Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Ruth 2 and Psalm 46

In Judges we saw that, in general during this era, the Israelites were living without reference to God and His Law. They were all doing just “as they saw fit”. Yet here in Ruth 2 we discover a community in Israel living righteously and in line with God’s laws – laws that ensured what we might call “generous justice”. God had prescribed that no farmer should ever harvest every single corner of his property, nor go over it a second time once the harvesters had passed through. Rather, those in need of food were given every right to “glean”. Gleaning was done by following the harvest workers around the field to reap what they had missed, and then, once the field was harvested, going through the unharvested corners to reap some more. This way, although the farmer would (quite correctly) take the lion’s share of every field, the poor of the land could also receive a share of the crop through dignified hard labour. Read about this law in Leviticus 19:9-10. Tomorrow we’ll consider another such law – the law of “guardian-redeemers”.

For today let’s recognise that the presence of this righteous, God-fearing community – which was keeping God’s Law and providing justice for those in need in the midst of a wicked and depraved nation – is an inspiration to us. No matter how far the world or our nation has fallen into sin, our calling is always to be an alternative, Godly community of righteousness, peace and love. May the Lord grant us the grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to be able to live this way, and hence to shine as light in the darkness.

Lord, please grant us the wisdom, courage and power of Your Spirit to enable us to live by Your beautiful ways of love and justice in a dark and depraved world. Through Jesus, the Light of the world, we pray. Amen.