Lent Day 19: So much to glean!
Apr 01 in Lent
“So she (Naomi) departed from the place where she was… to return to the land of Judah…” Ruth 1:7 A picture of repentance… leaving the place we’re in, to return to the place we belong (just like the prodigal son in Luke 15 who returns from his wanderings and squandering, to a Father that full of compassion runs to meet and welcome him home).
“So Naomi returned and with her Ruth the Moabitess, Her daughter-in-law… and they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest” Passover! that speaks of His blood, that covers, heals, renews, restores, delivers, pays the price for our sins, suffers the loss (redeems), forgives, washes us clean, makes all things new. “Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong (some translations say: bitter) came forth sweet.” Judges 14:14 from that which comes to devour our lives (death), God can turn around, as a means to bring life … a fountain of blessing to us and others.
Ruth by divine appointment chooses to glean in the field of Boaz. Perhaps he remembered how his mother Rahab had once been considered a foreigner; he shows kindness towards Ruth and blesses her, he offers her protection, food and drink and instructs his reapers to leave some extra grain for her to collect. She works tirelessly until the end of the wheat harvest (Pentecost) when she goes down to the threshing floor.
At the threshing floor the grain is separated from the chaff, the latter burned up. It represents a place of judgement (getting rid of the worthless) and a place of blessing (where you take in a harvest), your reward for all your hard work. We each receive our own reward according to our own labour. Paul in Corinthians speaks of our works becoming evident, for the quality and character of each man’s work will be tested by fire. Gold, silver and precious stones will stand the test yet wood, hay and straw will be burned up, having nothing to show for your time on earth. Are we building our lives upon the right foundations? Are they based on truth, are they genuine? or are we spent on the attainment of empty and pointless things? what are our motives? what drives us? for His sword penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
“…while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17b