Ruth 4: Long-Term Consequences

"Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife.  When he was intimate with her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son."

Ruth 4:13

If Ruth had done as her sister-in-law and gone back to her own family after her husband's death, she would have likely spent the rest of her life bathed in insignificance.  Instead, she was so devoted to Naomi that she was taken as part of the redemption which Boaz bought to carry on the estate and name of Elimelech (Naomi's husband).  Because of this, she became the great-grandmother of King David, and in doing so took her place in the lineage of the future Savior, Jesus.

Question of the Day:

How do you react when you see a good, wholesome, devoted person in need?  Do you mistreat her, ignore her, or step in and redeem her?  What are the long-term consequences of your decisions, both good and bad?

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, create in me a giving heart - one which is always willing to redeem people back into Your family.  Do not let my heart be hardened or distracted when I see a person in need, but rather let me reach out and give whatever aid You call me to give.  Amen.

Ruth 3: Redemption, Then and Now

"Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, that's good.  Let him redeem you.  But if he doesn't want to redeem you, as the Lord lives, I will.  Now, lie down until morning."

Ruth 3:13

Biblically speaking, a family redeemer has a few major responsibilities.  He would be the man obligated to perform certain functions, such as taking care of a brother's estate or punishing someone who murdered a family member.  In this case, he would be obligated to take a brother's wife if the brother died... however, Boaz knows that there is a "closer redeemer" (v. 12) who holds that obligation before he does.  He promises, however, that if that closer relative doesn't want to redeem Ruth, he will take her.

This understanding of Old Testament redemption gives new light to the idea that Jesus is our Redeemer.  We think of Redemption as being a compensation for our faults, but it is also His act of taking us (the Church) as his wife after he's defeated the Evil One (our previous "spouse") on the cross.  It is His offer to allow us a place in His Kingdom - His estate in Heaven.  Also, His sacrifice and destruction of sin is His act of vengeance against the Evil One who has done wrong against us.

Question of the Day:

Ruth went to the feet of Boaz to gain his attention and his promise.  Have you gone to the feet of Jesus for the same promise of Redemption?

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, I lay myself before You and humbly ask that You Redeem my soul.  Bring me back into Your household, protect me from the evils around me, and take vengeance against the Evil One who has attacked me.  Bring my whole family with me int Yours, and do not leave a single one of them out.  Amen.

Ruth 2: Reaping the Rewards

"May the Lord reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge."

Ruth 2:12

Going back to yesterday's topic of devotion, here we see Ruth reaping the benefits of the devotion she has given to her mother-in-law.  Boaz (a "family redeemer") has heard of Ruth's tale and offers her gainful employment with benefits.  She earns a modest wage working in his field, and she is also given more food than she can eat, to say nothing of the protection offered by the young men working for Boaz.

All of this is given to Ruth because of her devotion, along with the above blessing, promising not only the rewards which Boaz has at his disposal, but also the Lord's favor and His full reward.

Question of the Day:

In what way(s) have you shown your devotion to others (family, friends, strangers, the Lord)?  In what way have you reaped the rewards for that devotion?

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, help me to devote more time to You, learning from Your wisdom and praising Your holy name.  Help me to devote more love and energy to my family, sacrificing my own needs and desires for their benefit.  Help me devote more effort to my job and my students' growth.  Do not let these increased devotions take away from any other areas in which you are already helping me devote more.  Amen.

Ruth 1: True Devotion

"But Ruth replied:

Do not persuade me to leave you or go back and not follow you.  For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God."

Ruth 1:16

The truly remarkable thing about Ruth's devotion to her mother-in-law here is that Ruth was not an Israelite.  She was from Moab - a country to the West of Israel, which was constantly at odds with the Israelites.  Yet even so, Ruth has the commitment and devotion to stay with her mother-in-law, even after all the men in the family (including Ruth's husband) have passed away.  So she returns to Bethlehem with Naomi (who then refers to herself as Mara) and seeks to become a member of the Lord's family.

Question of the Day:

Were you aware of the fact that even the Old Testament gives detailed instances of conversion to the faith?  So many believe that outsiders weren't allowed to become Jews, and that God only opened His arms to non-Israelites after the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Is that true?  I've never read Ruth all the way through, but I think I'm familiar enough with the story to know that God does look favorably on outsiders who come to Him with true devotion.  This isn't a new trait, but rather a trait He's always had.

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, help me to come before You and join Your family with the same devotion that Your servant Ruth had.  Amen.