God’s People on Mission

RUTH: GO WHERE GOD IS AT WORK

Ruth has to be one of the most precious and loved stories in the Bible. There is so

much there for us to find hope and encouragement, challenge and learning, not least

of which is that Ruth was a young Moabite woman (descendants of Lot) who married

an Israelite. What is significant here is that God had pronounced a curse on the

Moabites (Deuteronomy 23:3), because of their treatment of Israel while they were in

the wilderness.

When Ruth’s husband died, and Naomi, having lost her own husband and her two

sons, returned to Israel, Ruth chose to follow her. Even when Naomi urged both her

daughters-in-law to return and marry in their own country, Ruth chose to remain,

making a promise that is now cherished by many:

“Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; For

wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people

shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and

there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but

death parts you and me.” (Ruth 1:15 – 16)

We are not told what it is that caused Ruth to leave her country and follow Naomi,

but in doing so she takes a wonderful place in the story of God. Not only

redemption, despite the curse on her people, she becomes the Great Grandmother

of David, who becomes King of Israel, and in the line of Messiah Jesus.

It would seem that Ruth saw something in Naomi, in her people, and most especially

in her God, that caused her to attach herself to Naomi and refuse to let go.

When I was a teenager, I attached myself to someone, and that move changed my

life. Ken invited me to come with their group when they taught CRE (Christian

Religious Education in primary school). He took me under his wing and helped

changed the course of my life.

I didn’t have to say yes, there were plenty of other activities vying for my attention

and time. But I saw something there, I guess I saw that God was at work, and so I

hung on.

It was an important lesson, one that has repeated itself in smaller events throughout

my life and ministry. And so my encouragement to you today is, that there are

opportunities in many places, and while we don’t want to become divided by getting

involved in everything, that isn’t healthy and nor is it possible. But if we are looking

for God to work in our lives – seeking the mission that He is calling us to devote

ourselves to – then look for places, or maybe more importantly, to people where God

is at work – and attach ourselves to them. Commit to that – there will be distractions,

there were for me, and I’m sure the road wasn’t always easy for Ruth – but she

stayed the course and received the blessing that God had for her.