Joel M Bradshaw

7How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.–Psalm 36

I want to take you on a little journey this morning through one of my favorite books of the Bible, Ruth.

A man once left Bethlehem with his wife and two sons to look for food. While in a foreign land, he died, but both sons married. Later, both sons died. Now the three widows were at a crossroads. And the mother-in-law told the two daughters-in-law to return to their respective homes. One did and the other stayed, proclaiming she would stay beside her mother-in-law until death.

Now the two women return to Bethlehem and they are the gossip of the town. The mother-in-law, Naomi, is full of bitterness towards God. The daughter-in-law, Ruth, gets to work. And God just happened to send Ruth to the field of the one man who was in a position to help. The man, Boaz, greeted Ruth and treated her kindly. Let’s look at their conversation in Ruth chapter 2 (emphasis added)…

10Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”

So Ruth later went home and reported to Naomi how she had done and gotten food. Naomi’s saw God’s hand at work immediately. I believe her bitterness broke at that point. Naomi had a specific plan, a risky plan. Ruth was to meet Boaz late one night at the threshing floor with a specific request. Ruth 3 (emphasis added)…

 8At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”

The Hebrew was canaph and it was used with regards to prayer and God. That God would be like that proverbial mother hen and shelter the chicks under the safety of her wings. It also referred to the corner of a garment. So on the threshing floor, Moabite Ruth used the Hebrew word to its fullest meaning.

Ruth and Boaz are direct ancestors to the very David who wrote Psalm 36. I have no doubt that as David grew up he heard the family stories of Ruth and Boaz. Of the famine and the caring God who sheltered David’s family under His wings.

We of course love the perspective of Boaz. He prayed that God would care. We love the boldness of Ruth. She took Boaz at his words and literally told him to be the very means that God answered his prayer! As God spreads his wings, YOU spread your wings. The story of Ruth is that much better just understanding that simple Hebrew connection.

To take shelter under God’s wings means you are a dependent, humble chick who completely turns to God. You identify with God’s purpose and plan, and submit to his will. That was Ruth’s story. That was her great-grandson David’s story, as well. Are you that humble, dependent chick? Maybe God is using you to answer someone’s prayer as he shows his precious, steadfast love.–JMB