“Blessed Are Those Who Transit from Bitterness to Pleasantness 那苦盡甘來的有福了！“（Ruth 路得記 4:13-17）
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife … gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: ‘Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. …’ Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, ‘Naomi has a son!’ And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
於是波阿斯娶了路得作妻子 … 生了一個兒子。婦女對拿俄米說：“耶和華是應當稱頌的，因為他今天沒有斷絕你有買贖權的近親，願他在以色列中揚名。他必甦醒你的生命，養你的老 …”拿俄米把孩子接過來，抱在懷中，作他的保姆。鄰近的婦女要給他起名字，說：“拿俄米生了孩子了。”就給他起名叫俄備得；這俄備得是耶西的父親，耶西是大衛的父親。
The fact that Boaz (likely much older and with no offspring) and Ruth (likely a Gentile widow with no child for some time) were able to raise up a son to the deceased Elimelech was evidence of God’s blessing. The old widow, Naomi, was the one whose original returning to God began all this great work of God. This is a marvellous demonstration of what God can do through one poor woman who has been resenting having God dealt bitterly with her (and her family) and then gets right with Him. From eternity, God planned to bring Ruth and Boaz together, and thus make Bethlehem His entrance point for the coming of Lord Jesus as our true Kinsman/Guardian-Redeemer, fully God and fully man.
波阿斯（可能是年齡較大又無兒女的）和路得（可能是已有些日子無兒女後又成為寡婦的外邦人）能夠給已死去的以利米勒生養一個兒子，這事實是神祝福的明証。年老的寡婦拿俄米對神最初的回歸開始了神這一切偉大的作為，這是神透過一位已一直怨恨神苦待她（和她的家人）可憐的婦女，而與神復和後令人驚奇的展示。神從永恆裡計劃把路得和波阿斯結為連理，並因此使伯利恆成為神為主耶穌的降生，作為完全的神、完全的人、我們真正的有買贖權的近親的切入點。
Prayer: Gracious and loving Father, we cannot blame Naomi – we certainly do the same kind of thing. But we should also learn from what she learned: being awakened by the news of you coming to the aid of Your people, preparing to return home to the land You promised and refocusing herself to the mission of caring spiritually for Your granted offspring! May we learn that Your plan is perfect and filled with love, and even when we cannot figure out what You are doing and it all seems so desperate, You still know what You are doing. May in all things you work for the good of those who love you, who have been called according to your purpose. Amen.
禱告: 滿有恩惠仁愛的父啊，我們不能怪責拿俄米 – 我們肯定作同一樣的事宜，但是我們理應也要從她所學到的功課學習：被你眷顧子民的信息覺醒，準備歸家回到你應許之地，並再次把自己聚焦在那屬靈上照顧你所賜後裔的使命上！願我們學到你的計劃是完美而滿有仁愛的，就算當我們不能弄清楚你在作甚麽，並這一切似乎來得逼切，你仍然曉得自己在作甚麽。願為了愛你的人，就是按你旨意蒙召的人的益處，萬事都一同效力。阿們。
