Obed Became the Father of Jesse, the Father of David

This meditation is based on a passage for February 26, 2011 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Ruth 4:1-22

Reflection and Question: After Boaz takes Ruth to be his wife, she gives birth to Obed, who will later be the father of Jesse who will be the father of David, the greatest king of God’s people. So David’s great grandmother was a Moabite — not a Hebrew — and this may be the crucial moral to this story that still resonates with meaning today. Moabites were unclean foreigners. Israelites who married them, and their families, were thrown out of their homes and communities as an abomination. Any believers now, like lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Christians who are sometimes looked down upon, can take courage from this story of the king whose great grandmother was also looked down upon. What makes your heart quicken in this story of Ruth?

Prayer: Blessed Jesus, our Savior, Matthew tells us You are the son of Joseph, descended from David and therefore from Ruth. May we remember that Ruth was in her time considered an unclean abomination. As You blessed Ruth, please bless all Your people. Amen.