讀經： 路得記二章8至17節 8波阿斯對路得說：女兒啊，聽我說，不要往別人田裡拾取麥穗，也不要離開這裡，要常與我使女們在一處。 9我的僕人在那塊田收割，你就跟著他們去。我已經吩咐僕人不可欺負你；你若渴了，就可以到器皿那裡喝僕人打來的水。 10路得就俯伏在地叩拜，對他說：我既是外邦人，怎麼蒙你的恩，這樣顧恤我呢？ 11波阿斯回答說：自從你丈夫死後，凡你向婆婆所行的，並你離開父母和本地，到素不認識的民中，這些事人全都告訴我了。 12願耶和華照你所行的賞賜你。你來投靠耶和華─以色列神的翅膀下，願你滿得他的賞賜。 13路得說：我主啊，願在你眼前蒙恩。我雖然不及你的一個使女，你還用慈愛的話安慰我的心。 14到了吃飯的時候，波阿斯對路得說：你到這裡來吃餅，將餅蘸在醋裡。路得就在收割的人旁邊坐下；他們把烘了的穗子遞給他。他吃飽了，還有餘剩的。 15他起來又拾取麥穗，波阿斯吩咐僕人說：他就是在捆中拾取麥穗，也可以容他，不可羞辱他； 16並要從捆裡抽出些來，留在地下任他拾取，不可叱嚇他。 17這樣，路得在田間拾取麥穗，直到晚上，將所拾取的打了，約有一伊法大麥。 |
Bible Reading: Ruth 2:8-17 8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, "You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn." 10 So she fell on her face, bowed down 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?" 11 And Boaz answered and said to her, "It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. 12 The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." 13 Then she said, "Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants." 14 Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, "Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar." So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back. 15 And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her." 17 So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. |
| BOAZ-THE MAN OF GOD Now Boaz and Ruth have met and the story begins to develop further to its climax. It is a love story with God working out the details for each partner. Boaz could not have done more for Ruth than he did (vv. 8 and 14-16). He could easily have sent her away because she was not an Israelite. Boaz clearly recognised that although Ruth had come from Moab, she had become a true believer in Israel's God. Notice verse 12. What a beautiful phrase 'the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge'. Ruth recognised the goodness and overwhelming kindness of Boaz to her even though she was not an Israelite by birth (vv. 10 and 12). She was quite overcome by his kindness and even fell down at his feet in thankfulness for all he had said and done. Boaz also told her to come and eat with the reapers at noon. He passed her a plate of roasted grain and she was offered bread and sour wine to go with it. All of this was far more than she had ever expected. This part of the story is a wonderful illustration of God's goodness to a sinner. When we take the first step toward God by putting our faith in him, he begins to give and to give I and to give to us all that we will ever need. Our God is a giving God and he never ceases to give to his children out of his abundance of grace. When we reach heaven, we will find him still the same wonderfully gracious, generous God that we have known here. A HYMN FOR TODAY: 'Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. 'Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. ' |
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