Advent Devotional: Faith-Family Tree {A Devoted Mother-in-Law}
Woven into the Big Picture
But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” ~Ruth 1:16
Naomi and Ruth had a beautiful relationship. Ruth loved her mother-in-law, and her mother-in-law loved her. When Ruth’s husband passed away, she should have returned to her family in her country; however, she faithfully remained with Naomi because through Naomi’s family, Ruth found God. God knew Ruth’s heart and her new perspective. He knew how much she loved Him. As a result, God wove Ruth into His big picture.
Today’s Scripture:
“May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.” ~Ruth 2:12
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife, … and she gave birth to a son … Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!”’ And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. ~Ruth 4:13, 16-17, NIV
Today’s Snapshot: A Devoted Mother-in-law
After Ruth lost her husband, she had the desire to marry again, so Naomi searched for a kinsman redeemer. A kinsman redeemer is a family member who could redeem, or buy back, what was lost.
Ruth gleaned wheat on a field where a man named Boaz worked. When Ruth told Naomi she had worked with Boaz, Naomi was overjoyed! Boaz was a distant relative who could be her kinsman redeemer.
Naomi sent Ruth to the wheat threshing floor to make her identity known to him, and Boaz fell in love with Ruth, because of her loyalty and faithfulness to her family.
Ruth’s faithfulness to the God of her mother-in-law shined the light for love to travel through a Moabite woman to the lineage of a tremendous Israelite King, down to the manger 2,000 years later.
The lineage of the coming King is passed down
from Adam,
to Noah,
to Abraham, The Patriarchs
to Isaac,
to Jacob (whose name we know as Israel),
to Judah (one of his 12 sons),
to Moses, The Exodus
to Joshua The Promised Land
to Obed,
to Jesse,
to David, The Kings
to Isaiah, The Prophets
… and eventually, through the young girl, Mary,
to the baby Jesus. The Messiah
Family Discussion:
- Think about your ancestors. Which one would you like to meet?
- Explain why this ancestor is so important to you.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We praise You for the perfect picture of faithfulness displayed by Ruth to Naomi. You use people whom we would least expect to carry out Your plan. Ruth’s faithfulness to her mother-in-law sets a beautiful example for all to follow. We praise You for the redemption story displayed through Ruth’s story. As we seek You may we continue to set our eyes on the birth of one perfect, precious baby this Christmas season. Thank You for sending Your Son, who is the beautiful picture of redemption for each one of us.
In the precious name of Jesus, we pray,
Amen
This devotional is adapted from Faith Roots: An Advent Family Devotional available for purchase on Amazon.
Basking in His Light
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