Anchor Devotional

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Blessings

“‘Through the offspring that the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.’” Ruth 4:12

The witnesses of this beautiful act of Boaz offer their own blessings to the newly-formed family. They entreat God to make Ruth like Leah and Rachel, who begat the 12 tribes of Israel. In other words, they pray that the line of God’s people will be sustained through Ruth.

They also ask the Lord to make Ruth’s name famous in Bethlehem, the very place where she was once just a Moabitess, an outsider, but now has found a home. When the people pray that their house be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, we note an interesting point of comparison. That birth was a result of immorality and was an unforeseen link in the chain that eventually would lead to Christ (see Genesis 38).

But it is also extraordinary that Ruth would be enfolded in the line of God’s people, isn’t it? No longer the Moabitess, she is now Ruth, servant of the living God. The prayer of the people thus becomes, Ruth, may the Lord make your surprising inclusion a blessing for all His people. They had no idea how magnificently that prayer would be answered in time!

SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Ruth 4:11-12

INSIGHT
“Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” (Psalm 103:2)

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Deuteronomy 7-8
Psalm 83
Acts 5-6

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