Seasons come whereby God calls for an obedience that is likened to the laying down of your own life and will.

Ruth is praised for leaving the ones she knew to go to a place of strangers. Similar to Abraham, she puts to rest the land of familiar.

I find it so interesting that Boaz, a clear foreshadowing of Christ Jesus, tells her to “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.”

Christ is referred to often as the bread of life and the mention of vinegar is found throughout the scriptures. Namely, upon a sponge while he was being put to death.

Isn’t this a type of picture of the life with Christ?

Ruth sits with other reapers of the harvest and they pass the grain to her. “She eats and is satisfied.”

Nothing will satisfy us like the Bread of Life. In the presence of Christ Jesus is the only place whereby there is fullness of joy.

Earlier in verse 9 of Chapter 2 is the command to “Let your eyes be on the field which they reap and go after them.”

Where is your field, dear one? It is harvest time and Christ is beckoning you to be willing to leave father and mother and your land of familiar to go reap the harvest. Your “bundle” of souls awaits your going.

The life of following Jesus might bring a bitter taste at times as the flesh fights for what it wants when Jesus calls you onward to new lands, but you do not want to miss out on the harvesting season.

Let Ruth be an example of beautiful obedience to every follower of Jesus. We must go work the field God has assigned to us even if it leads to an unfamiliar land.