Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“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!”
NL Daily Devotion for Thursday, January 3, 2019
by Daniel D. Maurer, Clergy Stuff
The story in Ruth has all the components that make a great story. As a storytelling nonfiction author, I have come to understand that often it’s the simplest things in everyday life that make a story great. Take Ruth, for example. Basically, it’s a love story!
The point at which it pivots to become “holy", I believe, is that Ruth—a foreigner—is adopted into the Davidic line. She is one who would eventually fall into the line of heirs who would bring us Jesus.
I believe this says something to us. And especially so in this day and age when some of our leaders make being “foreign” or “illegal” not worthy of respect or life.
It says to me that God often chooses to work in the “other.” And it encourages us to understand that, in God’s eyes, there isn’t really an “other.”
Just us.
Narrative Lectionary Daily Reading:
Ruth 4:13-22
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 neighbourhood 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.
Now these are the descendants of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron of Ram, Ram of Amminadab, Amminadab of Nahshon, Nahshon of Salmon, Salmon of Boaz, Boaz of Obed, Obed of Jesse, and Jesse of David.
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