April 30 – 1 Samuel 1:21-28 21  The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the  Lord  the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow.   22  But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the  Lord  and dwell there forever.”   23  Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the  Lord  establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.   24  And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the  Lord  at Shiloh. And the child was young.   25  Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.   26  And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, ...

April 29 – 1 Samuel 1:19-20 19  They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the  Lord ; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the  Lord  remembered her.   20  And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the  Lord .”   Again, this story warms my heart.   Hannah wanted a child so much and God gave her a son, and she didn’t forget God in this time.   She named him so everyone would know God gave this child to her.   Do you ever ask God for something and then forget to thank Him or praise Him and tell others what He has done for you?   How many people could be reached for Jesus if we told how God blesses us?   Don’t forget to thank Him for the amazing things He does.   You have no idea how others might be encouraged or impacted by your testimony.   Heavenly Father, forgive...

April 28– 1 Samuel 1:9-18 9  After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the  Lord .   10  She was deeply distressed and prayed to the  Lord  and wept bitterly.   11  And she vowed a vow and said, “O  Lord  of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the  Lord  all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 12  As she continued praying before the  Lord , Eli observed her mouth.   13  Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman.   14  And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.”   15  But Hannah an...

April 27 – 1 Samuel 1:1-8 1  There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.   2  He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3  Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the  Lord  of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the  Lord .   4  On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.   5  But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the  Lord  had closed her womb.   6  And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the  Lord  had closed her womb. ...

April 26– Ruth 4:13-21 13  So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the  Lord  gave her conception, and she bore a son.  14  Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the  Lord , who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel!  15  He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”  16  Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse.  17  And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18  Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron,  19  Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab,  20  Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered S...

April 25 – Ruth 4:7-12 7  Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel.   8  So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal.   9  Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon.   10  Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.”   11  Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the  Lord  make the woman, who is co...

April 24 – Ruth 4:1-6 4  Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.   2  And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.   3  Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.   4  So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.”   5  Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of...

April 23 – Ruth 3:14-18 14  So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”   15  And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city.   16  And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her,   17  saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’”   18  She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”   Boaz shows Ruth generosity in these verses, and we see that he has a good reputation from what Naomi says about him in verse 18.   She knows h...

April 22 – Ruth 3:6-13 6  So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her.   7  And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down.   8  At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet!   9  He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings [ a ]  over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”   10  And he said, “May you be blessed by the  Lord , my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich.   11  And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman.   12  And now it is true that I am...

April 21– Ruth 3:1-5 3  Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?   2  Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.   3  Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.   4  But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.”   5  And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”   It appears that Naomi wanted Ruth to find a husband and in her own way, she had a plan that was honest and could bring about the marriage of her daughter- in-law. This man was a relative, Naomi knew he could be trusted and she intended to see that this marriage happened. How do you thi...

April 20 – Ruth 2:17-23 17  So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.   18  And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied.   19  And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.”   20  And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the  Lord , whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.”   21  And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have fini...

April 19 – Ruth 2:14-16 14  And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over.   15  When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her.   16  And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.”   Again, kindness is the word of the day. What an example Boaz has become to the young men that labor for him. His example of kindness and provision was spoken into the very being of these young men. He has blessed them by showing them how people in need are to be treated. In a world filled with greed today, may we be a blessing of provision for someone God places in our path.     Heavenly Father, what favor You give me.   You treat me a...

April 18 – Ruth 2:8-13 8  Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women.   9  Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.”   10  Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”   11  But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before.   12  The  Lord  repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the  Lord , the God of Israel, under who...

April 17 – Ruth 2:1-7 1   Now Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.   2  And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”   3  So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.   4  And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The  Lord  be with you!” And they answered, “The  Lord  bless you.”   5  Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?”   6  And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.   7  S...

April 16 – Ruth 1:19-22 19  So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?”   20  She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.   21  I went away full, and the  Lord  has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the  Lord  has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” 22  So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.   Naomi is so sorrowful and bitter. She has been emptied of everything, or so she thinks. As the story continues to unfold, we see this is not true. A new beginning is about to be unfolded and God has great plans for Naomi and Ruth. Are we moving in de...

April 15 - Ruth 1:1-18 1  In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.  2  The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there.  3  But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons.  4  These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years,  5  and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. 6  Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the  Lord  had visited his people and given t...