Like Ruth, we are all asylum seekers, looking for a true home. God has provided a Better Boaz for us.

“Then she said, “I have found favour in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.” (Ruth 2:13)”

Boaz, a rich and powerful land baron has shown incredible kindness to Ruth, a poor widowed immigrant. Ruth has gone seeking leftovers in some field hoping that someone will show her grace. Providence, that Invisible Hand of God, has orchestrated things so that this empty woman meets this very full man and they have met exactly in her hour of need.

Boaz has given Ruth welcome, protection, provision and community. He has provided asylum for this asylum seeker. We can learn from Ruth.

The truth is, we are empty like she was. We are weak, like she was. We are vulnerable like she was. We are foreigners to God’s household. We have been looking for scraps in the world. We have searched for asylum and come back empty.

But God has provided a Better Boaz. God has provided the Best Boaz who is both rich and powerful and the Ruler of God’s vast estates. He is everything we lack. He is a descendant of Ruth and Boaz. He is Jesus Christ who, for our sakes, has become rich beyond imagination.

The way to receive from Him, is to pray like Ruth speaks to her Boaz. Like Ruth, we pray that we may ‘find favour’. We seek from Him not reward, not even justice, we seek grace. If only He would treat us above and beyond what we deserve or what the law requires!

She addresses Boaz as ‘my lord’. There is no point in seeking help from equals. We can only hope for grace from Jesus if we own Him as superior to ourselves. The greater blesses the inferior.

She says that Boaz has ‘comforted me’. We acknowledge to our Boaz that He has given us the rest and comfort our hearts beg for. Forgiveness of sins, acceptance in His name, a new identity as His children and co-heirs with Him of all His Father’s riches. An eternity of sanctuary and rest! He has indeed comforted us!

Boaz, says Ruth, has ‘spoken kindly to her’. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a kind word. “Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Aren’t these the kindest words ever? Jesus says, I’m not trying to take anything from you. I’m offering you rest. How kind!