Series: Champions Of Grace Naomi Lesson 3

                                                     The fields of Boaz 

Ruth 2:1, 2 There was a relative of Naomi's husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor." 

Before delving into this part of the story, I want to ask a question: "The moment we were born again, God began a quest in our lives. What is this quest?"

The answer is, "To continually cause us to fall deeper and deeper in love with Him." 

The moment I was born again God began a quest in my life and that quest was to win more and more of my heart. The moment you were saved God began a quest in your life, that quest being to cause you to continually love Him more deeply. Because the Lord loves us so strongly, for the rest of our lives there is nothing more important to God than each one of us falling deeper and deeper in love with Him. 

I once heard a wonderful man of God say, "God is more interested in winning all of you than you winning all the world for Him." How true. As God's children there is nothing more important to our heavenly Father than we growing in our love relationship with Him. 

So the next question has to be, "So how does God fulfill this quest?" 

The answer is right here in our story. 

Ruth realizes if she and Naomi are going to survive they must rely on the provision God made in His Law. Leviticus 19:9 When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and the stranger. So throwing herself upon the mercy of God's Law, Ruth goes to the grain fields of Boaz to glean. 

So this is where the story becomes interesting. It is an ordinary day in the life of Boaz. Like so many times before, he casually strolls through his fields to oversee his servants and their work. But then "BAM!" There she is! Ruth! The most beautiful and breathtaking woman he ever saw! That morning, taking his usual stroll through the fields, he saw her and immediately everything in his heart wanted to win her. And the quest began: I have to win her heart! 

So how did he set out to win her heart? One word, and it is right here in our story.

Ruth 2:8, 9 Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Listen to me, my daughter, will you not? Do not glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close to my young women. 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."

In essence Boaz is saying to her, "Don't glean in any other field. This is where you will find your portion. I will provide for you. I will protect you. I will give you a seat at my table.

Therefore there is no other place you have to look. All that you need is here." 

Without coming out and saying it, Boaz is telling her, "All that I have is yours. Whatever you need, just ask." 

Ruth is suddenly so overwhelmed by it all, she falls on her knees before Boaz. And what does she say? 

Ruth 2:10 "Who am I that I should find such GRACE in your sight?" 

How did Boaz set out to win her heart? By overwhelming her with graciousness. By overcoming her with grace. When Boaz said, "Glean from my fields and drink from my wells, and know I have commanded my young men not to harm you," that was Boaz saying to her, "I am covering you with my provision and protection. In my field I will provide for you, and I will protect you." Beloved, that is grace. He is now hiding her under the umbrella of grace. 

You know, I have found God's secret. I know how He wins more and more of our hearts. I know how He causes us to love Him more. He overwhelms us with the revelation of grace. You see, He knows the more we see His grace, and understand His grace, and experience His grace in our lives, the more we fall in love with Him. 

When Ruth fell at Boaz feet and said, "Who am I that I should find such grace in your sight," do you know what that reminds me of? Those sacred times in my life when I see something so fantastic about grace, all I can do is fall on my knees and worship the Lord. Those Sunday morning church services where we are singing about grace and the cross, and suddenly I slip to my knees. Those precious times in my private place of devotion, when the realization comes, "In all of my sin, God has covered me with His blood, and in all of my shame, God has clothed me with His righteousness," and all I can do is fall on my face and worship. 

Beloved, anytime you are in a church service or in your own secret place with God, singing songs about grace and the cross, and suddenly the realization comes, "This is what grace is in my life," and you sink to your knees in worship, you have just had a "Ruth in the fields of Boaz" encounter with God.