by John O’Malley
“And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do” (Ruth 3:4).
Arranging a meeting between two hearts that had met at the divine intersection of God’s will and human attraction brought Naomi the filling of joy that Moab had drained from her life. Certainly, Naomi’s age had not removed her from the delights of seeking the happiness between two hearts that pined for each other. Each instruction of Naomi led Ruth closer to the moment where she would present herself to Boaz for fellowship and kinsman-redemption.
Nothing else would exceed Ruth’s desire to come to Boaz and seek redemption of her family’s name. Mahlon (Ruth’s husband) and Elimelech, though deceased, would find redemption for their names if Boaz would accept Ruth. Before any of this could happen, Ruth had to prepare to meet him. She then had to pause to present herself to him.
Ruth could not do this all at once. She needed to wait until Boaz had nourished himself and had lain down for the night. He would be tired from his labors and would enjoy his rest. The meal being completed, he would seek a comfortable spot on the threshing floor to rest for the next day’s activities. Scripture indicates for us that Boaz had no idea of Naomi's planning and Ruth’s presentation. Ruth was there, waiting to ask the biggest request of her life. This night would long be remembered by both of them.
Naomi told her to wait, watch, and remember the spot in her mind so she could present herself. Watching him from her concealed position taught her about his mannerisms and movements. She had seen him in the environment of the harvest, where she learned his movements and saw his activities. Now, in this different setting, she watched him satisfy his hunger and wondered if he would be satisfied with her heart. When he settled down for the night, she was to mark the place, so when the lights were gone out, she could get to that place and present herself to him.
This simple thought of marking the place for when it got dark ought to stir the heart of every harvest worker. Occasionally, the light surrounding a situation in which we work may become dimmed or obscured. We may even reach a place of darkness in the work we conduct for our Eternal Boaz. We would do well to spend time with Him while it is light so that, when it gets dark, we can find Him and fellowship with Him. Mark His place today; you may need to find Him when this day gets dark.