"Where hast thou gleaned to day?"
Ruth 2:19
I love this verse.
6 words. Only 6.
But yet, these words ask something so crucial.
So vital to our walk as women living for the Lord.
They are like a diagnosis of our spiritual walk.
A question that delves into the depths of where our heart truly lies.
Where have we gleaned today?
Naomi was asking about where Ruth had gathered from...where she had collected her precious bounty from? The nourishing and energising food, from which they would draw strength. Without which, they would struggle to survive.
Where have *WE* gathered from today?
Where have we turned to for strength and sustenance?
Where SHOULD we turn to for our strength?....
If we rely only upon ourselves, we will have little.
If we turn to worldly sources - to the news, to trashy magazines or novels, to worldly advice on parenting and our role as wives.
Then we will find no sustenance - no nourishment.
Sound advice, fellowship and friendship from friends and family is good. But, it's not the source of our strength, and should not be where we glean from over and above anything else.
It's God's Word that we need. It's HIS field that we need to go and glean in. To gather the "handfuls of purpose" from the field of our kinsman redeemer.
From our Saviour.
From our Lord.
From that One who gave us life...eternal life.
We echo with Peter...
"Lord, to whom shall we go?"
We should not...CAN not...go to any other for our Daily Bread.
When was Ruth there?...from the morning, right until late in the evening. Diligently gathering...handful, after handful. Left for her, under instruction from her kinsman.
Oh, how the Lord has left so many satisfying morsels for us, if we would but search for them...
gather them...
spend our energy...
give up our time...
to glean them.
He WANTS to satisfy our spiritual hunger, and provide for us every day.
But, there is no benefit in leaving those handfuls strewn upon the ground, left to rot away, with no benefit to our souls. We need to gather it up - to take it in - to seek it with hungry hearts.
To gather it with the same enthusiasm, effort and determination of Ruth.
Oh, Lord.....how we fail you.
How we neglect Thy precious Word.
How we hurry through our day without a thought for that "better part" - of sitting at Thy feet and hearing Thy Word speaking peace and strength in our hearts.
Forgive us, Lord, for thinking we have the strength to manage alone.
Challenge us...
Stir us up...
Lead us on....
to glean in THY fields today, and every day.
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