Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from the Book of Ruth, Chapter One verse Sixteen, “Ruth said: Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God, my God,” (NRSVB). The story of Ruth and Naomi, is a story of loyalty and love between a daughter-in-law and a mother-in-law. Naomi and her husband, Elimelech and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, came from Bethlehem in Judah, to Moab, during the time when a great drought plagued Israel. Elimelech died and Naomi and her two sons stayed in Moab. They married Ruth and Orpah, Moabite women. About ten years later, Mahlon and Chilion, died. The distraught Naomi decided to return to her land of birth. She bade her daughters-in-law farewell, and asked them to return to their mother’s homes, and start new lives again. She prayed that God would bless her daughters-in-law for they were kind and loving to her and her sons. Her prayer was that they would find joy and have families of their own, as they were left childless. The daughters did not want to leave their mother-in-law. They were saddened, they mourned for themselves, but even more for their mother-in-law, who lost her husband and both her sons. They wanted to comfort and care for her and they decided to go with her to Bethlehem. On the road Naomi kept on asking them to rather return back to their homes, their people and their familiar gods, for she was worried about their future in a new country. Finally Orpah, with tears and great sadness, decided to follow Naomi’s advice. Orpah blessed and greeted her mother-in-law. Then she turned back to her mother’s home. However, Ruth told Naomi that she was ready to change her whole life and live amongst Naomi’s relatives, if they were her own. She would pray to Naomi’s God, the God of Israel, and forsake the gods of Moab.
When Naomi returned to Bethlehem, her extended family housed her and Ruth . The women of Bethlehem congratulated Naomi on her daughter-in-law. They said that Ruth was more worth than seven sons. She demonstrated her love and loyalty to Naomi by not forsaking her, but rather forsaking her people and her gods. Like Abraham who left Ur, she was willing to leave her country, Moab, and her gods and become a stranger in a strange land. Ruth’s faith was rewarded. Abraham received the promises of becoming the father of the great nation, Israel. Ruth became the great-grandmother to this nation’s second king. She came from a far off land, a gentile, and foreshadowed the inclusion of all the nations in the promise of redemption. She was given a place of honour in the genealogy of the Messiah, for she married Boaz and bore a son, Obed. Obed was the grandfather of King David of Bethlehem. From the line of David, Jesus Christ was born, the Saviour of the Nations. Ruth’s selfless denial of the things that were known to her, in order to accompany Naomi, was blessed over and beyond any hopes of dreams of Naomi and Ruth. Out of the ashes of lost hopes, of death and devastation, God created and brought about new hope, life joy and deliverance.
The Apostle Paul writes in his Letter to the Galatians, in Chapter Three verse Twenty Eight, “There is no longer Greek or Jew, there is no longer slave of free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ,” (NRSVB). God plans and purposes every happening along the journey of his creation and his creatures. Each and everyone plays a part in the redemption story. God rewards those who are willing to take up their cross and follow him. He takes the lead and moves his children through the events and circumstances of life, and lead them onwards and upwards. Even those things that seem to be to the detriment of those who follow him are used and turned around to the benefit of those who love him, those who put their trust in him. In God’s eyes all are equal and of immense value and worth in his kingdom. There is no division and no discrimination, for his grace is for all, and his grace is sufficient for all.
Father, we thank you for your word and the examples of the faithful, who relied and trusted on you, despite their circumstances. We ask that you will undertake and bless us in our journey. Increase our faith as we walk along the strange and foreign roads of life, Amen.