Navigating Rough Seas - Ruth

Week 6 – “The Greatest Love Story of All Time”

Read: Ruth 1

“Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons--In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there. Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem--When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah. Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.’ Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud and said to her, ‘We will go back with you to your people.’ But Naomi said, ‘Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!’ At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. ‘Look,’ said Naomi, ‘your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.’ But Ruth replied, ‘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. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.’ When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, ‘Can this be Naomi?’ ‘Don’t call me Naomi,’ she told them. ‘Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.’ So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.”

Although in this study we will focus on Ruth Chapter 1, I urge you to read the book in its entirety. In the first chapter, we can learn that God calls us to follow him and through obedience He will provide. After losing her husband and sons to famine, Naomi was left with her two daughters-in-law who were Moabite women. Both daughters were given the decision and opportunity to return to where they came from to re marry.

Ruth, unknowing of the future, chooses to stay by the side of her mother-in-law and travel with her wherever she may go. Ruth says, “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. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1: 16-17) Often times in our lives we face difficult decisions; to take a job or not, to remain married or divorce, to breakup or stay together, to buy a house or keep renting, to go to one college or another, and many more. Jesus does not disregard these daily decisions we have to make, but he calls us to make the decision to follow Him. Ruth had to decide if she would return home to her family where she would re marry and be taken care of. Ruth chose to follow God. She chose to forsake the Moabite Gods and embrace the God of Israel.

Ruth was obedient and in return God’s steps guided her to fulfill His plan for her. First, God provides food for them, “When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them.” (Ruth 1:6) No matter how life’s events appeared to Naomi and her daughters while they faced a major famine and the loss of the men they loved, God cared for His people and worked out His purposes. Second, Ruth eventually marries a wealthy man Boaz. “So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: ‘Praise be to the Lord, who this day has no left you without a guardian redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!’” (Ruth 4:13-14) Ruth and Boaz’s son becomes an ancestor of Jesus! God’s plan was the birth of Jesus!

You may think the story of Ruth and Boaz is one you might find on Netflix. They fall in love and run off into the sunset together. Who doesn’t love sunsets and happy endings? But the story of Ruth is a foreshadow of the greatest love story of all time, Christ our redeemer who sent His one and only Son to free us from the slavery of sin! God calls each and everyone of us to declare, “though the way ahead is unfamiliar and unpopular, still I will follow”.

We made it to the final study of the series, Navigating Rough Seas! I pray that this series gave you a look into the lives of several people throughout scripture who faced challenging hurdles only to be saved by God’s love and mercy. Whatever you may facing today, big or small, God is with you. As far away as He may feel, know that He is calling your name.

Discussion:

1.      Think of the last major decision you had to make in your life. Did you involve God in your decision making? How can you draw closer to God during these times?

2.      What does obedience look like in your life today?

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for each and every opportunity you have given us in our lives. We pray that when the road ahead becomes unfamiliar and difficult to navigate, you give us the strength and courage to continue to follow you. You are the ending. You provide for all your people. You are with us wherever we may go. Amen.