13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”
16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 This, then, is the family line of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron,
19 Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
21 Salmon the father of Boaz,
Boaz the father of Obed,
22 Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of David.
Ruth 4:13-22
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Romans 8:1-5
Who doesn’t love a good dose of joy every day? We all tend to gravitate toward the people, moments, words and expressions that lift our spirits and make us laugh a little in life! Good news brings joy and life to the heart.
But joy isn’t limited to good times and good things. The Holy Spirit is capable of producing great joy in our lives even in the midst of some of the most difficult circumstances.
The Greek meaning of joy is gladness, delight, contentment derived from confidence and assurance. Think through each expression of the definition of joy, particularly – contentment derived from confidence and assurance. The story of Naomi and Ruth captures the very essence of this joy. Ruth’s commitment and loyalty to Naomi is a beautiful expression of trust in God and peace in a time of severe trial and poverty. Ruth carries herself with such contentment and assurance, stepping out in faith and doing what must be done to help provide for herself and Naomi.
The result is the unfolding of a beautiful story of redemption. This is true over our lives as well. Through faith, we step out in full assurance and belief in a faithful God who has already done it all. We believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that He is Lord. In that confession of faith and trust in Jesus, we are saved, redeemed, restored, set free. There is no greater joy than this!
Today, out of the overflow of joy that you know, and despite circumstances you may be standing in, look for ways to be intentional in your relationships through how you give generously from your own life, that others might see Jesus and know Him better.
