Tidying the bedroom, making the bed, dusting, sweeping the floor, and emptying the trash were the usual chores mom would give me, with the assurance that if I did these things first, I could go outside and play. I would begin my tasks with great fervor and focus, but then my mind would wander to getting outside and playing with my friends by the creek under the willow tree. I would leave the house, neglecting to complete my chores. It wouldn’t be long before I heard Mom calling me in that “come here now” voice, and I knew the skipped-over…
“So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? Ruth 1:19-21 Years ago, when I was a Youth Leader, we used to organize walks to raise money for Sheaves For Christ. We would start early in the morning feeling great, but it did not take long until we began to feel tired. Along the way, someone would be waiting with cool drinks or a small snack, so we could rest before we continued. By the end of the day, we were exhausted and glad it was over. I can picture Naomi and Ruth as they turned their backs on Moab and began the long, difficult journey. No doubt they were carrying everything they owned, and enough food to last them for several days. A…
“And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” Ruth 1:14-17 This scripture is probably the most well-known one from the Book of Ruth. It is often quoted in marriage ceremonies, where a man and a woman pledge their lives to one another, to love, honour, and cherish until death parts them. These verses reveal so much about the characters of both Naomi and Ruth. What lessons can we learn from these two: We all influence others, especially the people we live with. They are watching how we react to difficulties and problems. Ruth had…
“Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.” Ruth 1:6 Naomi received news that the famine was over and there was bread in her own country again. How she longed to return, to see her friends and taste the water from the well of Bethlehem. Packing up their belongings the three of them began walking until they reached the point where they could catch a last glimpse of Moab. There,…
“And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.” Ruth 1:3-5 Twenty-four years ago, my husband was in the hospital facing surgery. We had perfect confidence that he would come through it with no problems. But something went wrong, and he did not survive. I can remember how I felt as I realized that nothing would ever be the same. He was not only my husband, but my closest friend. Thankfully, I had a strong family to support me and a trust that the Lord was in control. For Naomi, it was a different story. She was in a strange land and had no family except her two sons. No doubt her heart was filled with fear and apprehension about the future. Questions probably arose. Was Elimelech’s death a punishment from God for them coming to Moab? How would she support herself and her…
“Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.” Ruth 1:1 The books of Judges and I and II Samuel record the history of Israel when they were experiencing trouble and turmoil because they were not obeying the laws of God. Each time their enemies attacked them, they would cry out to the Lord for deliverance, God would hear them and send a judge to lead them to victory. In between these books, we find the Book of Ruth, It is one of the only two books in the Bible named after a woman. It is a beautiful love story and a great illustration of how God works to bring His plans to fruition. When our two children were seven and eight years old, my husband was laid off from his job and he found one in another province. I had an excellent job, but after praying considerably about it, we decided to move. His job did not work out like he had hoped and so we…