The first step after learning something God taught you is to call your dad from work and tell him 😆and then text his best friend about it.  It’s so simple.

“I called my dad from work yesterday to share this revelation.  It’s so simple but a giant deal to me because God showed me Ruth with new eyes and I’ve looked up kinsman redeemer and then the relevance of Ruth going to Boaz and what all that means and it’s so incredible and so simple.

I read a commentary about kinsman redeemer that references Ezekiel 16 and it talks about it!  We lay at Christ’s feet and are His bride and are covered by His garment and clothed in righteousness.

I know everyone except me already knew that but I’m so excited!

Last Friday I prayed for God to teach me something and He showed me Ruth all new!”

If you’ve never heard a sermon or gone to a church service or wedding, or read single-woman- blog posts that talks about waiting for your Boaz … put down whatever you’re doing and go read this story. 🙂 

My whole life I’ve heard about Ruth and Boaz.  There are books, bible studies, pamphlets, conferences, internet articles, blogs, forums… and the hopes and dreams of living a life like them.  A Moabite leaves her family and everything she’s ever known to move to a brand new land and take care of her mother in law and worship HER God.

I guess I’ve always had a romanticized version of the book in my head and always just knew the story.  I imagined Boaz a young man/Prince Charming riding in on his white horse.  Before the understanding it was just as beautiful to me and one of my favorite books.

God had to deal with me and my idealistic view of marriage as you can see by the fact that about half my blog posts are on the subject 🤪.  Even before I was saved I loved the story.  Who wouldn’t?  A powerful, yet humbling story of love and redemption.  I’ve read the Book of Ruth countless times.  In fact, some time last year I read the book of Esther for the very first time only because I decided I had read Ruth so many times I needed to learn something new.  Let me tell you I have no idea how it took me 30 years to ever find out about Esther, but that is for another post.

The point being I am well aware of the biblical story of Ruth and Naomi and Boaz.

Or so I thought.

Friday at work (that was one of the best days ever …) a customer mentioned Ruth.  That night or the next day it inspired me to re read it.  But, specifically chapter 3.  I wanted to look into something more.

Y’all.

I read the whole book several times and it was as if I never read it before.  Since God took the romance blinders off my eyes I guess He said “Now, read it with fresh eyes”.

First of all, Boaz is old.

I figured this out when I realized Boaz is Naomi’s brother in law.  I knew he was in the family but never understood how.  Then in chapter 3 verse 10 when Ruth goes to him he says, “… thou not followedst not young men, whether rich or poor”.

(There was an emergency text message to my dad and his friend about that as well 😂.)

“Deuteronomy 25:9

If a woman’s dead husbands brother doesn’t marry her she goes to the elders and after it’s confirmed she loosens his shoe and spits in his face.

I found this because I was reading Ruth.  If Boaz was the kinsman meaning her mother in laws brother (Ch 4 vs 3…. parcel of land which was our brother Elimelech… Naomi’s husband and then ch 3 vs 10 Boaz mentions she didn’t follow after young men.

Boaz was old?!  My mind is currently blown.”

Response:

“The Lord has a plan to take care of His sons and daughters but we think we and the world knows better.”

“I’ve read Ruth a bunch of times and heard about Ruth and Boaz and never knew that or caught it.”

I never understood what Ruth was doing when she went to see Boaz.  I never understood the customs.  Naomi knew both Ruth and Boaz’s characters and knew nothing “bad” would happen between them.  Ruth laid at his feet and covered herself with his garment.  She was asking to be his bride.  We lay at Christ’s feet and are covered by him.  We are clothed in His righteousness and are His bride.

Boaz was a lawful man.  He loved Ruth, but had to follow what God said and be obedient.  He put His love for God before his love for Ruth.  He told her he would handle the situation and there was a closer kinsman than he.  If the other guy wouldn’t take the responsibility then Boaz would.

We know how it ends.  Boaz married Ruth and took care of Naomi.  They had a son which would be the line of Christ (who is our kinsman redeemer).

My mind is blown. My heart is happy.  My God is amazing and it’s been over a week and I’m just as excited.

God’s will be done and not ours.  His ways and thoughts are higher.

Obedience is greater than sacrifice.  God has taken me deeper.

But, as a single woman I will wait for my God fearing, hard working, obedient, caring, loving, fair, Boaz which has taken on a whole new beautiful meaning.

Related Posts about crashing the romanticized view of life:

You’re single because someone is praying for your future…

You have to want Him more than…

When Love looks a lot like hate. Christians are the worst offenders… Part 1

Admitting the problem and finding out you’re free

Love means always saying you’re sorry…

What if being single wasn’t a disease?

I have (almost) found the One my soul loves…

God is in the waiting

It’s not me. It’s You.