In you I feel safe. Naomi and Ruth

Transcription

1 In you I feel safe. Naomi and Ruth Third week / First day Taking my life into my own hands This week s prayer God bless me in all my new beginnings with trust and strength so that I will not give up when problems arise but will believe in your guidance and the goodness of others The Book of Ruth Ruth 2:1-3a Now Naomi had a relative of her husband s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor. And she said to her, Go, my daughter. So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, God is with me always

2 Spiritual food Israel s laws protected those who were poor by demanding of their richer families to take care of them. Naomi knew of that right which would support her new beginning. Whatever falls on the ground during the harvest could be reaped by those poor relatives. Ruth is sent to do just that, to get the grains for her mother and herself. Both women have different ways of supporting each other, and they use their respective abilities. So they make a success of their lives. Both are connected through similar fates: they are widows and childless, and they have no income. Both of them have been faced with unknown and strange environments and cultures. Ruth s name means friend, companion and friendship. She has really become a true companion to her mother-in-law. She is someone you can rely on. She lives up to the meaning of her name. With what women and men have I successfully connected throughout my life? What has brought us together and why did we become so close? I feel safe and peaceful in God Today s blessing Friendly God bless all my friends and our relationship. Without them my life would be meaningless. Friendly God you have proved yourself my friend at all times. Bless me with the patience that invests in relations that are difficult and fractured. Help me not to give up too soon. Friendly God bless me with the insight that knows when a relationship has ended and is no longer fruitful. When I let go of it then let me believe that you will eventually open the door to a new and refreshing relationship.

3 In you I feel safe. Naomi and Ruth Third week / Second day God be with you! God bless you! This week s prayer God bless me in all my new beginnings with trust and strength so that I will not give up when problems arise but will believe in your guidance and the goodness of others The Book of Ruth Ruth 2:1-9 Now Naomi had a relative of her husband s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor. And she said to her, Go, my daughter. So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, The Lord be with you! And they answered, The Lord bless you. Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, Whose young woman is this? And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers. So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest. Then Boaz said to Ruth, Now, listen, my daughter, do not

4 go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn. God is with me always Spiritual food Boaz is related to Naomi and he owns land. His name tells us that he is full of power and he is mighty. He possesses the ability and privilege to grant protection and food or withhold them. Boaz has already picked Ruth out as someone who needs both but is willing to work hard to survive. He has found out that she came to Bethlehem to care for Naomi. As a widow she might be harassed by men in the fields. Boaz takes her under his wing and demands of his workers to keep away from her. He treats her like a daughter and takes care of her well-being. Have I known times in my life when I needed protection and experienced help? Are there people I shielded in times of trouble? I feel safe and peaceful in God Today s blessing Precious God bless me with your understanding so that I will see those who need my protection. Motherly God bless me when I feel needy, unprotected and lonely. Loving God bless all people who have sheltered me in times of trouble and took me under their wings.

5 In you I feel safe. Naomi and Ruth Third week / Third day The God of Israel repays you for all you have done! This week s prayer God bless me in all my new beginnings with trust and strength so that I will not give up when problems arise but will believe in your guidance and the goodness of others The Book of Ruth Ruth 2:1-13 Then Boaz said to Ruth, Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn. Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner? But Boaz answered her, All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. Then she said, I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants. God is with me always

6 Spiritual food I do not always get praise for my good deeds and good work. Praise and gratefulness cannot be taken for granted. To be seen in one s own right as a foreigner in a foreign land by a landowner is a privilege. Ruth is touched by Boaz s concern for her safety. Boaz seems to see her true value. He shows her respect for all she gave up in order to be with Naomi. To be respected and cherished by this man must have been a treat. When Boaz starts praying for her and asks for God s positive reaction to her actions and her personality, Ruth experiences his high regard for her. In Boaz s kindness she witnesses the kindness of Naomi s God. Am I conscious of my own value? How do I feel when someone seems to fully understand and estimate me? I feel safe and peaceful in God Today s blessing All knowing God you know that I sometimes feel small and inconsequential and that I belittle myself at times. Bless me with your mercy so that I am enabled to look at myself with loving eyes. Loving God bless me with your insight so that I am enabled to see and praise the special charismas of others. Tender God when I am fit to do both I am a blessing for you and for myself.

7 In you I feel safe. Naomi and Ruth Third week / Fourth day She ate and was no longer hungry This week s prayer God bless me in all my new beginnings with trust and strength so that I will not give up when problems arise but will believe in your guidance and the goodness of others The Book of Ruth Ruth 2:1-17 But Boaz answered her, The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. Then she said, I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants. And at mealtime Boaz said to her, Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine. So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her. So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. God is with me always

8 Spiritual food Boaz sits together with Ruth and shares his food with her. He opens communion with her. His admiration for her opens up the possibility of a relationship. He starts sharing his wealth with her. She has more than enough to eat. Boaz becomes God s caretaker granting his blessings through this companionship. Ruth remains true to herself: she is humble still and continues to do her work swiftly. She is not satisfied by being fed, she wants Naomi to be fed as well. She wants Naomi to share her fortune. Have I met people I would call God s messengers? Have I been an angel to someone? In which moments of my life have I experienced life in its splendor? I feel safe and peaceful in God Today s blessing Good God bless the results of my honest work and let it be a blessing to others. Good God thank you for the possibility of being creative in my work so that I can express what is inside me. May the result of this creative process be a blessing to many. Good God bless all those who have lost their jobs or who have lost the ability to work and all those who are excluded from life in its splendor. Let us who still are able to work be there for their needs.

9 In you I feel safe. Naomi and Ruth Third week / Fifth day Blessed be he who cares about you This week s prayer God bless me in all my new beginnings with trust and strength so that I will not give up when problems arise but will believe in your guidance and the goodness of others The Book of Ruth Ruth 2:1-19 When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her. So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. And her mother-in-law said to her, Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you. So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, The man s name with whom I worked today is Boaz. God is with me always

10 Spiritual food Once we have included a person into our heart we cherish and spoil him or her. It seems natural then to want the best for this chosen person. In doing so, we express our belief that there is a God who loves and gives abundantly. We believe in a dimension that blesses and grants goodies. If we bless someone we put him or her under the loving protection of this well-meaning God. I can bless by using positive words and simple gestures in order to express my wish for someone else s well-being. With words that come from the heart I can strengthen the person blessed. In so doing, I show my trust in God and say yes! to this person. God is the one who protects, guides and strengthens through my words and gestures. I feel safe and peaceful in God Today s blessing Blessed be the person who blesses me and shows me his or her personal concern. Blessed be the person who is blessed by me as I value him or her. Blessed be the person who is by your side when I cannot be near you. Blessed be God who grants us blessings so that we have life to the brim.

11 In you I feel safe. Naomi and Ruth Third week / Sixth day Be blessed by the kindness of God This week s prayer God bless me in all my new beginnings with trust and strength so that I will not give up when problems arise but will believe in your guidance and the goodness of others The Book of Ruth Ruth 2:1-23 Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. And her mother-in-law said to her, Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you. So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, The man s name with whom I worked today is Boaz. And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead! Naomi also said to her, The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers. And Ruth the Moabite said, Besides, he said to me, You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest. And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted. So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. God is with me always

12 Spiritual food Boaz is a redeemer. Israelite law of those days decreed that a rich family member had to redeem a poor relative who had lost his land. As Naomi s family had lost theirs, Boaz is the one to buy their lost land back for them so that they can live from its proceeds. Therefore their lives are founded on a steady source of food. God is marvelous. Naomi realizes that Ruth was sent on Boaz s land of all fields! That is how God works miracles and exerts justice. This is the way God cares. At what times have I experienced such goodness in my own life? Have I seen God s doing in those events? How do I show my solidarity to the needy? I feel safe and peaceful in God Today s blessing Caring God bless all the people who have redeemed me during times of need and trouble. Caring God blessed are those times in which you have proved yourself to me as savior and guide. Caring God send me angels to carry me safe on their wings that I do not get hurt.

13 In you I feel safe. Naomi and Ruth Third week / Seventh day Coming home and being together as one This week s prayer God bless me in all my new beginnings with trust and strength so that I will not give up when problems arise but will believe in your guidance and the goodness of others The Book of Ruth Ruth 2:1-23 Now Naomi had a relative of her husband s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor. And she said to her, Go, my daughter. So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, The Lord be with you! And they answered, The Lord bless you. Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, Whose young woman is this? And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers. So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest. Then Boaz said to Ruth, Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young

14 men have drawn. Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner? But Boaz answered her, All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. Then she said, I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants. And at mealtime Boaz said to her, Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine. So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her. So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. And her mother-in-law said to her, Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you. So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, The man s name with whom I worked today is Boaz. And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead! Naomi also said to her, The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers. And Ruth the Moabite said, Besides, he said to me, You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest. And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted. So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law. God is with me always Spiritual food Ruth has worked hard for their existence. Now she can sit back and rest. Naomi is her family, her home now. They both need each other and support each other as well as they can. They care for the other person s need. Ruth sees what she has accomplished and cherishes the quiet afterwards. What makes me peaceful and at rest? I have prayed with the book of Ruth these last two weeks. Has this time of prayer and quiet brought me nearer to myself and to God? How do I feel, when I rest and resist the urge to be productive at all times? I feel safe and peaceful in God

15 Today s blessing Understanding God bless me while and after I work and also bless me when I allow myself to rest and enjoy. Understanding God bless those people who work for me in so many ways so that my life becomes easier. Understanding God bless me with the good feeling of not being exclusively responsible for everything.