Come out of that corner

Thu, 2 May 2024

‘You shall not wholly reap the corners of your field ...’ Leviticus 23:22

Under Old Testament law, God commanded Jewish farmers: ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: …’ (Leviticus 23:22 NKJV). Ruth was working in an obscure corner of a field owned by a wealthy man named Boaz, who is a beautiful type of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. When Boaz saw Ruth, he called her out of the corner and into the midst of the harvest field. And he instructed the reapers to drop handfuls of wheat in her path so that she wouldn’t have to work for it (see Ruth 2:16).

There is a lesson here. One moment of God’s favour can change your life. And He can do it through someone He has already prepared, someone you haven’t even met yet. Ruth didn’t know it, but because Boaz was related to her mother-in-law Naomi, that positioned him to be her ‘kinsman-redeemer’ (see Ruth 3:1-9), who was someone qualified to wipe out her debt, care for her, and meet her needs. Jesus said, ‘... and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly’ (Matthew 6:4 NKJV). Be assured, God has not overlooked you. Others may not notice your faithfulness, but He does, and He will reward you for it. ‘For God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister’ (Hebrews 6:10 NKJV). One of these days God is going to say to you, ‘Come out of that corner!’