While I was waiting for my flight out of Dallas I began reading the book of Ruth. I've always been fascinated with her story. It's a telling of loyalty, faith, and incredible love. She started out with nothing and ended with everything. Truly her reward for faith continues today as she is in the bloodline of Christ.
Ruth's mother-in-law, Naomi, married a guy named Elimelech. He died and left her with two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Let's start with the meaning of these names...Mahlon is invalid and Chilion is pining. So really we're not off to a good start. These boys marry, one to Orpah and the other to Ruth. Neither of the women are of Israelite descent. Then...the boys die. This leaves Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth without any close male relatives.
We get to my favorite part of chapter one. Naomi decides to return to her people, and The Lord. She tells Ruth and Orpah to return to the land of their mothers and to their gods. Orpah decides to do the easy thing and go home, and I assume to worshipping other gods. BUT Ruth decides to take the narrow road to a place she is unfamiliar with where she has absolutely nothing but her mother-in-law. She knows of this one God and is willing to move even further away from what she knows because of her love for Naomi and even the littlest bit of faith in God.
And it is here that chapter one leaves off. As the book continues we see how Ruth's little bit of faith is used to move mountains.
"And Ruth said, Urge me not to leave you or to turn back 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." (Ruth 1:16 AMP)
--I also want to note the influence Naomi has on Ruth. There's something about her life that Ruth wants to follow. Even though Naomi is bitter, her faith must shine through because Ruth wants to follow this God of hers. Just a little bit of inspiration for how other people see followers of Christ from the outside. How are we showing God's love and faithfulness?
I have not read that book in too long! That is a fantastic book. Thank you for sharing this with me today! It's exactly what I needed to hear! You're exactly right Leslie! Even the smallest amount of faith, can move mountains! I think we can all relate to Ruth in a lot of ways. I know I can. There are numerous times in my life where things just will not go the way I want them to. And I will try and push and force and guess what happens? A big fat NOTHING will happen! Finally, I just get so frustrated, that I just have to step back so that I can see the big picture from 30,000 feet up and try and figure out what it is that I am doing wrong or the likelier, what/WHO am I missing? What I come to find 99.99% of the time is that "I" am trying and pushing and forcing everything by myself, with my own vein ambition. I am not going to get anywhere with that crap. What I really need to do is just give it to God, lean into HIM and have faith that HE will take care of me no matter what. (Easier said than done.) And whether or not I "succeed" or "fail," I give God all the praise and glory! And that is why I love Ruth's testimony! The End. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat reminder!
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