Thursday Thoughts for Parents | "Hope Realized"

Thursday parenting featured

This post is based on C.J. Mahahey's sermon, Hope Realized, given on June 10, 2018.

 

Over the last 5 weeks, Pastor CJ has been faithfully teaching us through the book of Ruth and we have observed God’s hidden hand at work in the lives of each character in the book. Pastor CJ was keen to remind us that the book of Ruth is meant to convince us of God’s kindness. He taught us that if we are tempted to feel that God has dealt bitterly with us, we can come to the book of Ruth and read about God’s kindness to Naomi, whose heart was exceedingly bitter because of the great losses she experienced. Not only that, but we can also read about God’s kindness extended to us as well because this story points us ahead to the Great Redeemer that would come from the line of Naomi’s grandchild! Both Ruth and her son would later be referenced in Scripture in the ancestral line of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus…King David’s Son and Lord.

 

Read:

As a family, read Ruth 4:13-32

 

Discuss:

In the verses we have read, what kindnesses of God did you notice? 

  • How is the gift of marriage and specifically Boaz marrying Ruth a blessing and kindness from God?
  • How were the the community of women in Bethlehem who were praising God with Naomi an evidence of God’s kindness toward her?
  • How was the birth of Obed a blessing and evidence of God’s kindness?

What evidences of God’s kindness have we experienced in our family?

How might our family remind each other of the kindness of God even in times of bitterness?

 

Pray:

Thank the Lord for His steadfast love and personal care for Naomi and Ruth. Most importantly, thank God for Jesus who came as a result of God’s hidden hand in this story to bring us life and be our Redeemer. Also thank the Lord for His faithfulness despite our wandering hearts. Ask Him who we could share this story with this week to encourage them and remind them of God’s kindness toward them.

 

[Post by Carl Hirst]