Out Of The Ashes

Ruth 4:17  The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.

The biblical story of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz is amazing to me. Naomi had two sons who married Moabite women. Then her husband died, and ten years later both of her sons died. Naomi was alone with two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth.

Orpah went back to her homeland, but Ruth refused to leave Naomi. Together, they went back to Naomi’s homeland. Through some twists and turns Ruth marries Boaz, their kinsman redeemer. Today’s verse comes right after Ruth delivers a son, Obed. Naomi is being grandma and cuddling the baby. The townswomen rejoice with her.

Then, at the very end we see something seemingly insignificant. Obed has a son named Jesse, and Jesse is the father of David. David? As in King David? Poet, singer-songwriter, slayer of giants, David?

Yep, that David.

Out of the tragedy of their losses God raised up a king. Out of their grief came “a man after God’s own heart.” From their sorrow a man named Jesus would come and save the world from its sin.

When we go through times of trouble or pain we should think of Naomi and Ruth. Yes, it hurts, but what is God doing through your suffering? What great thing can come from your pain when you let God comfort and guide you in the middle of it? Naomi and Ruth had no idea, and neither do we. In God’s kingdom no pain goes to waste, no suffering is needless. So trust God in your hurt and see what he does with it.

Today’s Readings:  Ruth 3,4; Psalms 64,65; 2 Corinthians 6