Observation: Ruth is a foreigner in the land of Israel. Not just a foreigner, mind you, but a Moabite: a traditional enemy of Israel. After being widowed, she follows her Mother in law, Naomi, also a widow, back to her homeland. She plans to glean in a wheat field for food, collecting the excess left behind by harvesters to feed herself and Naomi. When Boaz, the field's owner, hears of Ruth's faithfulness to Naomi and to Naomi's God, Boaz shares generously with her.
Application: Reading this love story that crosses barriers of ethnicity and nation is inspiring to me. Especially so, because last week, after thirteen years as a legal permanent resident in our country, my brother in law, Gonzalo, passed his US citizenship test, and will become a citizen this month. Gonzalo was born in Nicaragua, and moved to Costa Rica for the economic opportunity. There, he met my sister, a college student serving an internship as a Lutheran Deaconness. They fell in love, and long story short, they have lived in Pennsylvania for over a decade and have two beautiful, brilliant daughters.
When I think of Ruth's loyalty, love, and willingness to risk everything for the people she loves; when I think of the hospitality and generosity of Boaz, God reminds me that this story repeats itself through history. God brings different people and nations together through the power of love. This isn't ancient history. It's the story of people I know and love. And incidentally, it's also the story of some rather important historical figures: you see, Ruth and Boaz become the great grandparents of King David, who became a distant ancestor of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God that, by the Spirit's leading, this couple got it right.
Prayer: God, I thank you for gathering together the nations, and for uniting us in the light of your love. Help our love for one another shine and light the way forward for our chaotic and fearful world. Amen.
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