“I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you.John 15: 11-14 (MSG)
When peole find true love, the world stops and rejoices! We will stop
everything and often go to no great extent to celebrate two people uniting their love together in marriage. There is something about being a witness to this kind of experience that touches something deep down inside of us. How God (who is love) must rejoice when He is witness to His people giving and receiving love.
“But Ruth said, “Don’t force me to leave you; don’t make me go home. Where you go, I go; and where you live, I’ll live. Your people are my people, your God is my god; where you die, I’ll die, and that’s where I’ll be buried, so help me God—not even death itself is going to come between us!”
When Naomi saw that Ruth had her heart set on going with her, she gave in. And so the two of them traveled on together to Bethlehem.”Ruth1:16-19 (MSG)
There is no doubt that the Book of Ruth constitutes a love story of great proportions. Some would say that the love story begins with the entrance of Boaz – but I contend it begins in the first chapter – right at the beginning!
Let’s review the facts: Naomi, brought out by her husband from her beloved Bethlehem (land of bread) to the rejected Moab (remember Lot and his daughters – yes, their seed) – due to a famine in the land. She has two sons who marry women from this people who are not equally yoked (ever seen an unhappy Jewish woman?); her husband dies; then her two sons die – (this story has all the makings of a tragedy, not a love story!)
Naomi hears that there is now bread again in Bethlehem and begins her journey back home. On the way she tells her daughter-in-laws to return to their people – only one won’t go (read the chapter for the rest of the details). Bottom line – she refuses to go and even says that nothing but death will separate her from her mother-in-law!
What would make a young widow (with no prospect of marrying another son to carry on the family name) settle for a life of being single – to remain with her MOTHER-IN-LAW – turning from her own family and what life she knew – to face an unknown future?
This is love – for in spite of whatever sorrows Naomi (Mara) had suffered – one thing she had done – she had LOVED her family – including her daughter-in-laws – and love begets love. Ruth experienced such love from her mother-in-law that she could not bear to leave it – no matter how uncertain her future.
What kind of love is this – faithful? loyal? amazing? mysterious? can it even be clearly defined? What we know is, God rejoiced – and she didn’t know it in Chapter One but He had untold blessings waiting for her…
More on tomorrow…