Meditate

3. At Threshing Floor

Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

 3

Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you.²Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.³Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.⁴When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.”⁵She said to her, “All that you tell me I will do.”

⁶ So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her.⁷When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and he was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came stealthily and uncovered his feet, and lay down.⁸At midnight the man was startled, and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman!⁹He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin.”¹⁰He said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich.¹¹And now, my daughter, do not be afraid, I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman.¹²But now, though it is true that I am a near kinsman, there is another kinsman more closely related than I.¹³Remain this night, and in the morning, if he will act as next-of-kin for you, good; let him do it. If he is not willing to act as next-of-kin for you, then, as the Lord lives, I will act as next-of-kin for you. Lie down until the morning.”

¹⁴ So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before one person could recognize another; for he said, “It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”¹⁵Then he said, “Bring the cloak you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley, and put it on her back; then he went into the city.¹⁶She came to her mother-in-law, who said, “How did things go with you, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her,¹⁷saying, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ”¹⁸She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.”

2. Made Alive in Christ

From Death to Life

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You were dead through the trespasses and sins²in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.³All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else.⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us⁵even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

65. Psalm 65

Psalm 65

Thanksgiving for Earth’s Bounty

To the leader. A Psalm of David. A Song.

1

Praise is due to you,

O God, in Zion;

and to you shall vows be performed,

2

O you who answer prayer!

To you all flesh shall come.

3

When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,

you forgive our transgressions.

4

Happy are those whom you choose and bring near

to live in your courts.

We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,

your holy temple.

5

By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,

O God of our salvation;

you are the hope of all the ends of the earth

and of the farthest seas.

6

By your strength you established the mountains;

you are girded with might.

7

You silence the roaring of the seas,

the roaring of their waves,

the tumult of the peoples.

8

Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;

you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

9

You visit the earth and water it,

you greatly enrich it;

the river of God is full of water;

you provide the people with grain,

for so you have prepared it.

10

You water its furrows abundantly,

settling its ridges,

softening it with showers,

and blessing its growth.

11

You crown the year with your bounty;

your wagon tracks overflow with richness.

12

The pastures of the wilderness overflow,

the hills gird themselves with joy,

13

the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,

the valleys deck themselves with grain,

they shout and sing together for joy.