Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Scripture: Ruth 3:1-13
“Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz. Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.’ Naomi said to her, ‘Go ahead, my daughter.’ So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek. Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, ‘The Lord be with you.’ ‘The Lord bless you!’ May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
As we continue studying the Jesse Tree, we come to Ruth. She is from Moab and doesn’t believe in our God. She doesn’t have riches, or hold a position. She isn’t famous or from an illustrious family. She is like many of us, thinking of ourselves as a nobody. Ruth’s name means “friend and companion”. This is the only place in the Bible where she is mentioned. Ruth was now a widow. Widows were defenseless. They had nothing of their own.
It was up to a male member of the family to rescue her and provide for her, usually by marriage. Boaz is from the same family as her father-in-law. Boaz is considered a Kinsman redeemer. A relative of the family who acts as a protector of the family. Boaz redeems Ruth. They marry and have a son Obed. Obed is the father of Jesse and grandfather of King David. Ruth comes to believe in the God of Israel. When you look at the meaning of Ruth’s name added to who Boaz is, we find the characteristics of God. He is a friend companion and protector and redeems us from our sins. It’s comforting to know that, whatever situation we find ourselves, no matter how hopeless, we should always have the assurance and confidence that God will redeem us. During this Advent time, let us look for areas in our own lives where we need to ask God to redeem us.
Marti Jessup is wife to Michael, a sister, scrapbooker and card maker.