Lately
It’s been a long time since I’ve published a blog post.
Not that anyone in particular is asking — but yes– I’m still writing. :) Life has been nothing short of crazy the past year and regularly updating my blog has yet to reach the top of my to do list.
For the past couple of years I’ve spent the majority of my writing time participating in a writer’s training program through Proverbs 31. As a part of that program, I was given the opportunity to study and write about several passages in Ruth. I reread the words I wrote for Ruth 3:16-18 the other day as I was organizing a few things in my “journal”// google drive. I am grateful that a couple verses in an old testament story encouraged my heart in a new way. Maybe this familiar bible story will fall fresh on your heart today as well….
We live in a culture full of hustle and instant gratification. Run out of toilet paper? Just ask Alexa to order more TP. Need to check on an issue at work? Send a quick email or text. Want to skip the coffee shop line? Order ahead on the app. Our culture tells us to work harder and longer to achieve our dreams faster.
While there is nothing wrong with pursuing diligence in our work (Colossians 3:23-24) or utilizing new technology (Genesis 7) if we aren’t careful, the cultural messages they reinforce can blur our perspective about God’s timing and sovereign power over our lives.
Our reading for the day picks up in Ruth chapter 3 verse 16 as Namoi hears Boaz’s response to Ruth…
16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”
When Naomi hears of Boaz’s response (Ruth 3:17), she is encouraged and gives Ruth a great nugget of wisdom in the form of a command. The term she uses here to wait in Hebrew is the verb yasab,which literally means to sit down, to abide, to be still or to dwell. This act of waiting is not cowardly or lazy, it's quite the opposite. It’s a faith-filled gesture of hope and confidence.
Naomi trusts that Boaz will do all he said he will do stating “... for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.” (Ruth 3:18)
She and Ruth could have easily taken matters into their own hands and hustled to secure their future. They could have followed Boaz around town, checking to make sure he did everything he said he was going to do. Instead, Naomi trusts God with the details and sets an example of passionate and active patience. Paul talks about this type of grace, faith and patience in Romans 5:6-11:
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Naomi teaches us that sometimes the most powerful action we can take is none at all. We sit and wait with empty hands and hope-filled hearts. Just like Ruth sat at the feet of Boaz, (Ruth 3:8) we can sit at the feet of our Savior. We bring him our brokenness, anxieties, problems, hopes, dreams and desires and ask him to cover us. We can trust that he will ALWAYS keep his promises. We accept his gift of redemption and trust his sovereignty over all things in our life. (Psalm 135: 6-7)
His ways are good. (Psalm 25:8-9)
His actions are just. (Deuteronomy 32:4)
His timing is perfect. (Proverbs 16:9)
He’s coming back again. (John 14:3)
Until then, we yasab. We sit still and wait on our kinsman redeemer in courageous obedience and passionate patience – eagerly anticipating the gifts of grace God generously pours out into our lives.
