Jan 5, 2022

Ruth replied (to Naomi), “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” -Ruth 1:16 (NIV)

The story of Ruth is a popular one in the Bible. Ruth was a Moabite woman who married into an Israelite family that came to Moab to get away from a famine in their own land. Sadly, Ruth’s husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law died within a span of a few years.

One day, her mother-in-law Naomi came to Ruth to explain that she was going to return to her homeland because the famine there had finally ended.

Naomi suggested to Ruth and her other daughter-in-law to return to their relatives. Though Naomi was a poor widow, she knew the other women were still young enough to start over, remarry and live good lives.

Ruth could have returned to her relatives who might have helped her recover and marry again. But she felt a protective love for the older woman she had grown to admire.

So, she spoke kindly and convinced Naomi that she was determined to stay by her side. She was willing to go with her mother-in-law wherever she decided to go even though Naomi’s other daughter-in-law agreed to return to her own people in Moab.

When everyone else was willing to leave Naomi who fell into poverty, Ruth stuck with her. It’s easy to be faithful to someone when everything is going well—when there’s more than enough to eat when there are jobs, promotions, and business growth.

But it is much more difficult to be loyal when circumstances are bad and it seems everything is falling apart. As it turned out, Ruth’s kindness towards her mother-in-law was rewarded by God through a chain of unexpected events that turned around the situation into a positive outcome where Ruth eventually marries a wealthy man.

Just like God saw Ruth’s heart, He sees your faithfulness and your commitments even when everything is not rosy. He sees you right where you are, and so your story is not over yet.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, Thank you for your love and care even when I don’t understand. Help me to be a faithful friend and a loyal companion. Even when things are not going right, I know You are still holding onto me and leading me in the path you have chosen for me.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.