The best stories are usually the ones filled with drama or conflict. We love watching or reading how others overcame personal battles; but when it comes to our own lives- we typically try to avoid conflict.
This past week I was asked to teach on the first two chapters of Ruth. I don’t think it is a coincidence that this story so closely aligns with my own personal journey. As I began to research the background of each character, I could see a little bit of myself in each of them. The story of Ruth is a story of Faith- we see that faith is choosing to follow God when we let go of our own desires and move forward without our own visions or agendas. Today I want to walk through what the Lord has revealed through this story and in my own personal life:
I. Ruth 1: 1-2
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.
In the first two verses, the author sets the stage for our story. We are given 3 key details (3 strikes):
· Strike 1: The story is set in the days when the judges were ruling- a very sinful time:
Judges 21:25- In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.
· Strike 2: There is a famine in Bethlehem- God’s chosen land, the land He promised to provide for. (Ironically Bethlehem means- “House of Bread”)
Before moving to strike 3 let’s take a look at the character’s names:
The Father-Elimelek- “My God is King” and Naomi-“Pleasant” have two sons- whose names are Mahlon and Kilion. We see from the names they give their children that Elimelek and Naomi are not very positive, trusting, or hopeful people. Mahlon and Kilion actually mean- “sickly and dying.”
· Strike 3: They went to live in MOAB!
There is no evidence from Scripture that God told Elimelek to leave the Promise Land and go the heathen land of Moab. No, God had promised the children of Israel that he would supply all their needs in the land of promise that he had given them.
Like most of us, Elimelek bailed when times got tough. He decided to take control and run from the Lord in order to fix his problems.
Moab-Why is this so bad that He is going somewhere to find food for his family? I did a little homework on this country and found that Moab is actually named after one of Lot’s sons. When Lot left Sodom & Gomorra, his two daughters decided to get him drunk & sleep with him- one of the baby’s was named Moab. (and this is how the country began)
Deut. 23:3- No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation. V.6- Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.
So by understanding the background we see how Elimelek is blatantly running from the Lord and taking matters into his own hands.
II. Ruth 1:3-5
Continuing, Elimelek dies, his son’s marry two Moabite women (one being RUTH), and then the sons also die.
The very thing Elimelek was trying to avoid- Death- He ends up getting and also brining upon his family.
*Usually when we run from the Lord, we end up running to the very thing we were trying to avoid!*
Jeremiah 17:5-6: This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.
Proverbs 19:21- Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
III. Ruth 1:6-22: FAITH v. DOUBT
NAOMI= DOUBT
Can you imagine how Naomi must feel- She is left with no family! She must be broken, feeling completely alone:
Ruth 1:13- Naomi says “The Lord’s hand has turned against me!”
Ruth 1: 20-21- “Call me Mara- which means bitter “because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.” “The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”
Naomi see’s the Lord through her circumstances- EYES OF DOUBT/PAIN
RUTH= FAITH
Although Naomi tells her daughter-in-law to return back to her family, Ruth chooses to go back to Bethlehem with Naomi.
Ruth 1: 16-17- 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.”
Ruth has also lost everything- her husband is also dead and she has no prospects to begin another family with. But we see that Ruth chooses to trust the Lord. This is a true picture of faith- She doesn’t have a plan, she doesn’t have things figured out, but still she commits to follow and trust in the Lord’s plan without knowing what He has in store.
Who do you relate to… which character does your life reflect?
i. Elimelek- Do you run when times get tough? Do you decide to do things your own way and reject God?
ii. Namomi- Do you become bitter when things don’t go your way. Do you see God through eyes of pain?
iii. Ruth- Do you choose to “let go and let God take control.” Do you view the Lord with eyes of faith and trust that His ways are better than our own?
Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
IV. Connecting the Story
If you know how the story of Ruth ends, you know that Ruth goes to a foreign place with only one purpose: to Serve. She chooses to Trust in the Lord and serves Naomi out of love. Through her selflessness, the Lord provides her with 100times more than she had before. He provides her with a new husband who cares for she and Naomi and gives them much more than they would ever need. (You should read through chapters 2,3,and 4!)
The Point I don’t want you to miss is this: In the mist of your life, whatever you are battling- Dead end job, a frustrating circumstance, health issues, loneliness, or maybe just boredom… Ask the lord to give you eyes of faith. Maybe God is working; maybe He is doing something that you are unable to see.
Habakkuk 1:5- “Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”
Gen. 28:16- “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”
Earlier I asked which character your life reflected. Personally, I can see a little bit of myself in all of these characters:
Growing up in a Christian home and attending Second Baptist my entire life, I too could have been given a name meaning “My God is King.” But like Elimelek, my “name” didn’t always match my character. I knew all the right things to say and do, but deep down I did not trust the Lord with my problems and decided to take matters into my own hands. A perfect example of this was in my decision to move to NY. About a year ago, I think the conflict in my life was boredom and fear- I was looking for happiness in all the wrong places- a job, relationship, friends… and several other “worldly things.” Anyways, I decided to go visit my cousin- who was interning in NY- for a weekend. While I was there, I formed this crazy idea in my head- “I think I could move here.” Granted, this wasn’t the first crazy idea I had come up with and never truly intended on following through until I returned home to hear that my company had been bought out and my job might be in jeopardy- Key word is MIGHT- there was still a very good chance my job would be fine but the fear of the unknown and the boredom I was feeling caused me to run from my issues and start somewhere new. I was so excited to start a new job and live in a new city- I was way too confident that things were going to be great and I was going to be so happy! Umm well that isn’t exactly what happened, it was quite the opposite as I had a really rough transition. I made my way to New York- as Emilek made his way to moab- about a month or so after arriving, I quit my job, it was starting to get cold, I had very few friends, and I was living in a windowless apartment. Like Naomi, I was questioning the Lord, wondering why God had allowed everything I wanted to fall apart.
Although I was bored back home, at least I was working to provide for myself, I had friends and family, and I had a window! Continuing with the story- After the holidays I decided (out of desperation) to cling to church- I met a girl named Jess at Apostles. I am not sure why but Jess made it her mission to keep me in New York as I was thinking of going home. She invited me to join her bible study, where I met the most amazing women. The first night I attended I remember sharing my story with them- “blah blah blah…. Like above- “and I think I have that disorder you get in Alaska when it is dark all the time! Haha.” (I’m sure they all thought I was mentally ill) but that day they prayed the Lord would provide a window in my life. (Job, friends… something that would encourage me) That week another girl in the study (Blythe) sent my resume to her recruiter who connected me to a hedge fund called H Partners- I went in for an interview and a few days later was offered a job. On my first day, they took me to my desk and the moment I sat down I began to cry… Not only had God provided me a window (a job & friends through my bible study) but he had provided a physical window.
The view from my desk (on the 29th floor) was of central park. I could pretty much see all the way from the Hudson River to the East river! That was the day I buried myself and chose to put God in control of my life. I no longer wanted to be bitter Naomi- I wanted to have eyes o f faith like Ruth! It was that day I discovered the power of prayer… the women in my study showed me that through loving others, trusting the lord, and praying together anything could be done! For the next 7-8 months I feel in love with my church and in a short time, quadrupled my number of friends… the relationships I formed while in NY were truly Christ centered. The Lord showed me what true fellowship- a real Christian community. He allowed me to run my own way (like Elimelek) and fall on my face (like Naomi) so that He could teach me/ show me how much more he had in store for my life- Give me eyes of faith! (Like Ruth)
About a month and a half ago, my old boss- in Houston- called me. He said there was an amazing opportunity with His new company and that the team really wanted me to join. The first time he called I hesitated to take the position; I didn’t want to leave my new NY family. During this period I was praying that the lord would shut the door if it was not where He wanted me… Working as an executive assistant, I had been asking the Lord to eventually eventually provide another opportunity, as this is not what I envisioned myself doing long term. However; when the opportunity in Houston continued to present itself I had to trust that the Lord would provide a community like the one I had found through Apostles.
I am daily asking God to give me eyes of faith- I am not the same girl that left last year, I have come back a new creation! The Lord has shown me that He is the “window” of my life. Like Ruth, I choose to trust Him! As I am beginning this new phase I have never been more confident that the Lord has a far better plan than my own!
I want to close with a favorite quote:
"The will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you. A person who lives by faith must proceed in incomplete evidence, trusting in advance what will only make since in reverse.” ~Phillip Yancey
