July 22 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Ruth 4:9-22

⁹And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
¹⁰Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
¹¹And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
¹²And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.
¹³So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.
¹⁴And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
¹⁵And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
¹⁶And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
¹⁷And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
¹⁸Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
¹⁹And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
²⁰And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
²¹And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
²²And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Devotional

When Naomi had returned to Bethlehem, widowed and her sons deceased, she disclaimed her given name. 'Call me Mara, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me,' she said (1:20).

In the providence of God, the story of Naomi and her devoted daughter-in-law had a happy ending. A well-to-do man, Boaz, became the husband of the young widow from Moab. And a son was born to them whom they called Obed. No longer needed Naomi to be called Mara! Now the townswomen point out that Ruth is better to her than seven sons (4:15). And now she rejoices in a grandchild for whom she is given special responsibility.

In our culture it is difficult to understand the relationships that existed in this home. But there is no evidence that there was a problem and we cannot go further than the text. All we can say from the information that we have is that this was a home where there was love and understanding. Naomi, who had suffered so much in younger years, had found her God faithful. The death of husband and sons was tragedy. But then came a new life-"a life in the line of the Messiah!

Naomi's rejoicing is a special tender note in Scripture. We often point out the joy of motherhood and speak apprehensively of the days when the children will be gone. But in that 'empty nest' period we may be blessed by God when grandchildren appear and we are privileged to have another special function in God's economy, because grandparents have a very precious place in the lives of children. And they receive more joy than they give!

Tragedy may come, but we must not despair as the world does. Our God is faithful through all the years!