Focus Text: Ruth 4:13-16
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the Lord [n]enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a [o]redeemer today, and may his name [p]become famous in Israel. 15 May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you [q]and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”
16 Then Naomi took the child [r]and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. 17 The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Family. What a beautiful creation of God. God brings together a man and woman and out of this a child is born by God's grace. We typically look at family(in America) as just that; a man, a woman and their children. Sure, we meet with relatives, like grandparents, once in a while but, we tend to hand a stiff arm to their help in raising our children. We long for independence. We say, "I should be able to raise these children alone," or we don't want the advice of our parents into our children because we want to be pioneers. God has made it so that (if we are blessed to have them) Grandparents can help to raise their grandchildren up in the Lord. Grandparents can share wisdom and love in a way that parents may struggle to. It isn't saying that you as a parent don't have wisdom or love for your children but God has placed a grandparent in your child's life to help nurture them in Christ.
Ruth had left everything to come with Naomi into Israel to care for and encourage Naomi in her distress at losing her sons. She left her family, her friends, her nation, and her gods to follow Naomi's God, to become one with Naomi's people, to sacrifice her comfort for love. This was an act of God on Ruth's heart. Ruth humbled herself and allowed God to work through her. She knew there was nothing in Moab for her.
She let go of everything to follow God into helping Naomi, her (ex?) mother-in-law. She allowed God to lead her and have her right where she was. She was used to turn Naomi from saying God had dealt bitterly with her into saying God has been kind to her. Naomi shared life with her mother-in-law. She did not shut her out or make her an alien in her own household. She worked hard to build up Naomi's house for the sake of Naomi. She did not seek her own good. (Pastor George used 1 Cor 13 and said to insert Ruth's name instead of love/charity.) This kind of love is only from the Father. Given to us to share with others. It shares on it's own. What a blessing.
Naomi would then giver her daughter-in-law advice on how to approach Boaz. Ruth would continue on to marry Boaz. She did not forsake her mother-in-law at this time. Ruth had vowed onto death to keep Naomi at her side. Naomi would go on to raise Obed who would father Jesse who would father David who's line would bring about the Messiah Jesus. What a wonderful thing it is when we lay down our lives to include our families. God can work miracles in the hearts of those who are bitter and angry. He can turn what was intended for bad into so much good.
How can you be a light to your family? How can you open up your heart and home to your relatives for their good so that God receives all the glory?
Praise be to God for His wonders he works in the seemingly mundane. God bless you this week!