Reader, She Married Him…
Opening Prayer
I praise You, Lord, that You renew me each and every day and that You sustain me in every situation.
Read RUTH 4:13–22
13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”
16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
The Genealogy of David
18 This, then, is the family line of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron,
19 Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
21 Salmon the father of Boaz,
Boaz the father of Obed,
22 Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of David.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Hindsight is a wonderful thing! What past events do you look back to for what they have come to mean now?After all the tragedy surrounding the beginning of the story, and the uncertainty of Ruth’s position as a foreigner in Israel, there is a happy ending. Boaz and Ruth marry and their union is blessed with a son, Obed. Naomi’s emptiness (1:21) is no more. Ruth’s son is counted as hers, and Ruth herself is applauded for her love and dedication to Naomi (15). And again interestingly, the levirate law, which said Obed should be viewed as Mahlon’s heir, seems not to matter—in both Matthew’s and Luke’s genealogies of Jesus, it is Boaz who figures (Matt. 1:5; Luke 3:32). Matthew also mentions Ruth; her importance cannot be understated.
Look at what God is doing. This new family has no idea of it, but Ruth’s future great-grandson will be the beginning of the royal line, which eventually leads to the King of kings. Quietly, unassumingly, God’s hand has been on Ruth’s life. She becomes one of his people and her faithfulness is rewarded. Out of tragedy—perhaps even because of tragedy—great joy has come, and great blessing will result. We cannot know the future, but we can trust in the God who does.
Apply
Are you following God’s call on your life? You can trust him with even the difficult things and see him at work.
Closing prayer
Thank you, God, that You have called me according to Your purpose. You work all things for my good (Rom. 8:28).
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