A Story of Sovereignty
by Chris Hendrix
Advent Devotional ~ Day 13
Read Ruth 1-4
A couple of years ago, I jumped on the family tree bandwagon and traced some of my family’s lineage back several generations. Most of the records end at the entrance point into America, when their names appeared on the Passenger Arrival List of the ships they boarded. However, one line kept going, and I discovered that this line descended from Scottish nobility. Because of the wealth of the family and for inheritance laws, this lineage was recorded going all the way back to the 1300s. There is even a Castle still standing today from this line! However, I don’t know the stories behind the names. These are just names on a page, and I don’t know anything more. I don’t know how the Lord worked through them, how He orchestrated circumstances and their lives to eventually result in my birth, or even if they were fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Yet, the Lord’s Sovereignty is on display as I am alive today because of the life God gave them.
During Christmas time, we tend to read Matthew 1 quickly to get to the birth story. Some may even skip this chapter, but those aren’t just names on a page. They are stories of how God has setup the arrival of the Messiah. They point to God’s Sovereignty in bringing about salvation for humanity. One such story is found in the book of Ruth. Ruth’s name appears in the genealogy of Christ because of her marriage to Boaz. This marriage came about through God’s providential circumstances such as the famine in the land at the time of the Judges, the death of Ruth’s first husband, Naomi’s return with Ruth to Bethlehem, Boaz’s ownership of the land in which Ruth gleaned from, Boaz spotting Ruth and extending kindness to her, Boaz acquiring the redeemer rights, then eventually their marriage.
The summary of this book comes in Ruth 4:13-14 with a declaration that God gave them a son named Obed. Then, a prophetic statement is declared from the women at the time in that his name not only becomes well known in Israel, but in the whole world. His name is penned in the Canon that connects him to the arrival of the Messiah. When we think of Obed, Boaz, and Ruth, we think of Jesus Christ, whom God orchestrated through this genealogy. We see God’s Sovereignty working even in the meager circumstances of a poor widow and a wealthy man.
Reflection
May we give God the praise for every circumstance, every situation, every good time, and every hard time. He continues to work and move time forward for His plan and glory. We so easily doubt and question God, yet He is unchanging. As Charles Spurgeon beautifully pens, “When you go through a trial, the Sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.” Let us dwell upon this truth daily and trust in the Lord’s care over us. Future generations of mine may not know my story or name, but I pray that my trust in God’s Sovereignty impacts our family line in a way that reaches them.
Application questions
1. In the midst of anxiety, worry, or doubt, what do you resort to as sources of comfort? Why?
2. How can you live your life differently knowing and trusting in this truth of God’s Sovereignty?
3. Meditate on the circumstances that has brought you to where you are today, then give God praise and glory for each one you think about.