Daily Worship

Redeemed

September 19, 2015 0 0

Ruth 4:1-10

Boaz Marries Ruth

4 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.3 Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”

6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”

7 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)

8 So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.

9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”

Redeemed!
What a beautiful word.
Redeemed, I say it again.
My mouth is full of its sound
My heart soars at its mention.
Total grace, total love,
Are bound up with this
Magnificent act
Which reaches out to the other
And brings about reconciliation,
Wholeness, restoration,
Peace, fruitfulness.

Did Boaz think this when he 
Found Ruth at his feet?
Did Boaz think this as he discussed at the gate?
Did Boaz think this as he married Ruth?
Ordinary acts, blessed by God.
The ordinary made holy
The ordinary redeemed
The ordinary blessed

Lord Jesus, thank-you that you have taken my life 
In all it's ordinariness 
And you have made it holy, redeemed, blessed.
Amen