Anchor Devotional

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Beholding the Bride

“‘The LORD bless you, my daughter,’ he replied. … ‘Don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character.’” Ruth 3:10, 11

Boaz beholds a bride. This woman is not the Moabite stereotype. She is not trying to compromise his morals. She is a godly widow seeking refuge in the Lord and in His servant, Boaz. If Ruth was simply seeking pleasure, she had more attractive alternatives (see v. 10). Boaz describes her as a “woman of noble character,” and so have ages of believers ever since. Some Jewish Scriptures place this book after Proverbs and its “Proverbs 31 woman” for that very reason.

When Boaz looks on Ruth, he beholds a bride. When Christ looks on us, He beholds His bride. In and of ourselves, we stand ashamed, unable to undo our past and our sins. Our righteous deeds are like filthy rags (Psalm 64:6). Yet “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”
(2 Corinthians 5:21).

As a result of this trade, we are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), ready for an eternal relationship with our Savior.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Ruth 3:10-11

INSIGHT
You are the bride of Christ, not for any credit of your own, but because He was worthy and has made you worthy. Thank you, Jesus!

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 33-34
Psalm 78
John 20

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