Jesse, also spelled Isai, in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), the father of king David. Jesse was the son of Obed and the grandson of Boaz and Ruth. He was a farmer and sheep breeder in Bethlehem. David was the youngest of Jesse’s eight sons.
All things occur for a reason in The body of Christ.
The popular phrase “everything happens for a reason” gets said a lot by Christians and non-Christians alike. When something happens to us in life, we may wonder if there is a deeper reason behind it. Most of us may have felt at times that something happened according to God’s good and gracious plans. But does the idea that everything happens for a reason align with what the Bible teaches?
God is sovereign and in control of all things. What God orchestrates and allows is meaningful, significant, and purposeful. Though everything may not happen for a reason, what we find in the Bible is that God will redeem us, restore us, help us, and cause a good outcome for those of us who Love Him and follow Him.
Ruth had every reason, humanly speaking, to leave her mother in law Naomi as her sister Orpah had just done, but she would not do it. Why? It was because of more than mere social and emotional attachment, and it certainly was not for any financial gain. In fact, she faced the possibility of being a social outcast in Israel and of remaining unmarried for life, wheras she could easily find a new husband in Moab. But Ruth would not go back to the old gods and old ways of her past. She steadfastly clung to The Lord Jehovah, having been converted to Him in her heart.
Ruth was a virtuous woman (in the Hebrew, a “woman of strength”). She was willing to endure hardship and face an uncertain future in this life for the sake of taking care of her mother in law who had shown kindness to her and to be true to her God.
May we learn from her good example and not let trying circumstances cause us to cease to follow You, Lord. Amen.