Lineage of Grace~Wednesday

For many years I have struggled with fear.  I have had so many fears, I won’t begin to write them down.  I asked God to deliver me from my fears, and He did.   This is a part of my testimony.   There wasn’t a particular moment in which all of my fears disappeared.  I still feel fear on a regular basis, but not the kind of fear that grips me.


Fear no longer has a hold on my heart and mind.  When fear tries to enslave me again, I tell it to go in Jesus’ name and remind myself that I am a child of God.


“Brave” is one of my favorite words.  It means ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage.   It also means valiant, fearless, lion-hearted, and bold.


In my flesh, I am weak, timid, and scared.  Because of God’s grace and transforming work in my life, I am brave.  God has helped me to overcome many of my fears and I trust He will continue this good work in me as I submit my life to Him.


Ruth was a brave woman.


Ruth was a Moabite.  Her husband Mahlon, brother-in-law Chilion, father-in-law Elimelech, and mother-in-law Naomi were Israelites from Bethlehem.   They had moved to Moab because of a famine in the land of Israel.  While they were in Moab, all three men died.


Naomi decided to return to her homeland of Bethlehem because the famine was over.  Her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah followed her.   Along the way, Naomi told her daughters-in-law to go back their families.  Both women protested, but Naomi insisted.  Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her home, but Ruth clung to Naomi and declared, “Where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge.  Your people will be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16).


Ruth followed Naomi to Bethlehem.   There, the Lord guided Ruth to Boaz’s fields.  She gleaned grain and found favor in the eyes of Boaz even though she was a foreigner.   Boaz was a wealthy, godly man, significantly older than Ruth, and also a relative of Naomi’s husband.


Naomi realized the significance of their relationship to Boaz and concocted a plan.  Ruth followed Naomi’s daring plan without question.  After a night at the threshing floor when Boaz had eaten and drank, Ruth laid herself at his feet, risking her reputation and basically asked him to marry her and be her kinsman redeemer.  


Boaz and Ruth got married.  They had a son to carry on Mahlon’s name.  His name was Obed.  Obed became the father of Jesse and Jesse the father of David.  God redeemed the sorrow and bitterness that Naomi and Ruth experienced and blessed them both beyond all they could have imagined.  


I hope you noticed that Boaz’s mother was Rahab.  This is a powerful picture of God’s grace at work in a family line.


What specific things has God freed you from?  What fears has he delivered you from?   How is He making you brave?


Read the book of Ruth. (It’s only four chapters.)


Thank God for delivering you from the things that have tried to keep you bound.  Ask Him to deliver you from the things that continue to try to entangle you.  Praise Him for His good work in your life today!


Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it onto completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  

​Author:  Melissa Holmlund

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