-June 13, 2022-
Good morning, happy Monday,
“But Ruth said, ‘Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.’”
(Ruth 1:16-17).
Ruth is one of the great Bible characters, and her story is both amazing and a true blessing. She was a woman of Moab who married Mahlon, the son of Elimelech and Naomi. When famine struck the land of Israel Elimelech and Naomi moved to Moab. It was a big mistake and outside of the will of God. First, Elimelech died, then their two sons Mahlon and Chilion also died. Naomi heard that God blessed Israel and decided to return to her homeland. Chilion’s widow Orpah stayed in Moab with her people and her gods, while Ruth clung to Naomi and followed her to the land of Israel, embracing her God and His people as her own.
Ruth had tremendous loyalty to Naomi, her mother-in-law, but even more to God and His people. She not only became an Israelite, but she was in the line of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. She is one of three women, along with Rahab, the mother of Boaz who married Ruth, and Bathsheba the wife of King David. Ruth, like was a foreigner saved by grace.
When Naomi gave Ruth the chance to stay in Moab, she refused in no uncertain terms as she stated in our text today. She left all her old life in Moab behind and never looked back. She is a picture of a Gentile believing in the Lord as well as a picture of the church with Boaz, a picture of Christ the Redeemer. Her life and character is one we should all emulate. She had such great determination to follow the Lord and Naomi. Ruth 1:18 says, “When she (Naomi) saw that she (Ruth) was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.” The Hebrew is literally translated, “made herself strong to go.”
Ruth uses the phrase, “I will,” three times. She says, “I will go.” “I will lodge.” And “I will die.” Oh that we as believers today would have such determination to follow and serve our Lord Jesus Christ with our whole hearts! There is so little loyalty in today’s world. May we follow the Lord with the same zeal that Ruth did. She put the old life behind her to live the new life in the Lord.
The anonymous hymn writer says, “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back. The world behind me, the cross before me, no turning back. Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow, no turning back. Will you decide now to follow Jesus? No turning back.” This song could have been Ruth’s song and should be our’s as well.
Boaz recognized Ruth’s character and said of her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given to you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge” (Ruth 2:11-12).
Have a blessed day following the Lord wherever He leads with loyalty, faithfulness, obedience, and determination. Stay safe and healthy.
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 