DAY 23: Great Grandma

DAY 23:  Yesterday I blogged about the great King, David.  The man after God's own heart.  Let's recall that his great grandma was Ruth, the Moabitess--daughter-in-law of Naomi, eventual wife of Boaz.

Most of the time when sermons are given or stories written around the life of Ruth, emphasis is devoted to the fact that she earned a place in the direct line into which Christ was born.  That is a wonderful result of her faith and obedience.  But, of course, she didn't realize that she was being placed into that line.  She was simply a woman of character, devoted to her mother-in-law and with faith in God.  That was why she made the decisions she made.  Those decisions resulted in a blessed life for her and Naomi.

I want to think a little more about David and his "heart after God".  What caused him to yearn after and to seek God, despite his own failings?  I believe he was a fourth generation young man with a Godly heritage.

His great grandma's courage and unfailing devotion to leave the culture she had always known, venturing out to the unknown as she followed Naomi back to Bethlehem, (reminiscent of Abraham looking for a city whose maker is God), WOW--that had to impact her child, Obed--and then his child, Jesse--and his child, David.  David wrote in the Psalm 145:4  "One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts."

I believe the young boy, David relished the stories his father told him about his great grandmother's trek to Bethlehem to serve God.  Hearing of how she was blessed because of her desire after God--he no doubt cherished his godly heritage.  I don't believe it is a stretch to assume his faith was built because of the stories passed down to him.  He then was able to grasp hold of the same unfailing faith of his great grandmother.

Lord, let me have faith that will reach beyond the generations--planting a hunger for God in my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren--and to the generations yet to come.  Let my heart be after God to the extent that they will yearn after Him as well!