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April 17, 2021 8:00 pm
When James was just six years old, his older brother David died tragically in an ice-skating accident. It was the day before David’s fourteenth birthday. In the years that followed, James tried his best to console his mother, Margaret, who in her deep grief sometimes reminded herself that her elder son would never have to face the challenges of growing up. In James Barrie’s fertile imagination, decades later that same idea would burgeon into inspiration for a much-loved children’s story character who never aged: Peter Pan. Like a flower pushing its way through pavement, good emerged even from the hard ground of unthinkable heartache.
How comforting is the thought that God, in an infinitely more creative way, is able to bring good out of our most difficult circumstances. A beautiful illustration of this occurs in the Old Testament story of Ruth. Naomi lost her two sons, leaving her without means or support. Her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth chose to remain with Naomi to help provide for her and to serve her God (Ruth 1:16). In the end, God’s provision brought them unexpected joy. Ruth remarried and had a child, “and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David” (Ruth 4:17). He would also be listed among the ancestors of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).
God’s tender mercy reaches beyond our ability to fathom and meets us in surprising places. Keep looking! Perhaps you will see it today.
Sunday it's time for today's devotional from Our Daily Bread. Our writer for today is James Banks. The reading is titled hard ground and tender mercy when James was just six years old. His older brother David died tragically in an ice-skating accident. It was the day before David's 14th birthday in the years that followed, James tried his best to console his mother Margaret, who in her deep grief, sometimes reminded herself that her elder son would never have to face the challenges of growing up in James Barry's fertile imagination.
Decades later that same idea would burgeon into inspiration for a much loved children, story character, who never aged Peter Pan like a flower pushing its way through pavement. Good emerged even from the hard ground of unthinkable heartache. How comforting is the thought that God, in an infinitely more creative way is able to bring good out of our most difficult circumstances a beautiful illustration of this occurs in the Old Testament story of Ruth, Naomi, lost her two sons leaving her without means or supports her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth chose to remain with Naomi to help provide for her and to serve her God.
In the end God's provision brought them unexpected joy. Ruth remarried and had a child and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
He would also be listed among the ancestors of Jesus, God's tender mercy reaches beyond our ability to fathom and meets us in surprising places. Keep looking. Perhaps you'll see it today.
Today's Our Daily Bread devotional Scripture reading is from Ruth chapter 4 verses 13 through 22. 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. 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.
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. Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said Naomi has a son, and they named him Obed.
He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. This then is the family line of Perez Perez was the father of has run has run, the father of RAM, RAM, the father of a Minna dab a Minna dab the father of nosh on nosh on the father of Solomon Salmond, the father of Boaz Boaz, the father of Obed Obed, the father of Jesse, and Jesse, the father of David Alex Bray. Thank you God for meeting us and sitting with us in our deepest sorrow walking with us through our pain and gently lifting us out of our despair.
Thank you that one day you will wipe every tear from our eyes because you are greater than every heartache or difficulty that will ever face. Thank you for the hope that we have in you and the knowledge that you are always with us. We love you Lord and it's in Jesus name we pray. Amen on today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministries
