Devotional: Humbled by Family Reunion Ruth 1:19-21

“And to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David” (Ruth 4:21-22, NASB).

This past weekend July 19-21, 2019 my wife and I traveled about fifty miles to my hometown. We travel there every year to participate in Family Reunion celebration. Our Family Reunion is celebrated on the weekend of the third Sunday in July because it is the Homecoming of my home church, and it happens to be the church where a lot of the family members grew up in. As I participate in the activities I find that family reunion is a humbling experience.

We arrive on Friday evening and several members of the family meet and greet each other. We are happy to see one another. Some of the family members have fun bowling while others sit around eating and greeting each other. It’s just great to see family members.

On Saturday morning we have a picnic. We see other family members, and we get to catch up on what some of the others have been doing since we last saw each other. It is exciting to meet family members that I have never known before. I find it amazing how different we are and at the same time we are similar in many ways. On Saturday we begin to learn about family members that have died in the past year. My sister Marjorie did not come because she was recently in a car accident. One cousin who lived in Texas had died. I really missed seeing him. It seems to me that he and my sister were always present. On Saturday evening we had a dinner banquet with family reflects, recognitions in various categories, and entertainment

On Sunday we had a memorial service. The names of the first generation of the Flippin family are recognized. Then, the names of the family members that have passed on in the last year are called out. Experiencing the good times and learning that some have passed away is and humbling experience. I have a heighten awareness of how blessed I am to be alive, basically healthy, and doing well while others are experiencing a decline in health and they are unable for whatever reason to attend the reunion this year. My weekend experience reminds me of the Book of Ruth.

Naomi and her family travel to a foreign country because there is a famine in the land. While living in Moab Ruth’s husband and two sons die. Naomi hears that there is food back home. She decides to return to Bethlehem. She is accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, a Moabitess. When Naomi is first seen by the women in Bethlehem they are happy to see her. On the other hand Naomi still has some bitterness. She left Bethlehem with her entire family, but she returns with all of her family deceased.

Ruth meets Boaz a relative of Naomi. Boaz is attracted to Ruth and following cultural procedures Boaz marries Ruth. The women of Bethlehem celebrate the birth of Naomi’s grandson. They can see that this child brings her joy that replaces the bitterness she had been living with. The women blessed the Lord and they pray that this son will sustain Naomi (4:13-15). Naomi becomes the child’s nurse, and “So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David” (v. 17). David becomes king in Israel. He is the ancestor of Jesus of Nazareth the Savior of the world and the Prince of Peace.

Family reunion is a humbling experience for me. I am reminded that God extends His grace to me regardless of what has taken place in the last year. Like Naomi I can look forward anticipating the good things that the Lord has in store for me.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank you for our family reunion. You keep us by your grace as we experience both loss and gain in our family. Amen.