Anchor Devotional

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A Daring Plan

“One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, ‘My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well-provided for? Is not Boaz … a kinsman of ours?’” Ruth 3:1-2

All the people and pieces of God’s saving plan are coming together in the book of Ruth. A renewed and hopeful Naomi hatches a plan that will force Ruth to engage in her most daring act of faithfulness yet and will require a favorable response from Boaz.

In this setting, what Naomi proposes is downright dangerous. During this period when everyone does what is right in his own eyes, Naomi wants to send Ruth to the threshing floor, where a man had the space and freedom to behave as he chose. What happened on the threshing floor stayed on the threshing floor! She instructs Ruth to “uncover the feet of Boaz”— a polite rendering for us that suggests she made a romantic move on Boaz. Additionally, Ruth’s reputation as a Moabitess will go before her. So we have a daring proposal unfolding.

It’s a plan that must proceed from the mind of Naomi and through the heart of Ruth. Boaz, in turn, must look past the appearance of a prostitute to behold a bride. Only the Lord can ensure that this scheme—with its many pitfalls—will come to complete success.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Ruth 3:1-5

INSIGHT
Jesus looks past the appearance of who we are and beholds a bride in us. How wondrously humbling His love is!

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 29-30
Psalm 76
John 18

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