My Gleaning Days Are Over

Written by Jarred Rushing

(6 minutes)

I want you to reflect on a powerful statement that was made this past Sunday in our gathering. 

“Abba doesn’t want you just gleaning in someone else’s field, He wants you to be a deed-holder in that field. But this is going to cost you intentionality.”

Now read it again, slowly, and really take it in. 

I believe the Kingdom family at The Wilderness Place is catching this phrase. I believe it is taking root in our hearts. We are waking up to what Abba really desires for us and for our families and for our city. Pastor Tim’s statement from Sunday was absolutely correct: “American Christianity taught us to be gleaners.” American Christianity sold us on this “hassle-free guarantee” version of church that wouldn’t cost us too much outside of showing up and consuming information. What it was missing the entire time was what Abba truly intended for the church gathering to be…a Kingdom family planted in beloved identity, sowing itself as seed for generations to come, and being transformed into the image of Christ by beholding Him day and night, again and again, living to host His presence in every place. 

Abba isn’t settling for gleaners. He wants to pull us in, plant us, and make us deed-holders in this field. He did not design us to be consumers of information; He designed us to be radiators of His glory. He has designed us to be image-bearers of His presence on the earth. We were made for so much more than religion originally offered us. 

But…

This is going to cost you intentionality. 

This is why religion never mentioned anything more than “coming to church.” Because pitching covenant marriage to people who are not in love is a hard sell. In the same way that marriage requires intentionality to be successful, so does our covenant marriage with Jesus. It’s much deeper than a quick business transaction or signing up for a program at church. This is going to cost you intentionality in the areas of intimacy, honor and order - the stuff that makes great marriages. 

I want you to read the scripture from Ruth, chapter 3, again with the lens of going from gleaner to deed-holder. Notice the intentionality that is injected into the story once Ruth commits to going after covenant marriage, instead of remaining an occasional consumer. 

One day, Naomi said to Ruth: “I want to see you marry so that you’ll be happy and secure. Now listen, a man named Boaz is our relative. You worked with his servant girls in his fields. This evening, he’ll be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Now, take a bath and put on some nice perfume. Dress in your best clothes and go to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you’re there until he’s had plenty to eat and drink. Watch closely to see where he lies down. Then go, uncover his feet, and lie down there. He will tell you what to do.” Ruth answered, “I’ll do everything you’ve told me.” That evening, Ruth went down to the threshing floor and did all her mother-in-law had told her to do. After his evening meal, Boaz was in a good mood. He went to lie down at the far end of the grain pile and fell fast asleep. Ruth quietly tiptoed over to him, uncovered his feet, and lay down. Around midnight, Boaz was startled, and he awoke. He was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet. “Who are you?” Boaz asked. “I am Ruth, your servant girl,” she answered. “Spread the corner of your garment over me because you are a close relative by marriage, one who is my kinsman-redeemer.” Boaz said: “Dear woman, may Yah-weh bless you, for this act of kindness you are showing me exceeds the kindness you have shown to Naomi. You didn’t search for a young man to marry, either rich or poor. My daughter, don’t worry. I promise to do everything you ask, because everyone knows you’re a brave woman of noble character.” (Ruth 3:1-11)

Do you see the transformation from occasional consumer to covenant marriage? Do you see the intentionality of Ruth when it became less about gleaning and more about being in a covenant relationship with Boaz? Do you notice Ruth embracing order by submitting to Boaz and asking for his covering in her life? 

There was a time when we were all  just gleaning in someone else’s field. Consuming the scraps of someone else’s anointing. Relying on the crumbs that were falling off of someone else’s relationship with the Lord. That may have been where we started, but that is certainly not where Abba intends for us to finish. He’s calling us out of the place of occasional gleaner (consumer) and into the place of covenant marriage.

And it will cost us our intentionality.

Intentional times in intimacy.

Intentional acts in honor.

Intentional obedience in order. 

And the most beautiful part of this entire thing is our being covered by the presence of Yahweh. We’ll be resting under the wing of Yahweh’s faithfulness. We’ll no longer be striving in the field. We’ll be resting in His grace. We’ve given up gleaning to be “a company of lovers resting at His feet.” Just like the scripture in Hosea 2:14-16 declares, we’ll no longer call Him “Master,” but we will call Him, “Husband.” And that is because we have laid down the identity of servant and slave, and have inherited our beloved identity as Bride.

Do you hear Abba calling you out of the fields and into the family?

Do you feel Him luring you out of the place of occasional consumer and into the deeper, richer relationship of covenant marriage? 

You’re about to go from gleaning in the field to owning the field along with the Bridegroom, Jesus. The only requirement for marriage is love. Love plants itself and will not be moved. Love commits its life and tethers itself to the beloved. Love demands intentionality. Love finds joy in sowing seeds of intimacy, honor and order. 

As you take a walk with Abba today, let Him hear your voice and your heart’s desire to be tethered to Him in covenant marriage. Find His feet today and lay down there. As you worship, whisper to Him that you want to be covered by His presence. Like Naomi said to Ruth, “He will tell you what to do.”

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Worship: "Most Beautiful / So In Love" by Maverick City Music 

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