Ruth, Naomi, Boaz

Ruth 1-4

4:13-17
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.


// Thoughts about Ruth:

.. was a foreigner
.. lost husband
.. stayed with Naomi (mother-in-law)
.. took care of Naomi
.. she had compassion on Naomi
.. respected Naomi and obeyed all she asked Ruth to do
.. inherited a husband of kinsman-redeemer
.. became the great-grandmother of David

// Thoughts about Naomi:
.. lost husband and sons, eventually daughter-in-law
.. got blessed by Ruth's obedience
.. later "had a son!" through Ruth

// Thoughts about Boaz:
.. showed favor to Ruth and Naomi
.. did not neglect Ruth, a foreigner
.. married Ruth by virtue of being kinsman-redeemer
.. did he actually like Ruth? he showed favor tremendously.


Because of Ruth's obedience, compassion, and submission, she was used as a vessel to take part in the lineage of David.  What an honor!  What can go wrong when all we desire to do is to obey, be compassionate, and submit to authorities?  All these blessings will "come running" to us because God just sees our diligence and intentions. 

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I will be -- obedient, compassionate, and submissive.  Whatever calls me for me at the moment, I must be willing to do so.  I know it will be hard.  I must remain positive.  I know it'll be difficult at times.  But I know God will be my strength.  Through doing these, God could use this jar of clay to bring forth God's will to a lineage.  I must be willing to carry it through.  The Lord is good!

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Lord God, thank you for such a great example of what it means to just do Your will.  Blessings do come running when we are obedient to You, submissive to You and being compassionate to others - those You also have compassion on!  I pray that You will strengthen me and empower me to do what I need to do.  I desire to be used by You and to see Your blessings come running!  Thank You.  In Jesus' name, amen.