For Miss Austen Part V

I really don't like using the suffix "-in-law" with Ruth and Naomi. Ruth behaves as a daughter to her, and Naomi looks over Ruth with all of the care of a birth mother. Notice that she doesn't just arbitrarily send her on a man hunt; she encouraged Ruth to act on the feelings that she had obviously seen in her. Incidentally, you can let some nerd fix you up based on twenty-nine dimensions of compatibility, or you can let God do it: in His way and in His time. The pattern that I want you to notice is that Ruth followed godly counsel, and one of the primary markers of a bad match: is a refusal to listen to any counsel. It is a help to you to listen to those who know you and love you best; people who want to see you have God's best for you.

On to the next point in the story, Ruth goes back to her mother-in-law, and notice that Boaz didn't want to send her back empty handed. I have read all sorts of interpretations as to what the six measures of barley mean, and still do not have a satisfactory answer; but let's at least make this application, Boaz is sending a gift to the one who sent Ruth to him. Say it however you want, but Boaz honors Naomi in large part because she means so much to Ruth.

Now, I've had some long nights, but how would you like to know that the girl you want to marry, who wants to marry you, may belong to someone else tomorrow? How interesting that there is this divine hitch. Both Ruth and Boaz have to place the matter in God's hands and leave it there. Listen to me closely: this is the perfect example of letting the Lord build the house. (Psalm 127:1) If you have formed an attachment and discarded God's will at every turn: you have no reason to expect God to bless what you have created with no regard to His will. Loved ones, follow God, first and always; and when and if He puts you with someone, he will build and bless the relationship in ways that are beyond all that we ask or think; to His glory.

More tomorrow, dear ones.