Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The LORD be with you!” “The LORD bless you!” they called back.
It is interesting that one of the most famous liturgical responses in church history comes from the text in Ruth. It appears where a Master is greeting his harvesters. It’s almost like a call to corporate work.
I think this is a good context for us. The greeting “The Lord be with you” ought to be seen as the Greater Boaz, Jesus Christ, inviting you to a harvesting mission. This greeting is not synonymous with “Good Morning;” it is synonymous with a partnership.
When a minister/fellow churchman greets you, he/she is inviting you into a harvesting mission; the mission of making all things new; the mission of reaping the joys of the kingdom. We are God’s harvesters.
