Ruth {ch 3}

In continuation of the Bible Study that I lead and love, I thought I'd post what we discussed this week because some of you [ok probably only like 2 people] shared some interest in my first post, so I thought I'd add some to go along with it.

I'm no Bible scholar, nor do I claim to be one...I just like the Lord's revelation when I read the word of God. And I love digging into scripture and finding truths, it makes my heart beat fast.

3 things.

-the Lord uses the "threshing floor" to bring us closer to him

-to truely rest in God is to rest in Him even when we're on the threshing floor

-fruit and growth comes from our reaction to the threshing floor

*Naomi tells Ruth to wash herself, to anoint herself and to put on her best clothes and go down to the threshing floor to lay at the feet of Boaz. Through this course of action, we see Ruth become closer to Boaz, and through our own going to the threshing floor, we become closer to the Lord.

We too can put this into practice. When we're called to the threshing floor {this location was used to literally beat out, tear and loosen the true grain from stalks and husks} i.e. a trial or tough time...

-We are to wash ourselves in the word (Eph 5:26) Examine yourself in the light of God's word, what are your motives? Attitudes? Desires? Do they align with the word (if you're like me, probably not) but reading God's word puts us {our flesh} in the light of God's truth so we can see where we're going wrong. And the Lord's word has a great way of giving hope in midst a trial.

-We are to anoint ourselves with the Holy Spirit. Or be controlled by the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18) I can tell you this is a challenge for me. When I'm in a trial, tough time, or really any time, I'm wanting to control whatever I can, or whatever I can convince myself I'm "controlling". Buuuuut I'm all to aware of the fact that the Lord wants us to surrender to Him, can we say difficult?

-We are to put on our best clothes or our righteous acts. Now in no way am I under the impression that I can do anything rightoues by myself, so steps one and two must happen before I can do good. If I'm washed in the word and controlled by the holy spirit its then that I'm  able to put on my righteous acts.

-> A little tid bit of info: Its note worthy to see that Naomi tells Ruth to "go down" to the threshing floor and lay at Boaz's feet. When we become less as John asks for in John 3:30 and let ourselves go down and lay at the feet of Christ and admit we are nothing it is then God makes us into something; God always creates something out of nothing.

* Being on the threshing floor is hard. For Ruth it was most undoubtledly difficult to lay at the feet of Boaz, not sure what was to come or what his reaction would be, but she laid there and rested well into the night as Boaz slept and seemingly didn't even know she was there for a while. Often times when I'm in a difficult time in my life, I feel like God is just laying there sleeping as I wait. But this is the {bitter} sweet part of trial in our lives, its in this moment we find what true faith and rest in God is. And oh sweet Ruth, she knew just how to rest in the Lord's will. 

*Ruth lays there and waits. Does here rest pay off? Oh yes. Fruit and growth are a direct result of our reaction to trial. Ruth withstood this difficult time and when we are able to rest at the feet of Jesus and Earlier in their relationship Boaz gave permission for Ruth to glean his fields and she was somehow {through God} able to pick up approximately 30 lbs of grain in just one day. But here before she leaves the threshing floor Boaz fills her shawl with grain, actually fills it with over 60 lbs of grain. Is it a coincidence that she's given way more after she's been at the threshing floor? No, not at all. I know in my own life so much more growth has occurred from a hard time as opposed to just an ordinary day with Jesus. I think if I kept this in mind I actually might be able to rejoice in times of trial.

Its awe inspiring to find such rich truths and the face of God in a book of the Bible that is a mere 4 chapters. Ruth. Again I say, I want to be like Ruth.