Come to the Table

We have just finished a three week study on Ruth with our ladies on Monday nights. I love the book of Ruth. When we lived in Stillwater we had the college and high school girls over on Sunday nights and we studied Ruth. She is called a virtuous woman by Boaz and she is a great example for our young ladies to follow.
This time when I was studying, something stuck out to me that hadn't really hit me before. In chapter 2, she is invited to eat at Boaz' table. The table in scripture represents a place of fellowship. Boaz was the owner of the land in which Ruth was gleaning during the barley harvest to provide for her mother-in-law and for herself. When Boaz asked her to come eat at the table, he also told her to take some bread and dip it in the wine. Does anyone else see the significance here? Boaz is a picture of Jesus here and Ruth is a picture of His bride. When we take the Lord's Supper (the bread and the wine), like He did with his disciples in the upper room, we are taking on His identity. Picture yourself reclining at His table. He wants you there. He wants to fellowship with you, for you to take Him in as bread and as wine and be intimate with Him. The invitation is there, but we are so often too busy.
I have a red Bible that I've had for 10 years. Red is my favorite color. It is the Bible I got when I first started knowing what it was like to dig in His word, and find all these treasures that make me feel so loved by Him. I have another Bible that I am using more and more, but I always go back to my red one. It is comfortable to me. Peace to me. The leather and the pages aren't worth much, but what's inside . . . oh my, it's what's inside that sometimes makes my heart sing, sometimes brings me to tears with the reality of love that is tucked away in there. For the last two weeks I've heard this whispering in my soul "come to My table". The way I do that is to open up that precious Word and drink it in. It says there that Ruth ate until she was satisfied and then took some home to Naomi. Naomi was one needy lady. Or so she thought. Her name meant "pleasant" but she told her family and friends to call her Mara, which means "bitter". Sure, she had been through some tough times, but she's the one that chose bitterness. God didn't change her name, she did. Ruth filled up and then overflowed on the one who was spiritually needy. If I sit with Him awhile, I'll have something to give to those who need it. I also think about in Song of Solomon where it says "He brought me to His banqueting table and His banner over me was love". I picture me reclining at His huge table, with someone fanning me on one side and someone holding a straw in my mouth long enough to reach the Route 44 Sonic diet coke on the other side. He's standing behind me holding this big banner up that says "I heart Carol!" Smile. He does love me. He keeps asking me to come to His table. I love that.