of waiting for instructions she took charge! She recognized that God was moving in her life, and she was on a new path. So she stepped out in bold faith and said, “I am Ruth, your maiden; take me under your protecting wing. You’re my close relative, you know, in the circle of covenant redeemers - you do have the right to marry me.” She proposed! She knew that Boaz was a good and noble man and that God was asking her to step forward in faith, so she came right out with her intentions. She didn’t wait for him to figure it out, to catch on to her hints. No, she recognized where God was leading her and stepped onto this new path in bold faith! If this were a romance novel you were reading online there would be a little shocked emoji here!


Now, everyone holds their breath as we read Boaz’s response. “God bless you, my dear! … What an expression of love! And when you could have had your pick of any of the young men around. … I’ll do all you could want or ask. Everybody in town knows, … you are a real prize!” (Ruth 3:9-13). Awwwww! Isn’t he sweet? He acknowledges her beauty in the fact that she could’ve had anyone else, but also acknowledges that as a foreigner she isn’t bound to the same law that she should be remarried to a covenant redeemer. He is basically saying “you had any other option available to you, and yet you chose me, and you chose to do it God’s way.” He then goes on to tell her he will do all she has asked of him, but that there is another closer relative who has the right to be the redeemer that he has to check with first. He then asks her to go back to sleep! What a gentleman! The next morning he sends her home with barley for Naomi, and let it be noted here that he sent her home with six measures of barley. Six is a number representing something that is incomplete. God made the heavens and the earth and then rested on the seventh day which marks the day of completion. It’s almost as if Boaz sends Ruth home with a message saying, “we have unfinished business.” So Ruth returns home and reports to Naomi everything that Boaz said including the fact that there is another man who is a closer relative and therefore has the first right of refusal to marry Ruth.


We now start Chapter 4 with Boaz going straight out to find that closer relative to give him the chance to be the covenant redeemer to Ruth. Boaz got right to it to determine whether he would marry Ruth or the other relative would, because he didn’t want to keep her waiting in the unknown. He is so considerate of her feelings! Could you imagine? Ruth basically proposed to him, and then he tells her there is someone else who has the first right of refusal to redeem her before him. How vulnerable Ruth must have felt! However, instead of leaving her on “read,” or waiting a few days to call her, Boaz get’s right out to it to settle the matter of Ruth’s heart. God’s plan for both of them unfolds as the other relative declines and Boaz marries Ruth!


What a love story! Boaz took care of Ruth and did right by her AND Naomi every opportunity he had. He pursued her, cared for her, protected her, cherished her, admired her, loved her, was captivated by her, must I go on? And he did all of this before they were married, and without knowing that was God’s plan. Now, do you understand what I mean when I say “Praying for Boaz?” I mean I am praying for my husband to be a Boaz! Who wouldn’t want to marry someone as God-fearing, loving, and respected as Boaz? This is one of my favorite love stories as God takes a foreigner who has no hope of marriage and a bachelor who has served God well his whole life and gives them the most beautiful love story.



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