(June 9, 2020)
From Ruth 2:3b
“It just so happened to happen that Ruth found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.”
This sentence begins in a very interesting way and is a little difficult to translate literally: “It befell her to chance …” or “Ruth chanced a chance…” Some have sensed God’s providential hand at work here and said, “She arrived at her meeting…”
Have you ever noticed that God never actually says anything in the Book of Ruth?
Yes, God is present throughout the whole story, yet nothing “miraculous” happens. No angels appear; there are no miracles; the sun does not darken nor does the moon turn to blood. Rather, Ruth is just “regular, everyday” life. As such, it is full of loss, death, boldness, loyalty, generosity and so on.
And apparently, since this is scripture, the everyday is the place where we meet God.
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The everyday. We often take one step at a time, doing the best we can, trying to discern God’s will and follow it. And this does in fact bring about God’s purposes. It often happens without fireworks. It is found by searching the Scriptures and our own hearts, with great intentionality and in community.
It is only later that you will see that today’s prayerful, we-are-trying-to-do-our-best-decisions are full of more Providence than we now know. Like Ruth, sometimes we just may need to be open to something new and step into the unknown. The unfolding plan of God sometimes feels like a taking a good old-fashioned chance. To be clear, taking a chance is prayerful – and never foolish. It also leads to new opportunities and takes us out of our comfort zone.
Taking a chance… is so everyday and so Providential. Have you taken a “chance” lately?
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Father, thank You for working in such beautiful ways in our ordinary days. We lift up today’s decisions to You and ask for your guiding Hand. May Thy will be done. Amen.
