Week
Seven – Your Inheritance from God
Women
of the Bible – Ruth & Naomi
“The boundary lines have fallen for me
in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” Psalm 16:6
Ruth
tragically lost her husband to war. She
had none of her own family around her to comfort her and care for her. She had followed her husband to a foreign
land to live with him, his mother Naomi, and his family.
At the
beginning of their marriage Ruth was full of high hopes for children and a
loving spouse. However, one day her
dreams tragically came to an end.
Ruth
could have chosen to return to her own family but instead she made a profession
of faith to her mother-in-law, “For wherever you go I will go, and where
you live I will live, your people will be my people, and your God will be my
God.” Ruth 1:16 Ruth saw God
through Naomi and she wanted Him. She
was drawn to God through the witness lived out daily by Naomi.
Both
Ruth and Naomi could have allowed this heartbreak to bring them down into a
dark depression. This is the kind of
life circumstance that can immobilize us.
The death of a spouse, the death of a child, or a family member or
possibly a separation or divorce.
Perhaps it is a life-threatening illness or the loss of a job. There are so many things that can beat us
down in this life.
When
tragedy strikes we might feel as if we have been overlooked or abandoned by
God. The unfairness of this sinful world
is astounding. At times like this we
need to choose to run to Jesus rather than away from Him. He is calling us to bring our burdens to His
cross of grace, mercy, guidance and support.
Psalm
121:1-2 reassures us, “I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of
heaven and earth.”
We can
be encouraged in the fact that God loves us and has a plan for our life and
that no matter what we are called to endure He will make sure that we can use
each and every experience that we have on this earth to set the boundaries of
our lifesong.
Most
people receive their inheritance when a family member passes away. We, as Christians, receive our inheritance
immediately as Jesus Christ is our very awesome inheritance. This is God’s most valuable treasure that He
extends to us. Yes sisters, “(we)
have a beautiful inheritance.” Psalm 16:6.
Challenge: Run to Jesus first and pour out your heart to
Him. Allow Him to comfort and guide you
through every hardship. Recognize the
many blessings that God gives you and cherish your very beautiful inheritance.
Digging Deeper:
If you
have read the story you know that Ruth and Naomi are blessed by God for their
obedience. Ruth is actually doubly
blessed as she receives a second husband, and through bearing him a child is
given the amazing privilege of taking her place in the royal bloodline of Jesus
Christ.
“Praise the Lord, the God of
Israel,
because He has visited
and provided redemption for His people.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of His servant David,
70 just as He spoke by the mouth
of His holy prophets in ancient times;” Luke 1:68-70
because He has visited
and provided redemption for His people.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of His servant David,
70 just as He spoke by the mouth
of His holy prophets in ancient times;” Luke 1:68-70
Boaz
and Ruth had a son and named him Obed.
Obed was King David’s grandfather as it states in Ruth 4:16-17, “16 Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and
took care of him. 17 The neighbor women said, “A son has been
born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father
of David.”
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