It is said that we make approximately 35,000 decisions per day. That is A LOT of choices! We make little decisions like what time we will get up, when we will eat, whether we will go to work or not, etc. Then we make bigger decisions. Some are much bigger and life-altering. They can be eternally life-altering. Decisions, decisions.
The book of Ruth shows us three women who have to make some big decisions.
In the 1st chapter of Ruth, we see that Naomi lost her husband. And then, both of her sons died as well. She is left with her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. But Naomi recognizes that she has nothing to offer them. She is a widow with no other sons. So, she tells them to go back to their mother’s houses (their families).
“But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.” Ruth 1:8.
Naomi had to decide whether to encourage her daughters-in-law to stay with her or to send them away and face life alone. She chose to send them back to their families so that they weren’t going to face poverty and be destitute with her. Decisions, decisions.
But now, her daughters-in-law are faced with their own decisions.
They have to decide whether to face poverty and destitution with Naomi or go back to their families.
But they are deciding so much more than that.
Naomi’s sons were Hebrew. They married Ruth and Orpah who were Moabite women. Throughout the Old Testament, we see God warn His people not to intermarry with other peoples because they will be lured into worshipping their gods.
“And when you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same.” Exodus 34:16.
So, these women were not just deciding whether to go back to their families. They were deciding whether to go back to their gods. Decisions, decisions.
It was a difficult decision. Initially, both Ruth and Oprah said, “We will go back with you to your people.” “May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.” Ruth 1:9-10.
But Naomi insisted that they should leave and they had to make a decision. “14 At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.” Ruth 1:14.
Scripture tells us that Orpah did return to her people… and her gods. “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” Ruth 1:15. Decisions, decisions.
Ruth did not back down, however. She insisted that she wanted to go with Naomi. “16 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. 17 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.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.” Ruth 1:16-18.
Ruth chose to stay with Naomi. She chose to face poverty and to risk being destitute. She chose to make Naomi’s people her people and Naomi’s God her God. Decisions, decisions.
We will all come to a point where we have to make a similar decision. Will we continue to chase after false gods? Will we chase after modern false gods like money, success, or material possessions? Or will Naomi’s God be our God? Will the one true God be our God?
“Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” 1 Corinthians 8:6.
If the one true God is your God, then proclaim it! Introduce Him to those around you who do not know Him. Proclaim the good news.
“How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7.
If the one true God is your God and you left Him, like Orpah, come back! He is waiting. He has been trying to win you back. This very blog may be something He is using right now to carry you home. In Luke 15, God tells us the story of the shepherd who has a lost sheep and leaves the rest to bring back the one. Come back!
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” Luke 15:4.
And, if you do not know the one true God personally, I invite you right now to change that. All it takes is one simple, heartfelt, prayer of repentance. And it just so happens that there is a prayer just like that outlined on our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/). Please go there and pray that prayer from the bottom of your heart. God loves you so dearly. And He longs to have an intimate and personal relationship with you.
Please pray that prayer and once you have, reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com. Because I’d love to welcome you into the family and be in prayer with and for you.
Father God, thank you that you didn’t make us robots who wander around saying, “We love God. We love God.” We praise you that you let us make our own choice. You pursue us, you desire us, and, through the incredible love that you show us, you win us over… one by one. Father God, we thank you for not giving up on us and for the magnitude of your love. Help us to show others how much you love us. Help us to show them how much you love them. Holy Spirit, help us to love them the way that you do.
We pray this in your precious and holy name Jesus, Amen.
Luv Ya!
