Anchor Devotional

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Grace Bestowed

“Her mother-in-law asked her, ‘Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!’ Then Ruth told her mother-in-law …‘The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz.’” Ruth 2:19

Ruth walked with Naomi in her suffering and worked for Naomi and her sustenance. Now, she brings home the blessing, the fruits of her labors. And it is here that Naomi’s heart of stone begins to crack. She sees all the barley that Ruth brings home; she blesses the one who noticed Ruth; she hears the name, “Boaz.”

Before we get to the culmination of Naomi’s story, take a moment to notice what Ruth did on Naomi’s behalf. In the first chapter, we saw Ruth pledge to suffer with and for Naomi. Here, we see Ruth do the work that Naomi could not do to secure her life. Does that remind you of Someone else? Does it sound an advanced echo of One who did so much on our behalf?

We, too, are unable to do the work necessary to preserve our own lives. We need a Savior. Ruth’s distant descendent, Jesus of Nazareth, came into this world to offer His perfect obedience in place of our sin-tainted lives, even sealing the transaction in blood at the cross of Calvary. He did the work we could not do, that in Him, we might have life and life to the full.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Ruth 2:17-19

INSIGHT
Let us now go to work, not to save our lives, but to worship the One who has saved us.

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 16
Psalm 69
John 10

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