Under His Wings

Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down… “Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” Ruth 3:7b and 9b

Has God called you do something that makes you feel uncomfortable? Do you find it difficult to obey?

In Ruth chapter 3, Naomi tells Ruth to do something that could be seen as risky. She tells her to dress up and lie at Boaz’s feet, on the threshing floor, in the middle of the night. While their motives were good, others might not perceive them as such. It could be seen as the move of a prostitute and not a holy woman looking for protection. And Boaz knew that. She was taking a leap of faith by trusting Naomi, Boaz, and ultimately, the God of Israel.

When he saw Ruth at his feet, he was startled. He was even more surprised when she asked him to cover her. This reminds me so much of Nicodemus meeting with Jesus in the middle of the night. There were so many risks with being discovered. Boaz even told the men who where with him not to tell anyone that a woman was there. He wanted to protect Ruth. She put her trust in him so He wasn’t about to let her down.

Some other translations use the word “covering” instead of “wings” because, in Hebrew, that is the very meaning. Ruth was asking to take shelter under his wings. Many years later, their great-grandson, a singing shepherd named David, would sing, “In the shadow of your wings will I make my refuge until calamities pass me by.” (Psalm 57:1 and 5 other times)

Can we be so bold as to take the same leap of faith that Ruth took? No matter what happens, we can be sure that the very same God Who made us will never let us go.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Just as Ruth trusted You, I choose to trust You. I let go of all fear I feel about being obedient and will find my safety under Your wings.
In Jesus Name Amen