NAOMI’S PERSONAL GOD (RUTH PART ONE)
We worship God because He is the only true God. As we put God first in our lives and call on His help in our need, others see us. God opens their eyes and they put their trust in Him as their personal God.
“And Ruth said, ‘Entreat 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’” (Ruth 1:16).
These words may sound familiar. Sometimes a couple about to be married use this scripture verse in their wedding ceremony.
Ruth was from Moab. She said this to Naomi, her Israeli mother-in-law. How did Naomi get from Israel to Moab?
Back in Israel the country was struggling with famine.Crops wouldn’t grow. The animals and people competed for water because it had quit raining.
Naomi’s husband Elimelech at the time had decided to move their family of four temporarily to neighboring Moab. He thought it wouldn’t be all that long before the rains returned. Then they would all return home to Israel.
Time flew. Elimelech died. Their two sons grew and became eligible to marry. Postponing turning to Israel to find wives, Naomi found them each a Moabite lady to marry. Mahlon married Ruth, and Chilion married Orpah.
Over the course of ten years Mahlon and Chilion also died. This left Naomi, Ruth and Orpah with no men to help them in a male dominant culture. With all her kinfolk back in Israel, Naomi decided to return home. Hearing the famine had ended only increased her desire to go back. Her daughters-in-law agreed to go with her.
The Return to Bethlehem
The three women began their journey to Israel. On the way Naomi considered it was one thing for HER to return to Israel. It was another matter entirely to expect Ruth and Orpah to turn their back on everything they had known. Naomi now tried to convince them to return to their native country Moab.
By doing this Naomi was opening the door to allow these two women, her sons’ wives, to choose for themselves where they wanted to live. Did they want Moab and all it offered? Or did they want to leave Moab and deliberately choose Israel and the God of Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon and Chilion?
Orpah chose Moab. Ruth chose Israel. We are left wondering if Ruth had observed something in this Israeli family she didn’t have but wanted. This family who were for a time living in Moab had refused to let their trust in God die.
Ruth with her eyes wide open now saw perhaps for the first time there was nothing in Moab as good as the God of Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon and Chilion.
Now Ruth had a spring in her step as she accompanied Naomi to Israel. Naomi was encouraged because she had kept her faith in God alive while she lived in a foreign land.
How thankful we have stories like Ruth and Naomi’s to remind us of God’s great love for us.
We worship God because He is the only true God. As we put God first in our lives and call on His help in our need, others see us. God opens their eyes and they put their trust in Him as their personal God.
May we appreciate the God we have and value Him highly. Have a great day!
Shirley Logsdon
Additional reading
https://www.treadingwatertiljesuscomes.com/2018/12/10/the-influence-of-ruth/
