Refuge

So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favour in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?" And Boaz answered and said to her, "It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." – Ruth 2.10-12


There is no doubt that the Old Testament is primarily a story of God dealing with the Jews. They are called His chosen people. Almost everything that happens happens to and with the Jewish people.

But every so often we find a non-Jew, what are called ‘Gentiles’ getting in to the story.

Ruth is one of those people. Not only was she not a Jew, she was not just a Gentile, she was a Moabitess and the Moabites were one of the enemies of the Jewish nation. She can’t understand why she has been shown such kindness.Boaz told her that he took note of here because of how she had treated Naomi.

But it is the next part that really makes a difference. She was blessed and found refuge because she honoured God with her choices.

According to Boaz the Lord would bless Ruth because she ‘came under His wings for refuge.’

I don’t know the details about the theology, but this seems to say that Ruth chose to come to the Lord for His refuge and provision and protection. God will not refuse anyone who comes to Him for refuge.

God gives refuge without reserve. Ruth will used by God in a mighty way because she came to Him – and He can use us.