Patiently Waiting

Ruth 3:16-18

Whenever we get together for Christmas, my family is fond of reminding me that I was not the most patient child when it came to opening Christmas gifts. If I slept 3 hours that was a long time. I would stay up till midnight or 1 in the morning, then I was usually up around 3 am. It killed me waiting until my parents would allow me to open gifts. I also usually kept some of my siblings up as well. I wasn't very good at the waiting game. In some ways I'm still not good at it. Romans 8:25 says, "But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."

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When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “Is that you, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 And she said, “These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, ‘Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ” 18 Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.”

Ruth 3:16-18

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Ruth returned home, and Naomi is waiting on her. I picture this like a mother waiting up for her child to return home from their first date. There is concern, expectation, and anticipation. The big difference is that most parents do not expect their daughter to come home from her first date with a ring on her finger. Naomi in a sense did. While there was no literal ring, there was the expectation of an engagement.

Ruth filled Naomi in, and told her that Boaz sent her home with a scarf full of barley. Any guys reading this, DO NOT take this as advice on what to give your wife! A bag of flour will not go over as well in our culture. Boaz was giving a token of his ability to care for Ruth and Naomi. He was demonstrating his willingness to care for them. He was also showing that he loved Ruth enough to provide for her.

Now came the hard part. Naomi told Ruth to sit and wait patiently until she heard word from Boaz. Can you imagine? They both agree that they want to marry, but they have to wait to find out if they can legally marry. What's worse, there is the possibility that Ruth may end up marrying another guy that she does not know. This had to be the longest wait ever!

I find it ironic that Naomi tells Ruth to sit patiently and wait on word from Boaz because he will not be patient, but will make sure that he has an answer that very day. "Ruth you must be patient because Boaz will not be". It sounds funny, but that was actually a blessing. The one who did not have any ability to see to this matter needed to wait patiently on the one who had the authority to see to the matter. She had to wait on him, and he was not going to leave her waiting any longer than was absolutely necessary. I like that!

Paul said this in Galatians 4:4-5, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons“. Up to that point, mankind was waiting patiently on their Savior. There was nothing we could do but wait. We had no authority to meddle in the transaction that brought about our redemption. We had to sit and wait until we received word. That is exactly the picture here in this story of Ruth. Ruth is waiting to be redeemed by a near kinsman. Yes, people could be saved before Jesus died on the cross, but in a sense it was on credit. When Jesus died on the cross the transaction for their sins, and for ours, was paid in full.

Father, thank You for handling all of the business involved in our redemption. There was and is nothing we can do for ourselves. May we wait patiently on Your redemptive work, not just in our salvation, but in our sanctification, and eventually in our going home to be with You in Heaven!