Go With God!

SCRIPTURE

Ruth 1:1-22 (NRSV)
The widow's poverty

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had considered his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back each of you to your mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband." Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. They said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people." But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me." Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

So she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." But 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.
Where you die, I will die -
there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me,
and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!"
When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them; and the women said, "Is this Naomi?" She said to them,
"Call me no longer Naomi,
call me Mara,
for the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me.
I went away full,
but the Lord has brought me back empty;
why call me Naomi
when the Lord has dealt harshly with me,
and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?"

So Naomi returned together with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who came back with her from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.


DEVOTION

I don’t know about you, but I have faced some terrible days in my life. I have known more than one “dark nights of the soul” when I did not have the slightest idea how I was going to recover from my sorrow, grief and pain.

It is on days like this that we have two choices. We can go backward like Orpah or forward like Ruth.

It takes a brave soul to go forward into unknown and unchartered waters when faced with calamity. But, when offered the opportunity to return to what was known, comfortable, and familiar 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. Where you die, I will die - there will I be buried. May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!"

Wow! Ruth was a determined young lady and her courage, fortitude, wisdom, and faithfulness are a continual inspiration to me.

No matter what we may be facing, there is always the possibility of a brighter day ahead. It seems that when Ruth chose to go forward she was placing her hope squarely on God’s provision and ability to save!

This side of the cross, we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that defeat can be transformed into victory! Although Jesus experienced great sorrow, pain and betrayal as he died on the cross, his story did not end in defeat. Instead, on the third day he was resurrected--victorious over sin, death, and the grave!

The same God that raised Jesus from the dead oversees all of the concerns of our lives. As we come to God in prayer, and by faith, we can rest assured that God is well able to orchestrate a great rescue on our behalf.

Today, I want to invite you to go with God boldly into the future! God loves you and stands ready to assist you with even your most trying of circumstances, if you will only take God's hand.

Will you make the choice to go forward into the unknown by faith, rather than turning back? If
so, please pray with me?

God, I am so tempted to turn back; but I believe that you have great things in store for me if I will but push forward into the unknown. I have known some dark days, but I trust brighter days are dawning. Please fill me with your love, joy, peace, attitude of gratitude, and hope for the future. Please forgive me of my sin and fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I will have the courage to follow you. Lord, I cannot turn back. To whom would I go? You alone have the words of eternal life. Please keep me steadfastly determined to follow you no matter where you may lead me. I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.


THE INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html