Shalom

Second Week of Advent
Friday December 13, 2013

 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.’ Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, ‘A son has been born to Naomi.’ They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David. –Ruth 4:13-17 

Jesus was born of the house of David.  

Ruth’s story is indeed a tale of wellbeing. Her husband had died as well as his father and brother. In a patriarchal land there was not much hope for women left alone. Naomi, her mother-in-law, encouraged both Ruth and her sister-in-law to return to their parents. Ruth chose to stay with Naomi. And so these two women returned to Naomi’s people. She was an Israelite. Ruth, however, was a Moabite, a foreigner crossing into perhaps hostile territory. Naomi was welcomed and apparently Ruth was too. The Israelites by law were instructed to leave some of their crops at harvest for the poor. Ruth gleaned the grain for their food until a kinsman, Boaz, saw her and told her to take grain from the regular crop. He later married her and became the father of Obed, the grandfather of Jesse, and the great grandfather of David the ancestor of Jesus. 

This is a short story packed with loss, life, and love; traditions of welcoming the stranger and feeding the hungry; and courage, lots and lots of courage. Ordinary things lead toward extraordinary outcomes. The Prince of Peace is coming soon. Are we ready?  

Prayer: Immanuel, grant us wellbeing so that we can be a source of wellbeing for others. Amen.

All scripture passages are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version.