Advent: Day Ten

Well, our wheat ornament had a casualty this year, so we just have the top of the wheat, but it still works for now. The sheaf of wheat symbolizes the story of Ruth and Boaz, who became ancestors in the lineage of Jesus. This story is such a beautiful picture of faithfulness, obedience, provision and redemption, and I love to hear it and think about the acts of love and devotion shown by Ruth toward her mother-in-law, Naomi, and by Boaz toward Ruth. The devotional writer commented that Ruth's decision to leave her home country and surrender her life to a new faith and home with Naomi was "a deliberate choice of a heart that belonged first of all to Naomi and then to God. Ruth's love for Naomi melted into her love for Naomi's God." Boaz also made a deliberate choice to follow through with his responsibilities as kinsman-redeemer to Ruth. Boaz is symbolic of Jesus. He redeemed Ruth by marriage; Christ redeems us by His blood. (p. 46)