Ruth 3:8:
New International Version (NIV)
8 In
the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a
woman lying at his feet!
The LORD responded to Boaz’s silent prayer in the middle of
the night. He moved in his life according to His timing not that of Boaz’s. How
many of us wait for the LORD to respond according to our own timing? How many
of us spend time following what He has told us to do without being impatient on
what we have asked Him for? His timing is perfect and I think the story of Ruth
and Boaz illustrates this beautifully. In the passage above, it says, ‘something
startled the man’-when the LORD wants to move in your life, He gets your
attention. He will make it obvious. Don’t question the vagueness of a situation
that has no clear Word from God-it is not the answer to your problem.
When He speaks, He speaks clearly into
your spirit as He did for Boaz in this situation.
I find this passage interesting because
it does not say that Boaz was looking for a wife at any point in this book of
Ruth but the LORD heard his heart. When God wants to move in your life, He pays
attention to the meditations of your heart for it is in your heart that He will
speak to your spirit.
Boaz simply turned and found a woman
lying at his feet-she was just there waiting for him. When the LORD has
answered your prayer, your answer will be there waiting for you to notice. If
you are distracted, you will not see it. My point is that Boaz turned because he was focused. Something
startled him. That something was the
LORD. He will get your attention if you are listening. So are you listening?
Can you hear Him speak? Is your heart unclogged of worries and weariness? If
not, you will not be startled in your spirit at the LORD’s response.
I also find it interesting that He
responded at the middle of the night. This means timing is key with God. It was
not a little before or after midnight but precisely at midnight. This means
that whenever we entrust the LORD with our worries, He will attend to them
immediately according to His timing which is perfect in its form. If we move a
little faster, or a little slower, we miss the prompting in our spirit for His
voice. If Boaz was not silent before God, he would not have been startled by
God because he would not have been listening to Him. So are you listening to
God?
Ruth 3:9:
New International Version (NIV)
9 “Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she said.
“Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer
of our family.”
Even though Boaz did not recognize that
Ruth was his blessing, His blessing recognised him. When the LORD responds to
your prayers, your blessing will recognize you. It will speak to your spirit.
It is for you and has been given to you by name meaning no one else can claim
it. You cannot disown it because it is yours. Which is why in this passage of
the Word, the guardian redeemer remains nameless because this was not his
blessing to claim.
The LORD will clear the way for you to
receive your blessing. You do not have to struggle for it because it belongs to
you:
Ruth 4:13:
New International Version (NIV)
13 So Boaz took Ruth and
she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to
conceive, and she gave birth to a son.
Boaz married Ruth blamelessly because
she was his blessing as he was hers. She was his wife. When the
LORD speaks into your life, it is your blessing from Him. And He will enrich
you in the gift He has given to you. This is why Ruth was able to conceive a
son because the union was blessed by God.
Wait on His timing. It will surpass your
expectations with success. Don’t try and run ahead of Him and don’t drag His
directions in your life. Respond in faith. Listen for His voice.
He will answer in His own perfect time
and in such a beautiful order that will shock you with its ease in coming into your
life.