Our Daily Bread 18th April 2021 – Hard Ground and Tender Mercy
Our Daily Bread 18th April 2021 Today Devotional Sunday Message Written By James Banks (Our Daily Bread Ministries)
Topic: Hard Ground and Tender Mercy
Today’s Scripture: Ruth 4:13–22
Key Verse: Praise be to the Lord. – Ruth 4:14
Our Daily Bread 18th April 2021 Today Devotional Message:
How comforting is the thought that God, in an infinitely more creative way, is able to bring good out of our most difficult circumstances. A beautiful illustration of this occurs in the Old Testament story of Ruth. Naomi lost her two sons, leaving her without means or support. Her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth chose to remain with Naomi to help provide for her and to serve her God (Ruth 1:16). In the end, God’s provision brought them unexpected joy. Ruth remarried and had a child, “and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David” (4:17). He would also be listed among the ancestors of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).
God’s tender mercy reaches beyond our ability to fathom and meets us in surprising places. Keep looking! Perhaps you’ll see it today.
Reflect & Pray
When have you seen God bring unexpected good out of difficult circumstances in your life? How can you share what He’s done with others?
Loving God, I thank You that one day You’ll wipe every tear from my eyes because You’re greater than every heartache or difficulty I’ll ever face.
Our Daily Bread 18th April 2021 Today Devotional Message. Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread.