barley made it--Kurts Daily Must 6-13-07

[caileesnana]

We often forget how abundant and generous our God really is. The Book
of Ruth is a classic picture of God's blessings. Boaz is a type of Christ,
and Ruth is a type of the Church. Ruth was only related to Boaz through
Naomi, her mother-in-law. And when it came time to exercise his right to
"redeem" Ruth, Boaz not only stepped up to the plate, but he poured out more
than anyone expected.
"Also he said, "Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it." And when
she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she
went into the city.... And she said [to Naomi], "These six ephahs of barley
he gave me, for he said to me, 'Do not go empty-handed to your
mother-in-law" (Ruth 3:15, 17).
An ephah weighed about 12 pounds. Boaz had just poured more than 70
pounds of grain into Ruth's shawl, then made her carry it into the city!
(She was more sturdy than we previously thought).
Now here is a picture of Jesus and the Church. Jesus is wanting to
"open for you the windows of heaven and pour out blessings that there won't
be room enough to receive." And many in the Church want the blessings...but
do not want to carry them. It's hard work. Each blessing assumes a
responsibility, a commitment. Many of the blessings come just by virtue of
God's goodness, while others come as a result of using our gifts. Either
way, there's a cost-to-carry.
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our
salvation" (Ps. 68:19). "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty
and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work,
this one will be blessed in what he does" (Jam. 1:25).
Have a fantastic day in the Lord, spreading your "shawl" open for God's
blessings, and carrying and sharing them with one another, remembering this
story of Ruth...who "barley" made it.