Finding Favor

Ruth 2:10 “At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, ‘Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me – a foreigner?”

When Ruth followed Naomi to Bethlehem, she knew what she was in for. She had been fairly warned. She was a foreigner – the worst kind of foreigner. She was a Moabitess. She was a poor widow woman in a strange land. She expected nothing but hatred and disdain. But here, in the eyes of a rich, powerful man, she found favor!

Perhaps Ruth didn’t have access to a mirror, or she would have obviously seen what Boaz saw. She was a beautiful woman. Not only that, but her reputation had preceded her, and she was known to be kind, loyal, and hard-working. She was attractive in body and in spirit. That is why Boaz fell in love with her.

We, on the other hand, have nothing. When God looks at us, He doesn’t really care about physical beauty. He cares only about our hearts, and we are sinful to the core. We are born into sin – it is our very nature. And God hates sin; He can’t stand to even look at sin!

So, although Ruth perhaps had lovely qualities that would attract Boaz, we have nothing, within ourselves, to attract God. It is we, not Ruth, who should fall on our faces before our God. We should exclaim, “Why have I found such favor in Your eyes that You notice me – a sinner?”

The answer to that question is not found with us, but with God. He loves us not because we deserve to be loved, but because it is His nature to love. He is love. And He loves us with a passion, with a fervor and zeal that caused Him to give the ultimate gift for us – His own Son. We have found favor with Him simply because He loves us, He loves us, He loves us! And nothing can ever separate us from that love.

Romans 8:38 – 39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Dear Father, I fall on my knees before You, knowing You have no reason to love me. Thank You, thank You, thank You for loving me anyway!

Amen

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