“Who are you?” he [Boaz] asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you a guardian-redeemer of our family.” Ruth 3:9 NIV

Our verse for today is from the book of Ruth. It talks about a rule that God made a long time ago in the Old Testament. When God first gave the promised land to the Israelites whom He had rescued out of slavery in Egypt, He said that the land belonged to Him. But each portion or part that was given to a family or tribe was theirs to keep and take care of and pass down to their children.

When there was no food in Bethlehem, Elimelech and Naomi and their two sons moved to a place called Moab. They lived in Moab for a long time. Their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, grew up and married Moabite women. After Elimelech and his two sons died. Naomi and her daughters-in-law started back to Bethlehem. Naomi encouraged the two women to go back to their own families. Orpah did, but Ruth stayed with Naomi saying, “Where you go, I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16b NIV

In Bethlehem, Naomi and Ruth were greeted with joy. But so that they would have food to eat, Ruth went out into the barley and wheat fields and gleaned, picked up, the leftover grain from the harvest that had fallen on the ground. She happened to go to a field owned by Boaz, a relative of Elimelech. Boaz treated Ruth kindly and even gave her extra grain to take home.

In God’s laws, a close relative could be a family redeemer. He could buy back the land of his relative who had died and left no sons to take over the land. Ruth asked Boaz to be the family redeemer for her and Naomi and he agreed! Boaz redeemed the property for them and married Ruth to continue the family name.

Redeem is a hard word to understand, but it means to buy back something (like Elimelech’s land). It also means: repurchase, to get or win back, to clear from blame, to restore, and to trade for “something of great value.” Our redeemer, yours and mine, is the Lord Jesus.

And you are the “something of great value” that Jesus died to redeem, to clear from blame, to buy back from death, and to restore. You are redeemed!

This week talk with your parents about being redeemed. What exactly does it mean to be redeemed by Jesus? When God looks at you, He doesn’t see the wrong things you’ve done, He only sees that you are redeemed by His Son, Jesus. You are His valuable and redeemed son or daughter!

Blessings and joy as a redeemed child of God!