Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

October 25– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“[Ruth] gleaned in the field and happened to come to a property belonging to Boaz.“

—Ruth 2:3

Ruth just so “happened” to come. Yes, it seemed like an accident, but how divinely overseen! Ruth had followed her mother-in-law, Naomi, from Moab to Judah, embracing Naomi’s God, Jehovah, and went to do humble but honorable work in the fields. And the providence of God was guiding her every step. Little did she know that, amid the bundles of wheat she gathered, she would also find a husband who would make her the joint owner of all those acres of land. Even though she was a poor foreigner, she would become an ancestor of Israel’s Messiah King.

God is very good to those who trust in him and often surprises them with blessings for which they haven’t sought. Little do we know what may happen to us tomorrow, but this sweet fact may cheer us: that no good thing will be withheld. Chance is banished from the faith of Christians, for they see the hand of God in everything. The seemingly trivial events of today or tomorrow may have consequences of the highest importance. O Lord, deal as graciously with your servants as you did with Ruth!

How blessed would it be if, in wandering in the field of meditation tonight, we should happen to come to the place where our divine Relative will reveal himself to us! O Spirit of God, guide us to him! We would rather glean fragments in his field than receive whole harvests from any other. Let us follow the footsteps of his flock toward the green pastures where he dwells! This is a weary world when Jesus is absent; we could live more easily without sun and moon than without him. But how divinely beautiful all things become in the glory of his presence! Our souls know the virtue that lives in Jesus and can never be content without him. We will wait in prayer tonight until we “happen” come to a field belonging to Jesus where he will show himself to us. [M&E]