The emotions had been bottled up for a bit. I should have known better than to think ignoring them would make them disappear. They never do, you know.
Time alone would be the only way to sort it all through and maybe, just maybe, even begin to make some sense of it all.
Except … it it not that I am exactly alone. It was a two-way conversation from the get go.
The question I had been mulling around is this one: What makes people come and go? What is it others expect from us to give them?
Some people will stick close at hand in the hard times, offering their love and encouragement. Others, disappear only making an obligatory phone call now and then.
These very questions brought me to the book of Ruth. Widowed and now having lost her two sons to death, Naomi decides to return to her home country. Her two daughter-in-laws, at first seem to want to go with her. But upon urging, Orpah returns to her own family. Only Ruth, with a determination as strong as steel, declares, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back” (Ruth 1:16, NLT).
We have the privilege of being able to flip to the end of the story and know it all turns out well for Naomi and Ruth. But Ruth made her decision, not knowing, going with Naomi to a land foreign to herself.
Orpah disappears and we are left not knowing how she fared. I hope life ended up well for her. She may have gone on to live a most “normal” or “average” life. She may have remarried and finally had the children she always wanted. But do we really want to settle for normal or average at best?
But Ruth … that’s a life where the amazing happens. She remarries, a wealthy man at that, who is more than willing to take care of and protect both Ruth and Naomi. She also bears a son and earns a place in the genealogy of Jesus. Ruth is the woman whom Scripture records for all mankind to read about for all time.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not judging Orpah. Yet given the choice of becoming Orpah or Ruth, between normal and amazing, I long for the amazing. My desire is to live in such a way that God’s blessing is evident.
So how? What is needed to become like Ruth? How do we develop a determination that is “strong as steel”? What made Ruth different from Orpah?
This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike, “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are; Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us – – an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him! (Romans 8: 15-18, MSG)
The answer is becoming a little bit clearer –
We become strong as steel as we go where God goes.
The hard times,
the good times.
An unbelievable inheritance!
Today I am joining … Three Word Wednesday and Tell His Story and Wedded Wednesday and Women With Intention .
I love Ruth’s story, but I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Naomi’s faith-story. I love that she loved God so deep and so pure that her life was a testimony to His faithfulness. I struggle with the in-and-out people in my life, Joanne. I really have been seeking His grace in that because they are not mine but blessings He has brought. The more I learn that, the more I will love like He does. 😉
This was a beautiful piece of grace.
Blessings,
Dawn
Dawn, I so appreciated the thoughts you shared. I so agree – the struggle would be lessened if we view others as not ours but blessing which God brought into our lives. Much comfort to be found when we view them this way. Blessings!
Joanne, I love the story of Ruth. What a picture of God’s redeeming grace. I love how you showed her willingness to go out of her comfort zone and follow God. It is the difference between a good life and a great life….following God. Thanks for sharing this encouragement! Neighbors with you at #TellHisStory
Alisa, the story of Ruth is rich with lessons to be learned. May we not “settle” but be willing to follow God’s lead and experience His greatness.
Joanne, I like this because it made me think. What is the difference? We all have different situations in our lives. I look at other women and think “whew, so many issues and problems.” And, yet, I look back at my own life and think “whew, so many issues and problems.” HA! What breaks one and builds another? I think it all comes down to our yieldedness (has to be a word?) and our obedience. Oh God, allow me the grace to be built, not broken. xoxo I’m #3 at Kristin’s today.
Susan, you shared a powerful truth > it all comes down to our yieldedness and our obedience. May we be both and experience all which God has for us!
It seems I keep reading about Ruth wherever I turn these days. I think God’s trying to tell me something. I’m with you. I want to be amazing also!
It’s funny, Elizabeth, the more I have thought on this post, I keep seeing the story of Ruth brought up. I want to see the amazing which reminded me of this verse, “I have heard all about you, Lord. I am filled with awe by your amazing works. In this time of our deepest need, help us again as you did in years gone by” (Habakkuk 3:2, NLT). Blessings!
I so want to be more like Ruth. Her faith, determination, character… Thank you for this incredible encouragement to shoot for amazing, Joanne. I love this: “We become strong as steel as we go where God goes.” That’s the kind of strength I want!
Candace, it’s all by and through His strength. This afternoon I found myself reading, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9, NLT). His grace is supplied in our weakness making us stronger than we ever imagined.
I never tire of Ruth’s story in fact, she is the one woman in the Bible who I desire to be most like. I would love to leave a legacy of sticking with it and reaching out to others during good and bad times. I don’t want to be a fair-weather friend. Thank you for the beautiful lesson today.
Mary, I am with you >> I don’t want to be a fair-weather friend either. Praying for this to be the legacy many of women leave. Blessings!