READING:
One-year plan: Ruth 1-4
Two-year plan: Psalms 22, Romans 3:21-31
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Today is one of the days of Bible reading when we get to read an entire book in one sitting. In the book of Ruth, God’s hand is evident behind the events:
- A famine led Elimilech to move his family to Moab, where Elimelich’s wife Naomi would eventually meet Ruth.
- The Lord produced food again in Bethlehem, to which Naomi and Ruth would return: “When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there” (Ruth 1:6).
- Even when Naomi was bitter about the events of her life (losing her husband and both her sons to death), she knew God was in control.
- The Lord led Ruth to glean in the field of Boaz.
- Boaz “just happened” to show up while Ruth was in the field.
- Boaz heard about Ruth’s great love and care for her mother-in-law, Naomi.
- God gave Boaz and Ruth a child who would become a forerunner in the line of David: “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” (Ruth 4:13).
- The nation whose story ended in Judges without a moral king would get David — and ultimately Jesus — as king.
Not only does God connect us with those who would be our spouses, but He also connects us with others who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Somehow, He deepens relationships that sometimes go even deeper than the relationships in our family of origin — and through them He works out His plan toward the future. That truth means that we need to build, strengthen, and honor our relationships today.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Do you have relationships you need to work on today?
DAILY PRAYER: “Father, thank You for connections with people in my life.”
TOMORROW’S READINGS:
One-year plan: 1 Samuel 1-4
Two-year plan: Psalms 23-25, Romans 4:1-12
MEMORIZATION VERSE (March 16-31):
“And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col 3:17)
*first published in 2016
