June 23 – Who Are You?

Ruth 3:8-9

It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. He said, "Who are you?" And she answered, "I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative."

Have you ever woke up and wondered where you were…and who was in the room? Recently my three year old grandson spent the night, sleeping over at my house. He went right to sleep in the twin bed in the “kids” room, but about three in the morning I awoke with a start when two little hands grasp each side of my face and I heard, “Granma, there’s someone in my room.” In an instant I was across the hall and flicked on the light. No one there. Isaac joined me in my queen-sized bed for the rest of the night.

Who are you? Boaz was not expecting to have anyone sleep at his feet.  It was dark. The evening was cool and yet his feet had been uncovered—someone was there at his feet. Who’s there? His heart rate may have increased as he waited for the reply. Then he heard the sweet voice of Ruth, that beautiful Moabite widow of his distant relative. What is she doing at his feet? And now she wants to be covered with his cloak? Ah, yes. There is ancient kinsman redeemer custom whereby a widow could ask a relative to rescue her from poverty by marrying her. See Deuteronomy 25:5-10.  "When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her."But if the man does not desire to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, 'My husband's brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband's brother to me.'

"Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. And if he persists and says, 'I do not desire to take her, 'then his brother's wife shall come to him in the sight of the elders, and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face; and she shall declare, 'Thus it is done to the man who does not build up his brother's house.'"In Israel his name shall be called, 'The house of him whose sandal is removed.' Should Boaz take Ruth to be his wife? Now his heart rate may have increased again, for she was a lovely lady and he was already attracted to her. What will he decide?

Sometimes our decisions come upon us, not we upon them. Spiritually we have choices to make every day—every moment of every day. We can choose to follow God and His ways or not to seek God and His righteousness, His way of living. There is no in between or third way. Like Joshua we choose. Joshua 24:14-15, "Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD."If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." I choose to serve the Lord. How about you?

Lord, guide our hearts and thoughts and minds that we would see You more clearly each day…and day by day, moment by moment, choose to seek and serve You.      

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.