Here we have the influence of a godly wife over her husband.
We have noted that Hebron was the place of communion. A field, would further speak of personal fellowship and perhaps more specifically, meditation. In Genesis 24:6363And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. (Genesis 24:63), we find that “Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide.” For Isaac it was the time and place of personal, quiet fellowship with his God. One of the characteristics of a clean animal under the Levitical law was that they chewed the cud. Again, it speaks of meditation, or going over that which we have taken in from the Word of God. Remember, it is not what we eat that does us good, but what we digest.
Ruth gleaned in the field of Boaz, and was instructed, “Go not to glean in another field” (Ruth 2:88Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: (Ruth 2:8)). She was only to glean from the field of one who is a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus. When she arrived home that evening, her mother-in-law, Naomi, asked, “Where hast thou gleaned today?” (Ruth 2:1919And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she showed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. (Ruth 2:19)). This is a good question for all of us. I saw this verse on a wall plaque in a brother’s study, and I thought it was a good text to have in one’s reading room.
I well remember sitting with a brother in Christ, in a café in Kingstown, on the West Indian island of Saint Vincent, and enjoying fellowship and coffee together. All at once he leaned across the table and said, “Brother, we have lost the art of meditation.” Sad to say, I believe, for the most part, he was right. Furthermore, I firmly believe that it is the busyness of society that is mostly to blame for such a loss.
While editing these pages I had the privilege of visiting for a few days in a chateau near the city of Bergerac, in southern France. One morning I came down to the kitchen early, put the coffee on, stirred the coals in the fireplace, got a roaring fire started, and sat for about forty-five minutes in the early morning gloom alone with the Lord and my thoughts, just quietly meditating. After awhile it struck me as to just how little time I take for such a necessity. I felt renewed in spirit and refreshed in my soul, by those few moments of musing and reflection.
Here are some further verses that would encourage us as to the need for meditation:
In fields of sweet communion,
In fellowship I rest:
Sweet hours of meditation;
My hungry soul is blest.
In fields of peaceful quiet,
I feel my Father near,
My God, the God of comfort,
Speaks words of hope and cheer.
I walk through fields of blessing,
Or in green pastures lie;
In both I have refreshment,
With Jesus Christ so nigh.
In fields of sweet communion,
I wearily recline,
My soul is fed and strengthened,
With fellowship divine.
I linger in the fields,
Until the evening dew;
And then return at daybreak,
My spirit to renew.
There all is met in Jesus
I want no more than Him;
The fields of sweet communion,
Have filled me to the brim.