I’ve been studying the book of Ruth lately and it’s been speaking to me in huge ways. Here’s one way:
Ruth 2:3 says “it just so happened” that Ruth was in Boaz’s field. What??
“It just so happened” that Ruth decided to go glean in the barley fields.
“It just so happened” that the young single poor foreign girl was in the rich single Godly man’s field.
“It just so happened” that he came to his field that day.
“It just so happened” that he noticed her.
“It just so happened” that he had already heard of her sacrifices and her character.
Hmm. . .”it just so happened?” Really?? It was all accident??? I’m not buying it. I think there was something else going on. The original Hebrew language does too. God was at work. His invisible hand of providence was working overtime.
Here’s another story about the time I got my first full-time youth ministry job in Tomball.
“It just so happened” that I was realizing music education wasn’t my calling and knew I needed to find another path.
“It just so happened” that the choir director at my church signed me up to go to Choir Camp.
“It just so happened” that the choir camp people lost my registration and offered to let me stay if I would work with the elementary kids.
“It just so happened” that I was placed in a cabin with some kids from Tomball.
“It just so happened” that I worked with another adult from Tomball. (Susan Bryant)
“It just so happened” that Tomball needed a youth minister.
“It just so happened” that the pastor called me during my prayer time where I was seeking God’s guidance.
I can look back on the situation and see that God made “it just so happen. . .”
After Miranda and I come through the other end of this crazy insecure “not-sure-where-our-ministry-is” time in our lives, I’m sure we’ll use that same phrase. “It just so happened” that . . . . . I’m just wondering which moments we’ll be referring to when we say it? I’m keeping my eyes focused and my ears attentive – looking for God.
These are scary times. These are moments where we get the opportunity to exercise our faith. These are exciting times. These are times when I’m grateful for a God who works behind the scenes so that it can “just so happen.”
PS – If you’re interested, I’ll upload the commentary that I’ve been putting together on the book of Ruth sometime soon. I’ve got one more chapter to go.
That reminds me of a phrase in Esther 4:14…"And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" … WHO KNOWS? WHO KNOWS? GOD KNOWS! It's one of my favorite verses after studying Esther. Loved your commentary (just cuz I'm in it). Send the notes when you finish.
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I can look back at several times in my life where the puzzle fit together amazingly. Only God can orchestrate such things. I am so grateful for an awesome God who has dreams for me that I don’t even know about, and He will make them happen.
Excellent Bro!