Redeemed Devotional – Day 15

The heart of Christ is one that is for His people. Jesus sees when we are weak, weary, worn, and struggling. He is not indifferent to these cares of life, and meets us where we are. If this is you, then week three is for you. It’s especially for those who walk into rooms and wonder if anyone notices. The heart of Christ is for the ones who carry quiet burdens, private fears, and hidden exhaustion.

In week three, we will see a Redeemer who sees what others overlook. You will meet the redeemer who sees the tears no one else sees, understands the pain no one else can relate to, the faithfulness no one applauds, and the fears no one understands. He meets His people in all their famine seasons, such as when life feels empty, when the future feels uncertain, when the heart feels tired.

Let’s now trace the steps of a Redeemer who notices, who welcomes, who protects, who speaks peace, and who spreads His wings over those who come to Him for refuge.

Scripture:

Now Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. ² And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” ³ So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. 
Ruth 2:1-3

The day started off like an ordinary day. Ruth and Naomi needed food, but there were no food banks to get it from. They were going to have to go out and glean or gather the leftover grain. But where to go? That was a question. There were a lot of fields that they could pick from. So, it makes sense to pick one in which they had the best opportunity for success. Even though it seems like an ordinary day, to stay is going to turn out anything but ordinary.

Week three is about ordinary days. But really even more than that, it’s about ordinary days in which our Redeemer displays His love and faithfulness through the ways that He cares for us. Ruth is about to experience this on this seemingly ordinary day. She does not know yet how the Redeemer is watching out for her and caring for her, but she’s going to find out soon. And so will you.

Many of you know the feeling of waking up to the same old same old very well. You wake up to the same pressures, the same responsibilities, and the same problems, and you are wondering if anything is going to be different today. You don’t know if life will ever change. All you’re trying to do is to be faithful, but you’re tired. You don’t want the attention, but it would be nice to be noticed from time to time. And this day you are waking up to what seems like just another ordinary day. But you have no idea what God is going to do in this seemingly ordinary day.

This is where Day 15 meets your story as the Redeemer notices the unnoticed. You may feel unseen in your ordinary, but Jesus sees every quiet act of faithfulness, every weary step, every hidden tear. He is better than Boaz because He doesn’t just notice you when you enter the field. He has been watching over you long before you stepped into it, getting the harvest ready for you.

Naomi doesn't know a lot, but she does know one man. She knows him through her husband, a man by the name of Boaz. She knows that he is a good man and they will have the best likelihood of success going to his field. Now as we’ve been following the story, the introduction of Boaz doesn’t seem to be an accident. After all, it wasn’t an accident that God had brought them back here. His sovereign hand was planning every step. At this point, Naomi doesn’t know the full plan. She only knows of one faithful man. And that’s all that she needs to know right now, God is putting something together even though she can only see one thread of it.

Maybe you’re in a season where this is true of you. You’re doing what you can with what you have, but the future feels foggy. You’re not sure which field or direction to step into next. Ruth and Naomi didn’t know either, but they simply took the next faithful step. And sometimes that’s all you can do when you’re weary, to take the next small step and trust that God is guiding what you cannot see.

And here is where Jesus is better than Boaz. Boaz could only see one field, but Jesus sees every field you might step into. He sees the fears you carry into the day, the uncertainty you feel about tomorrow, and the exhaustion you’re trying to hide. He sees it all and He goes with you into every step, to protect and to provide for you through it.

Ruth doesn’t wait around until she’s rested up or everything is put together. She’s a go-getter, and she tells Naomi that she’s going to the field. Even though the law allowed the poor to gather the leftover grain, greedy landowners often made it difficult. So, it would be really helpful if these landowners would not stop the poor. Ruth wants to get permission before she starts to have the best likelihood of success. It takes a lot of courage to move forward when you’re tired. It’s a lot easier to wait until you feel rested up and ready to go. Ruth’s courage is real but it’s also honest. She’s going to need the Lord’s grace in order to be able to go. And again, this is where Jesus is better than Boaz. Jesus strengthens all of the weary, not just those who are willing to go.

Ruth heads out into that field clothed with humility. She does not presume that anyone is going to let her gather grain, but with the trust that God will make a way. She is not flashy or showy. She simply comes as a modest woman with open arms ready to receive whatever the Lord provides for her.

Some of you are living this out even right now. You have no guarantee of applause or recognition for the work that you’re going to do today. All you can show up with is humility. But make no mistake, just quiet faithfulness even when you’re tired and weary is what the Lord honors. Jesus sees those who have nothing to offer but obedience.

As it would be, Ruth happens to come upon the field that belongs to this very man Naomi has been telling her about. Of all the fields and Bethlehem, the one she lands upon this ordinary day is none other than the field of Boaz. Now we know that it was not luck that Ruth happens to come across this field on this every day when Boaz is out. Behind the scenes, God is orchestrating his redemptive plan for her life.  She is an unknown woman that is overlooked by everyone else, but not by God. Ruth might think that she is landing in a random field, but the Lord is taking no chances.

Ruth goes into the field with no status, no legacy, no possessions, and no prestige. But what she does have is something better than all of this. She has the attention of Jesus. Just think of how often Jesus notices those who go unseen by the rest of society. He notices the widow casting in her mites for the offering, the woman bleeding from her unknown disease, the blind beggar, and the man with leprosy.  There is not a single person who goes unnoticed, uncared for. And this includes you, the one who is crying in your kitchen or your car, and the one who wonders if your life matters. Not only does Jesus see, but He also draws near to the ones who are feeling invisible.

Now, there is no promise that today will be an extraordinary day. It could be just another ordinary day, at least on the surface. But you can be assured that you have an extraordinary savior who sees you. And all the things that seem like accidents or luck are really part of His plan.

If today seems very ordinary, that is not necessarily a bad thing. What never changes is that the eyes of your redeemer are upon you. You don’t need a dramatic moment or some great event to have a good day. What you need right now is the reminder that Jesus sees you and meets you in that field where you are at. He is present in the mundane, the repetitive, the unnoticed, the wearying parts of your life.

And this is why Jesus is better that Boaz. Boaz noticed Ruth once she entered his field. Jesus noticed you before you ever entered yours. His love and care have gathered for you a harvest that you can’t imagine. His eyes are on you not because you are impressive, but because you are His. He will not keep you because you are good enough or strong enough, but because He is. And the Redeemer who sees the unnoticed will not overlook you today.

And this is where the story meets you today. You may feel unseen in the places where you work, serve, love, and carry burdens. You may feel like your life is ordinary, repetitive, or unnoticed. You may wonder if anyone sees the weight you carry or the faithfulness you offer. But the Redeemer who sees is the Redeemer who notices the unnoticed.

Jesus is better because He doesn’t wait for you to be impressive before He pays attention. He sees you in the kitchen, in the car, in the workplace, in the quiet moments when you feel invisible. He sees the tears you hide, the prayers you whisper, the strength you borrow, the courage you muster, the faithfulness you offer when you feel empty.

The Redeemer who noticed Ruth notices you, fully, tenderly, constantly, and faithfully. Jesus sees you in the field you’re in, and His eyes are full of love towards you.

Pastor Josh Gerber

1. Where do you feel unseen or overlooked in your life right now?
2. What quiet acts of faithfulness are you offering that no one else seems to notice?
3. How does knowing Jesus sees you change the way you walk into your “ordinary” days?

Choose one Scripture that reminds you that God sees you, and carry it with you this week. Let it become the truth that steadies your heart when you feel invisible.

• Genesis 16:13 — “You are the God who sees me.”
• Psalm 34:15 — “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous.”
• Matthew 6:4 — “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”