The story of Ruth is a wonderful story of how our God turns what the enemy means for evil into good if we belong to Him.
Back to our story of Ruth . . .
Naomi begged Ruth, for her own good and her safety, to stay in Moab. Remember, Naomi was grieving great losses in her life. She wasn’t taking into consideration that leaving the girls behind would be causing them to remain in an ungodly place. But, in the end, it was not up to Naomi. She was persuasive; she did not mean it for harm. She felt responsible and did not want to lead the women into harm. Nevertheless, the final decision was up to Orpah and Ruth, as it should have been.
It is the same with us today – the familiarity of our world and all we know – the comfort of our lives as they are – we like it. We don’t like change. We like the unknown even less. To think of giving up what we want for what God wants – well, that’s a hard choice. But, it could be a choice that will change our destiny.
Ruth remained constant in her decision to go with Naomi. She was determined not to let go of the love of God that she had come to know in Naomi. She entreated Naomi to stop asking her to stay. Ruth was committed. She was ready and even desiring to give up everything to follow Naomi, who was providentially following God.
What Ruth may have not realized at this time was that she was doing what we all must do in order to have God’s best in our lives. We all have to give up everything – lay it all at the feet of Jesus in order to inherit God’s best for our lives. We won’t know what is ahead. We won’t know what trials we will face along the way. Our future will be a mystery to us but not to God. But God’s love is strong enough and sure enough to sustain us. It is that love which will continue to sustain us and give us what we need to face whatever might come, knowing God is responsible for the outcome and we can trust Him to see us through anything.
Ruth was on God’s path and didn’t realize it. She became adamant with Naomi. She promised her that she would go wherever Naomi went. Ruth was willing for Naomi’s people to become her people. She would not be just a sojourner in Naomi’s land she would become one of Naomi’s people. She wanted Naomi’s God to become her God. She wanted to live where Naomi lived and to die where Naomi died. What devotion! What courage and tenacity! Ruth wanted to give up all she knew to follow Naomi all because she loved her and because she knew in her heart there was more – she wasn’t sure what it was. It was the Spirit of God wooing her, drawing her to Himself.
. . . . This story to be continued
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