Talking to Ruth: Finding Covenant Faithfulness in a Foreigner (Ruth 1)

          As much as the dialogue of Ruth One expresses the bitter circumstances of two widows, Ruth’s words represent commitment to Naomi in the face of uncertainty and continuing poverty.  Listen to her faithfulness:

·       *Do not urge me to leave you or return from following you.

·       *Where you go, I will go.

·       *Where you lodge, I will lodge

·       *Your people will be my people

·       *Your God will be my God

·       *Where you die, I will die and there will I be buried.

·       *Ruth even adds an oath to the end of her commitments:  “May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”

Naomi sees herself as a victim under the stern sovereignty of God.  Ruth’s words are commitments and choices she is making underneath the providence of God.  She is not a victim.  What could we say to encourage Ruth?

1.        1.  Thank you for your “hesed”- your loyal love and faithfulness for Naomi.  Bitterness can isolate and you would not let her push you away.

2.       2.  Thank you for looking hardship in the face and accepting it.  The plight of two widows in the ancient world is severe and you accepted your own situation and then took on the care of Naomi as well.

3.       3.  Thank you for your wholesale commitment to Israel and to Israel’s God.  Yours is the freedom and joy of Peter:  “Lord, we have left everything to follow you.”

4.       4.  Welcome home.

Power and Faithfulness

     In seminary, I rented a room from a remarkable widow.  Bess Gresham was 87 and still president of the Poetry Society of Virginia.  She was preparing to turn over her responsibilities to others.  She told me, "If the organization you serve doesn't continue to grow after you leave, you didn't do your job."  She saw her service as a kind of stewardship.  She would serve in such a way as to prepare others to continue her success.  That is the proper stewardship of power.
     Let us serve and invest our power so that the cause of our Lord is furthered.  If the next generation serves Him better, may it be because we helped to prepare them.  And when we lay our power down, may we continue to be awed by the grace of a God who would use us to display His glory.