Our Daily Bread

“A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ: …Boaz was the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth…” Matthew 1:1&5

The situation was really rather pitiful. Ruth arrived in Bethlehem as a poor immigrant - a young widow with nothing but a bitter, broken mother-in-law. Their hope had been buried along with their husbands, and their future was sadly bleak. Naomi had urged her to return home and rebuild her life, but instead Ruth had clung to her mother-in-law and committed to her God.

They didn’t need much – just enough to survive. So Ruth headed to the fields to find some leftover grain for food. By heavenly happenstance, she ended up in a field belonging to Boaz – a close relative of the family. It didn’t take long for Boaz to notice the new girl! “Stay in my fields and come share my lunch,” he told Ruth. “Leave her alone and let her have extra grain,” he told his workers.

During the remaining harvest season, Boaz saw Ruth’s hard work and she saw his soft heart. In a daring move of womanly wisdom, she made a midnight marriage proposal, asking for his protection and provision. As Boaz heard her request, no doubt he recalled the words he had spoken only a few months before, “May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."

“Take refuge. Come find what you need.” The poor come pleading. The needy come knocking. Ruth was both. She brought nothing to the table but needed everything on it, and Boaz was the one who could provide. He was a “kinsman redeemer,” a family member who could care for the broken and the begging.

Boaz proclaimed his desire for her hand in marriage and cleverly conducted business to take her home as his bride. God added to their blessings a bouncy baby boy named Obed, who grew up and had a son named Jesse, who grew up and had a son named David. Yes, that David – King David. Ruth - the grandmother of King David and an ancestor of the King of Kings.

Is it any wonder that her story took place in Bethlehem - “the house of bread”? For in that same place, on the first Christmas night, the only One who could redeem us, graciously came to us as the Bread of Life.

Come to Him and find what you need.

Time for a Little R&R

RECOGNIZE
What do you need? Really, what do you need today?

RESPOND
Come as Ruth did, acknowledging what you don’t have and asking for what He does. He will provide.