Despite King David’s many failings, God refers to him as “a man after my own heart.”
A few generations prior, Ruth makes a bold statement of commitment to her mother-in-law and by extension to the God that mom serves. Ruth declares,
“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”
Oh, by the way, Ruth is King David’s great grandmother”
Is there a connection? I think so.
Ruth’s sold out, over-the-top commitment to both mom and mom’s God is likely passed on to son Obed, grandson Jesse, and great grandson David. Whether or not great grandmother Ruth is still alive to see David, we do not know. But her influence is evident.
What are we passing on to our children, our grandchildren, and our great grandchildren? Will our actions today influence successive generations? I hope so.
[See Acts 13:22 and Ruth 1:16-17.]
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
