As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek. Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!” Ruth 2:3-4
Have you ever had one of those times when you worked hard for something? Or when you had to ask someone else for help? It’s not always easy to ask for what we need, and hard work is, well, hard. And even though we might be tempted to give ourselves the credit for working diligently (or asking someone else for assistance), have we ever stepped back and marveled at how God is the one who has provided for us? Whether through our work, or the asking of others, or the generosity of the people around us, God’s hand is ultimately the one who is at work.
As we continue in our sermon series on the book of Ruth this week, what we will discover is all of these “as it turned out” moments. “It just so happened” or “just then” can often be chalked up to coincidences, but as believers, do we really believe that there are any coincidences? Or is it a matter that it is the providential hand of heaven moving?
The Westminster Larger Catechism asks: “What are God’s works of providence?” The answer says, “God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures; ordering them, and all their actions, to his own glory.
If there ever were a story that fit this more beautifully than the story of Ruth, we would be hard-pressed to find it. I hope that you are able to tune in either in person or online as we unpack these beautiful truths together. And don’t forget to invite your friends and neighbors who need to hear about God’s hand of provision and help.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
