Read

Ruth 4:13-15, “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… ‘Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you.’”

Think

Difficult circumstances come upon us and shake our world. People come and go as we intersect their existence. Is there any rhyme or reason for the timing? Is it just bad luck? Even though things may look bleak and we feel stuck within our struggles, there is hope. God provides! He interweaves lives and experiences for His glorious plan and purpose.

Ruth was surrounded by difficult circumstances. She’d lost her husband, left behind all that was familiar, and was caring for her mother-in-law, Naomi. If a husband died, a woman had to fight to survive in biblical times. It was almost impossible to live without a male guardian or husband, so Ruth worked for scraps to have enough food. One of the few solutions was for a male relative to step into the gap the husband had left behind. As the kinsman-redeemer, his role was to deliver and rescue the family member in need.

Enter Boaz, a relative of Naomi, who qualified for the part. And raise the curtain on one of the greatest love stories! Ruth and Boaz fell in love, and he took her as his bride. Boaz delivered and rescued Ruth and Naomi as their kinsman-redeemer and gave them hope. Eventually, Ruth and Boaz had a son who continued the lineage that led to Christ – the ultimate Redeemer.

This story foreshadows Jesus as our Redeemer, who delivers and rescues us from sin. He fills in the gap and does what we cannot do for ourselves. The Church is His Bride — made up of people who have accepted His gift of grace. When we look back at how God has worked in our lives, we can see that His timing is perfect, and we are a part of His majestic tapestry. Like Ruth and Boaz, we’ll live happily ever after, face-to-face with Jesus in the great hereafter. There’s no better love story than that!

Pray

Lord, Thank You so much for being our Kinsman-Redeemer, giver of grace. We praise You for intersecting our lives and blessing our path with Your goodness. Amen.