Dear friends
I have been freshly moved by the reading of Boaz's
redemptive act toward Ruth, which finds such great reality for all of us in
this generation.
Ruth, who finds herself without a husband, without a people
to call her own, without resource, and who's only option is to throw herself at
the feet of a kinsman redeemer in absolute vulnerability in the hope that he
would show favour and kindness and choose to redeem her in the fullness of
redemption with provision, protection, care and love, stands as a forerunner of
us before our great redeemer Jesus, as well as represents the many in our
community who need us to act toward them in the capacity of a kinsman redeemer.
As the extent of Boaz's act has gripped me again, I want to
quote the words from Scripture in the hope that the Spirit of God would make
them alive to you also. Ruth 4:5-10:
Then Boaz said, “The
day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the
Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in
his inheritance.” Then the
redeemer said, “I cannot redeem
it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption
yourself, for I cannot redeem it.” ... Then Boaz
said to the elders and all the people, “You
are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that
belonged to Elimelech... Also Ruth the
Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the
name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut
off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are
witnesses this day.”
What an incredible act of redemption. The one 'redeemer'
turns away from redeeming because he did not want to risk impairing/harming his
estate, while Boaz pays the price and redeems fully.
Friends, today I ask this question of you: is your life an
accurate portrayal of the redemptive King we serve, who redeemed us even though
it impaired his estate (through having to leave the Father to come to earth),
so that when we come across people in the position of a Ruth, though it cost us
and impair our inheritance, yet we will act redemptively to show the love of
our Father?
My prayer for us as a people is that God would move on us
this day and turn us into kinsman redeemers for the poor, the widow, the
broken, the needy, and the lost in order that we may be witnesses of His glory
to the ends of the earth.
My affections are towards you friends.
Richard
