Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Purpose - Day 184 Month 7-3 Week 27-2
Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)
Ruth 3-4, Psalm 150, Jeremiah 51:52-64, Acts 17:1-21
Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Purpose
You have to love the book of Ruth. It's a wonderful story with a happy ending. That happy ending, however, comes after Naomi's husband and two sons die, leaving her and her two daughters-in-law without husbands. It would have made sense for Ruth and Orpah to remain in Moab and find new husbands there, but Ruth chose to stay with Naomi. She loved her mother-in-law and refused to leave her. Ruth was clearly a woman of remarkable character.
Boaz was also a man of great character. When he learned who Ruth was, he made sure she could gather enough grain to provide for both herself and Naomi. What seemed like a chance meeting in Boaz's field became the beginning of a relationship that led to love and marriage.
Yesterday I wrote that God will accomplish His plans. The story of Ruth beautifully illustrates that truth. God was at the center of this story all along. He took the heartbreaking loss of Naomi's husband and sons and used it to accomplish His greater plan for the world. That's often how God works in everyday life.
When Boaz prepared to take Ruth as his wife, the elders and the people at the city gate spoke this blessing over them:
"May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman." (Ruth 4:11,12)
Those words proved to be prophetic. Boaz and Ruth became the great-grandparents of King David, the king of whom God said, "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will" (Acts 13:22). Generations later, Jesus would be born in Bethlehem from the line of David.
God used the ordinary lives of people who experienced both tragedy and redemption to bring the greatest gift the world has ever known: Jesus. Just as Boaz became Ruth’s kinsman redeemer, Jesus became our Redeemer, rescuing us and restoring us to God.
That gives me hope. God doesn't only work through kings, prophets, or people with extraordinary abilities. He works through ordinary people who trust Him. Even when life takes unexpected turns, He is still accomplishing His purposes. We may not see the whole picture today, but one day we may look back and realize that He was writing a much bigger story than we ever imagined.
Have a great day!
Steve
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