No Coincidences

…She happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz… Ruth 2:3

While I’m sure there is such a thing as a coincidence, I think they are fewer than most might think. Our God, the one who works out everything for His purpose, has a way of weaving seemingly unrelated things together.

Sometimes a spade is just a spade, but so many times seemingly unrelated events share some things in common. Ruth and Naomi happened to arrive back in Israel in time for the harvest of barley. Ruth stepped up and became the bread winner, both literally and figuratively. As she gleaned grain behind the reapers, the Bible said she “happened” upon a portion of land that belonged to Boaz. He wasn’t just any land owner. He was kinsman of Elimelech, Ruth’s deceased father-in-law. Ruth may have just wandered until she found a field, but God had a purposeful plan.

I confess that I get very put out with people when they say to me, “Oh, you see God in everything. It’s just a coincidence.” I hear this a lot. But if you slow down and pray, you can see God’s hand everywhere. Ruth did not know who the field belonged to when she began to work. Naomi would excitedly inform her later in the chapter. This was most likely one of Ruth’s very first experiences with God reaching down and and intervening in her life. I imagine the chills that must have run up and down her spine as she processed this news about Boaz. She could be confident that her needs would be met. And not just hers, but Naomi’s as well.

May we all never stop falling quiet in awe of what our God is doing for us.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Forgive me for the times that I’ve been blind to Your work all around me. Help me to be sensitive to what You are doing.
In Jesus Name,
Amen