One bright light in the life of Naomi is her daughter-in-law Ruth. What God has in store for Naomi comes through one who is not of the promised people, not originally of her faith and in fact not even in the plan of Naomi herself. ‘Look,’ said Naomi [to Ruth], ‘your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.’ (Ruth 1:15) But as we have seen, God loves the apple of His eye, the chosen people. He also loves the alien and the foreigner. Oh, where would we be…but God…
Ruth is a Moabite. She clearly isn’t a follower of Yahweh but one who worships idols initially. Ruth must have seen something in the life of Naomi that was attractive to her. She must have had a deep love for this woman to whom she was bonded over the love of a son/husband who is now deceased. And although she would intellectually know about Yahweh, it is when she is encouraged to go home to her people and her gods that she makes a choice that is an act of her will. “Your people will be my people and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16) So you see, Naomi had an influence on Ruth even when Naomi wasn’t living where she should have been, or even trying to do ‘evangelism.’ And Ruth knows there is a time in her life where she must make a decision. She must choose: Do I continue to embrace the faith of my people, or am I going to take a step into the unknown and, as an act of the will, follow wholeheartedly the God of Naomi? This couldn’t have been easy. Ruth had already lost her husband and she had no children. She was being encouraged to return to her mother’s household and her gods. It was Naomi on the one side, and her birth family and the culture of Moab on the other.
This foreigner makes the most important life changing decision that any of us can make even today. She takes stock and then, with her will she says, “Your people will be my people; your God will be my God.”
What does Ruth know about the future? Very little. What does she have to bring to God as far as her actions and lifestyle to this point in time? Very little. What does she know about Naomi’s God? Only what some backslidden believers have demonstrated and lived before her. And yet it is enough.
What do you know about the future? What do you have to bring to God as far as your actions and lifestyle go to this point in time? What do you know about the Bible’s teaching or about God Himself? Guess what? It is enough.
God clearly accepts all. We will see just how blessed this foreigner, not one of Israel, will be. In fact, this simple act of faith is enough for her to be welcomed into God’s wonderful plan for her life. Choosing Yahweh is enough. She chooses to have faith in God. And not only does God welcome Ruth in despite her ‘baby faith’, but so does the whole Israelite community.
Firstly, God uses us even in our weakest point of faith to be ambassadors for Him, just as He did with Naomi. Our lives do touch others and make a difference.
Secondly, don’t let today go by without knowing that God has a wonderful plan for your life, too. Yes, it may contain grief and hardship; there are no promises in this world, a world that is both fallen and full of effects of the fall. But nevertheless, God in His goodness has a plan and welcomes even the one who today has worshipped an idol. Today, we are free to choose with our intellect, and our will. It is never too late nor is anyone too far gone to say to the Father, because of Jesus, “Today, I choose you—you will be my God.”
Our song for today is In God We Trust by Hillsong Worship.