Grain

10th night of Advent—Boaz and Ruth.

Symbol: Wheat

Chorus: Praise Him In The Morning
Hymns: Come, Thou Almighty King; Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

One of the truly great love stories ever penned is this one of Boaz and Ruth. It's them as individuals, their characters, their interactions with others, their reputations, of course their interactions with each other, and yet it is so much more than them, that draw us into identification with their story.

Uncertainty, faithlessness, emptiness of not knowing, pain, loss, being a stranger, loneliness, longing to be loved, to be cherished, to be protected, to belong, to be respected, to know provision, a full stomach rather than gnawing hunger, to have a name, an inheritance, a hope.

Boaz is the kinsman redeemer, the one who saves downtrodden Ruth, who lifts her from poor, beggarly want, to honored, loved grace. Boaz is one of God's chosen people, and Ruth is a Gentile, grafted in as one of God's chosen because of his love.

Beyond these, Boaz and Ruth are the great grandparents of King David. And David takes us to his greater son, the King of kings, Messiah Jesus. And Messiah Jesus buys us back from our sin-soaked captivity, sets us free…

…and marries us.

He gives us His name
He is our Inheritance of ever-life with him.
He is our sure and certain unfailing hope.

From such humble beginnings…

…all for love's sake, for my sake, for yours.

"…unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." Jn 12.24