This post is from Moms Take Ten episode 118, “Moms in the Bible–Naomi and Ruth part 2”, which you can listen to wherever you listen to podcasts or at https://sites.libsyn.com/403493/moms-in-the-bible-naomi-and-ruth-part-2
Hey Mamas, welcome back to the Moms in the Bible series here on Moms Take Ten. This series began as the curriculum for a moms group I led several years ago. It was the first time that I really looked at women in the Bible closely. To see them as people, not merely part of a story, although the story they are a part of is incredible, but as image bearers whom God loved dearly. We are on our second trip through their stories and are picking back up with Naomi and Ruth.
Though Naomi had lived for a while in the pagan nation of Moab, she knew the one true God. Afterall, Naomi grew up in Israel. Among God’s own people, and in the time of the judges, she would have known of God and what he had done. So should all of Israel for that matter! But knowing about God and knowing God are two different things. Despite an abundance of knowledge of him, the period of the judges was characterized by a pattern of the Israelites doing what was evil in the sight of God, repenting, obeying, and then disobeying all over again. The book of Ruth begins with a famine, often seen in the Scriptures as a sign of God’s discipline towards his children, and a preparation for a display of his glory and favor. God’s favor was revealed in verse six of chapter one when Naomi heard that “the Lord had visited his people and given them food.”
Unfortunately, for Naomi, by this time her husband and both her sons had died. Rather than being able to rejoice together as a family at the return of the Lord’s favor, Naomi was alone. Well, almost alone. She had two daughters-in-law. Naomi, Ruth and Orpah pack up their things and set off towards Israel. On the road, Naomi turns to the women with her and says something surprising.
“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. The LORD grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” (Ruth 1:8-9)
They are all that Naomi has left and yet she releases them. More than that, she blesses them. Though she had lost much, Naomi hoped for much for her daughters-in-law. She wanted to see them happy and cared for and well situated. And she asked that the Lord be the one to make that happen. When I think about what she said, I see it as a declaration of faith, and of continued hope despite the obstacles she had faced.
Because she could have said, “Well, this is my lot so it must be your lot too. If I have to be a widow, without income, without protection, without status, you do too!”
She could have said, “It is better not to get married and have children. Marriage is full of pain and loss. Protect yourself. Protect your hearts.” She could have said, “Worship your pagan gods. They are more trustworthy than the God of the Israelites. He will just let you down.”
But that is not what she did.
Instead, she called God by his covenant name “Yahweh.” That is the name used by God to identify himself when speaking with Moses through the burning bush. In using this name, Naomi acknowledged God’s lordship, sovereignty, and relationship with his people. More than that, she showed his place in her own life. He was her Lord. Still. Despite it all, she chose to believe because Naomi knew God.
It was in the face of this faithful declaration that Ruth made her own declaration of faith. Ruth had grown up in the pagan nation of Moab. She might have heard tales of the God of the Israelites, but her family would not have worshiped him. She would not have seen what a relationship with him could look like until her marriage to Mahlon. Once married, Ruth had a front row seat to how Naomi lived out her faith day to day. Faith in the face of pain. Faith that was not afraid but trusting. Faith that was honest. Day in, day out, Ruth saw Naomi live out her faith, and when she heard Naomi’s prayer for her and Orpah, Ruth was moved to respond with determination, boldness, and faith of her own.
“But Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.’” (Ruth 1:16-17)
This was no small thing. Ruth was leaving behind the safety, protection, and provision of her family for a future of uncertainty. She was choosing to move away from the only place she had known – her people, culture, traditions, food, language, and gods – to a place where she would be the foreigner. Not only a foreigner, but also an enemy since the Moabites and Israelites were not on friendly terms. She was choosing a life of poverty and vulnerability rather than one of means and opportunity. Ruth chose loyalty to Naomi and faith in God over all else. Did you notice how she referred to God? LORD. Yahweh. She declared her allegiance to him as she adopted the covenant name given to his people. Her identity was now aligned with the LORD, God of the Israelites.
What a powerful moment on that road to Bethlehem. It was a beautiful demonstration of God at work in people’s hearts. And what an incredible testimony of his ability to use our stories for his glory. The first episode on Naomi and Ruth we talked about how honest Naomi was about her grief and bitterness and all she had suffered. Naomi didn’t hold back. Ruth did not come to faith in God because she saw a perfectly put together life that did everything her religion required of her. No, Ruth came to know God because she saw genuine, raw, gritty faith through life’s very real ups and downs.
This should be an encouragement to us! That we don’t have to have it all put together to be a light for Jesus. That our kids don’t need to see us squeaky clean to want to put their own faith in Christ. That actually, authenticity in our struggles is more faith inspiring. The power of Christ is more fully displayed in our weakness than when we are putting on a show pretending we have it all together.
This requires vulnerability. It requires that we be open with those around us of the messy, the dirty, the ugly, the struggle. It requires us to be honest with our kids about when we mess up and how much we need Christ to help us. It’s like my son says, “It’s ok mama! We are all learning. No one is perfect!” No one except Christ who now lives in us, helping us, leading us, comforting and correcting us. Shining through us to those around us, inviting them to a relationship with him as well.
Lyssa Stoyko 