Ruth: The Power Of A Right Choice Read Ruth 1:1–18 Your people will be my people and your God my God. Ruth 1:16 What it means to be a devoted disciple of Christ is summarized clearly in the lyrics of the beloved song “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”: “I have decided to follow Jesus . . . / No turning back, no turning back. / The world behind me,the cross before me . . . / No turning back, no turning back. / Tho’ none go with me, still I Will Follow . . . / No turning back, No Turning Back.” In today’s passage, Ruth epitomized this spirit of wholehearted commitment. She chose Naomi, her people, and her God, and there would be no turning back. Ruth was a Moabite, that is, a descendant of Lot. She had married into a Jewish family that had come to Moab during a famine. While it wasn’t forbidden for an Israelite to marry a Moabite, it was problematic (see Deut. 23:3). Then all the men of the family died, and the mother, Naomi, and her two young daughters-in-law tragically became widows. Under the circumstances, Naomi told them they were not obligated to return with her to Bethlehem but should stay in Moab and marry again. Why did Ruth refuse this offer (vv. 16–17)? No doubt she sympathized with Naomi, who was bitter about her suffering (v. 13). Perhaps she was a woman of kindness, loyalty, and courage. But there was more than that to her choice: Ruth had seen something in Naomi’s family that led her to choose God and His people above her own people, culture, and gods. Remember that this was during the godless days of the Judges, when “everyone did as they saw fit” (Judg. 21:25). Even during such times, it’s encouraging to know there were Israelites who still followed The Lord. It is no accident that Ruth, her eventual second husband Boaz, and his ancestor Rahab (see yesterday) became part of the genealogy of Christ (see Matt. 1:5). In the narratives of Rahab and Ruth, The Magnitude of God’s Grace is clearly on display. They became part of the spiritual heritage of David and of Jesus. What about your own spiritual heritage? Did some on your family tree show you the way of pilgrimage? Or did God save you despite an unbelieving family? This issue is worth some reflection and prayer today. I dont know about you beloved, I decided long ago to follow Jesus, and I have no intentions of turning back. HE IS MY LIFE, MY LOVE and I follow Him wholeheartedly and do shout it to the world, for I AM NOT ASHAMED OF MY JESUS!!!!!!
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 02:43:35 +0000
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