People of Refuge

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm Mike Whitmer and I titled our reading People of Refuge. Phil and Sandy, moved by stories of refugee children, opened their hearts and home to two of them.

After they picked them up at the airport, they nervously drove home in silence. Were they ready for this? They didn't share the same culture, language, or religion, but they'd become people of refuge for these precious children. Boaz was moved by the story of Ruth. He had heard how she'd left her people to support Naomi, and, when Ruth came to glean in his field, Boaz prayed this blessing over her.

May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. Ruth reminded Boaz of his blessing when she interrupted his sleep one night.

Awakened by movement at his feet, Boaz asked, Who are you? Ruth replied, I am your servant, Ruth. Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian redeemer of our family.

The Hebrew word for corner of garment and wings is the same. Boaz gave Ruth refuge by marrying her, and their great-grandson David echoed their story in his praise to the God of Israel. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God, he wrote in Psalm 36. People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Ruth chapter 3, verses 1 through 9. One day Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi said to her, My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for.

Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down.

He will tell you what to do. I will do whatever you say, Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do. When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man. He turned, and there was a woman lying at his feet.

Who are you? he asked. I am your servant, Ruth, she said. Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian redeemer of our family. Let's pray. Father, we take refuge in you. Use us to extend your refuge to others. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.