March 25-31 is HOLY WEEK. Each day this week we will add an additional passage from the New Testament that walks us through what happened the week before Jesus was crucified.
Today’s Reading:
Read Ruth 3-4- Ruth and Boaz
Read Luke 23:50-56– A Family Redeemer
Taking care of a family is a big job, isn’t it? Ask your parents, they will definitely agree!
Ruth was working to settle into her life in Bethlehem and to find ways to take care of her mother-in-law, Naomi. It was hard for her because she was not from Bethlehem and the people there did not know her. But the Lord was faithful, and He provided someone to help her. His name was Boaz.
Ruth worked in Boaz’s field to gather grain for her and Naomi. There were certain customs or ways of doing things that meant Ruth could only follow behind Boaz’s servants and pick up the leftovers of what they were gathering. Boaz saw her and he had compassion for her. He saw her and decided he wanted to take care of her. He was even willing to officially make her a part of his family, which would mean she and Naomi would always be provided for.
God sent Boaz to provide for Ruth. Ruth and Boaz were married and had children. As their children grew up and had children of their own, a special baby was born named David who would be an important King of Israel. (We will hear about him soon!). But another amazing thing happened. When David’s children grew up and had children, another special baby was born. That baby’s name was Jesus. (Matthew 1 and 2)
Yesterday we read about GOOD FRIDAY and we ended our reading learning about Jesus’ death on the cross. Today’s reading shows us what Jesus’ followers did on the day after Jesus died. After Jesus died, He was taken down from the cross and his body was placed in a tomb. A large stone was rolled in front of the tomb. The government officials were worried that someone might try to steal Jesus’ body to make it look like he had “resurrected.” They even put a guard at the tomb to protect it and keep people from taking Jesus’ body. Because it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ followers could not prepare His body for burial in following with the tradition of the day. Think about how sad Jesus’ followers would have been on that Saturday.
Application/Prayer:
Has God ever sent someone special to help you at just the right time? If you have a friend who has helped you, send them a thank you note! If you can’t think of one, ask the Lord to help you be that friend for someone today.
March Memory Verse:
He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Matthew 4:4
Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:
- Bring your Bible! Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
- Each day starts with a reading prompt. Read the selection as a family. If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
- After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
- Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word! After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
- There is a reading for six days of the week. The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.
Other Resources:
March memory verse coloring sheet