The Book of Ruth ~Devotion One

"Keep The Hope Rope Tight"

None of us can ever really comprehend the immensity of how God works. As we look at the Book of Ruth we discover how wonderful His plans come together even though things seem dismal. Could He really have that kind of story for you and me?

So often we get caught up in the circumstantial aspects of people’s lives. If we dare look closer we would see the paths they took and understand why God took them there. It's hard to imagine something good coming out of something so hard. We don't see the intentions of God and forget they He has the best plans for us, even through the rough spots.

GOOD INTENTIONS

Ruth 1:1-2 "In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there."

Famine was beating down on the land of God’s people. In fact the little town of Bethlehem, known as “House of Bread” was experiencing the hunger pangs of being without. Elimelech knew he needed to take care of his family. We see that he made a critical choice that wasn’t preceded by the most important thing ~ seeking God through prayer.

You see a crisis can spur us on to making poor choices and Elimelech was definitely making a poor choice. He chose to act without seeking God’s leading. A crisis can spur us on to making poor choices. Our choices always affect others.

BAD CHOICES

Ruth 1:3-5 "Now Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 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."

Elimelech chose to leave the Promised Land that God had given His chosen people. Even through crisis God will provide. All we have to do is ask Him. When we leave God’s will we turn our backs on Him and walk away from His solutions and provision. We may not like what is happening to us, but running away to find a better path isn’t the answer.

Jesus talks about God’s provision in Matthew 7:7-11. “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him."

God provides for us and He provides nothing but the best. Where else can you find that? The sparkle and shine of the yellow-brick-roads of this life cannot compare to what He has in store for those who choose Him.

Isaiah 40:18 "To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him?"

Nothing compares to God. If nothing can compare to Him, then wouldn't His actions toward His children be incomparable? His ways are the best. Why do we doubt this so often? So as we study this book, let's open our eyes to the ways of God.

HOPE CAN DIE

Elimelech died and along with him the hopes of his family died. Not only that, 10 years and two daughter-in-laws later, the two sons die. More hope died. Left without any hope, Naomi was at the end herself. She was at the end of her rope.

When we come to the end of hope, all we have to do is to look up and find it.

HOPE IS CONTAGIOUS

Ruth 1:6-7 "Then Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah. Naomi heard that God has come to the aid of His people by providing food for them. She packed and left with her two daughters-in-law to find this hope."

Someone spread the news that God was providing for His people in Naomi's hometown of Bethlehem. A small spark of hope was flickering in her heart. When we hear about the Good News of God’s kindness and provision our hope can be re-kindled. We want to share in this hope and a light begins to spark in our hearts. That little fire drives us forward.

The road to Judah for them was the road to their true home ~ the place where God intended. Where is the place God intends for you? Do you know? Better yet, have you asked Him? Sometimes we don't want to hear where our place in His will is. We may be scared that it will be away from the life we know or that He will ask us to do something we can't do or don't want to do. No matter what we think, God's plan is always best. He always gives us the ability and means to get where He wants us to go.

BRING OTHERS WITH YOU

Ruth 1:8-10 "But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, 'Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage.' Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept. 'No,' they said. 'We want to go with you to your people.'"

Naomi didn’t want to force Orpah and Ruth to go with her. She still wasn’t sure that the news of God’s provision was true. If only she had known that it was true she would have begged them to go with her.

God’s love and provision is for everyone and we should show the way for others to receive it. Do you know the way to find Jesus? Are you willing to share this with others? Why do you think it's so hard to share this? Jesus commands us to tell others where to find Him and why. We are all just beggars telling other beggars where to get bread.

Mark 16:15. "And then he told them, 'Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.'"

If Naomi hadn’t heard the good news that God was providing for His people back in her hometown she would never have survived. Bethlehem means, "House of Bread." Many years later the "Bread of Life" ~ Jesus the Christ ~ would be born into this world, there in Bethlehem.

MAKING THE HARD CHOICE

Ruth 1:11-14 "But Naomi replied, 'Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord himself has raised his fist against me.' And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi."

Orpah and Naomi had a choice to make ~ should they go back to a land without hope or go forward to a land of promise. Orpah returned home to the things that she knew. She wasn’t ready to move toward the hope of God’s provision. Ruth made the choice to follow the path of hope to the land of promise. Choosing the land of God’s promises is often a hard choice to make because letting go of what we know for what we haven’t seen is a scary thing.

God’s promises are true. He does provide. It’s our choice to believe Him or not. Every day we are faced with choosing God or choosing what we want. Believing God propels us forward on the path of Hope.

Colossians 1:4 “The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope.”

The lines of purpose in your lives will NEVER grow slack. I love the fact that our hope is in Jesus and the future we have is in Him. Let’s travel like Ruth and Naomi on the path towards Hope.

I "hope" you continue on in this study of Ruth with me. It will be an interesting and faith inspiring journey. Grab onto the "Hope Rope" and let's travel on together.

Keep the hope rope tight.