Ruth-day 1

To My Girls~
I began reading Ruth, with the purpose of looking at her character, who she is as a woman who loves God.  Wow.  What I've found has been so cool.  Here are some things so far:

Ruth:
*"clung to Naomi"-This shows me that she was loyal and devoted.  She could have let this "old woman", her mother-in-law leave, and she could have returned to her family's home, with hopes she could remarry.  Widowed women weren't looked very highly upon and were poor.  She chose to stay with Naomi.

*knew God-She told Naomi that Naomi's God would be her God.  Ruth was putting a stake in the ground, choosing God, over her family and people.

*wasn't afraid to make oaths.  She had strong convictions, stating that God would be her God, Naomi's people would be her people.  She wasn't afraid to take a stand, and she wasn't afraid she'd fail.

*was a Moabite-not from God's original people-her origin is mentioned several times

*hard worker-gleaned in the fields from morning until now (2:7)

*humble (maybe a little bit hungry?)  She wasn't afraid to humble herself and glean in the field for what she and Naomi needed.

*submissive-listened as Boaz spoke to her, asked to glean in the field

*heart of gratitude-Ruth was thankful for the way Boaz provided

Loved these verses today: (starting at 2:11)
"But Boaz answered her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people you did not know before.  The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!"

*Have been meditating on Psalm 34-Today:
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!  Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!