Ruth Week 5 Day 1

Ruth 4:4-6

These verse takes place in front of the town gates with witnesses and the family redeemer that is closest to Ruth. Boaz has gone to him to inform him that there is family land for him to redeem and a woman for him to marry.
I thought it was very interesting the way Boaz presented the land. He didn't mention Ruth at all the first time. When the redeemer knew only of the land, he immediatley said yes to buying it. Then Boaz turns around and issues a big BUT! In order for him to purchase the land he had to marry Ruth, a moabite. This really showed me how much Boaz cared for Ruth. It was custom to offer the land to the next closet but they didn't have to marry the widow. Boaz wanted to make sure that Ruth was taken care of. The more I read the more I think that their love wasn't purely romantic or what we think of love. I think the love they had was out of respect and admiration. I think the romantic love came much later. Thats just my guess. Anyways, the family redeemer turned the offer down and gave permission to Boaz to redeem Ruth and the land. The man didn't want to risk his reputation or his family name.
I started thinking about if the risks I've taken in my life. I've taken a few but not many. I like to play it safe. I like everything to be in order and in control. However, the older and deeper I get with God the more risks I feel like taking. Right now the big risk that I'm about to take in my life is the possiblity of going on the mission trip Turkey. Dan and I feel lead to go on this trip. The problem is childcare and fear. My inlaws live in the same town but they rarely help out with the kids. They are good for an hour or 2. The whole time Grant's been born they have kept twice over night. There is no way the could handle all 3. So we are going to ask them (hopefully they aren't on a cruise or somewhere else. They missed Levi's first birthday party because they wanted to go to the cabin in Arkansas) to keep Grant and Micah. I have a friend who said that if they are still living in Shreveport in Nov. that she would keep Levi. This is such a risk for me to leave my kids for 10 days to go to another country! Its scary and exciting at the same time! Then The devil plays with my head and puts all these thoughts in my head like what if I have a blood clot on the plane, get sick, or something happens to the boys! So please pray peace and that we can work out all the details. I do desire to take more risks. I want to be more like Boaz and Ruth who even though they may have been afraid they stepped up to the challenge.