Here we find the backstory of Naomi – a woman from Bethlehem (in Judah) who travels with her husband and two sons to Moab (a neighboring, non-Hebrew nation). Her sons marry two Moabite women, one being Ruth. Unfortunately, her husband and sons both die, so Naomi moves back to Bethlehem, and Ruth insists on coming with her.
“But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!’ Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And [Naomi] said, ‘See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.’ But Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.’ And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.” (v8-9,15-18)
This chapter beautifully portrays a few things.
1. The importance of keeping commitments: Ruth made a life-long vow to her new family when she married into it. Ruth keeps that vow by remaining with her mother-in-law, even we she was no longer legally obligated to do so.
2. Spiritual bonds and experiences can be stronger than cultural ones: Ruth says “your God shall be my God”. Despite growing up in a polytheistic culture, having experienced the true God of the Hebrews, Ruth does not go back to her original household gods.
3. God calls us to care for the less fortunate – orphans, those who are poor, and widows are prime examples – and Ruth does exactly that by looking after her mother-in-law.
4. Obedience can be very difficult, and require sacrifice: Ruth was likely changed / prompted by God through her relationship with this Hebrew family, and decided to obey His ways by supporting Naomi. This required great sacrifice – she left everything she knew behind (friends, family, home), so she could care for her broken and bitter mother-in-law in a foreign land.
My encouragement to us today is to examine where in our lives we have already done these things for God: kept commitments, remained loyal to the church body, cared for those in need, and obeyed God’s leading even at great personal cost. Let’s celebrate how God has been glorified and His kingdom has advanced through these acts of obedience.
My challenge for us today is to examine where in our lives we still need to do these things for God: renew / keep a difficult commitment, rebuild relationship with someone in the church body, care for someone in need, and/or become obedient in something God is calling us to do.
It’s possible we’re already completely obedient in everything God has asked of us, though it’s also possible we’re not. I tend to fall into the latter category… So I encourage us (myself included) to take up our cross and follow His every leading (just as Ruth sacrificed everything to follow Naomi), for He is worthy of our allegiance and obedience.
Father God, O Holy Lord of Creation, we humbly bow before Your throne. You are gracious and merciful with us Father, for we have not always obeyed Your voice in our lives. Please forgive our sin, for we are a fearful and broken people. Please continue to build us up through Your Holy Spirit, teaching us love, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control, so that we may obey Your every calling. Thank you for the gift of Your word, from which we read so many good examples of how we can obediently follow You (and also examples of how not to follow You). May we learn from other’s triumphs and follies, and dedicate ourselves to Your kingdom, forever and ever, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training