And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. Ruth 1:15-16
All those years away from your people, God’s people in the land of Judah, what did you {tell} the young women who married your sons?
After ten years or so of living in the same household with you and your sons, they were so willing to pack and leave their homeland to follow you to Judah. These young Moabite women identified with you and loved you – they were devoted to you, Naomi.
As you gathered water from the well, pounded out the grain, and prepared meals together, what did you {tell} the young women of your country, your people, and your God?
Surely, you were remembering the truth you had grown up with and the traditions of God’s people. Perhaps you were remembering the Law of Moses, and reminiscing over feasts and festivals celebrated in years past. You must have been confident and hopeful in telling Orpah and Ruth about the goodness of the Lord and His covenant with His people Israel.
Though you may have spoken of regrets and mistakes – even in thinking your family could run from the famine – your daily telling must have offered hope for the future.
Did your daughters in law see in you a people who would joyfully welcome foreign women into their land? Did they hope, through you, for a land of promise?
Did they see in you a God who would forgive them and accept them as His people as they were willing to give up their idols? Did they know, through you, the greatest commandments to love God and love your neighbor?
Did they see in you a mother who cared for their welfare of heart, mind, body, and soul? Did they know, through you, a mother who would {tell} them all that was best for them because she loved deeply and without reservation?
Oh, Naomi, there’s so much for me to glean from these few words of conversation between you and your daughters. The depth of relationship you and they cultivated – deep roots of love and loyalty and shared loss – is something I’ve skipped over in the past.
Thank You, Holy Spirit, for shaking out these grains of truth and letting them fall for me to see now. I joyfully pluck them up and hold them close to my heart for You to teach me.
Though I have only spiritual daughters…
May I {tell} of Your goodness, lovingkindness, grace, and mercy. The unfathomable joy of following You, Jesus.
May I {tell} honestly of my blunders and need for forgiveness.
And as we share this part of life’s journey through the famine season, may my telling about You plant seeds of salvation, hope, and trust in You.
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, O God, my Rock and my Redeemer.
May I continually encourage daughters and remind myself to focus my eyes on Jesus and shine His love… even in the famine.
Ponders:
- As you read the few verses from Ruth 1:4-18 regarding the crossroads of the relationship between Naomi and her daughters in law, what stands out to you?
- Is there a fresh revelation of the word of the Lord for you today?
- How might these brief words full of depth of relationship and emotion impact your current relationships with younger women?
- Will Holy Spirit possibly develop in you (and me) a greater desire for inter-generational discipleship… possibly out of a personal famine season?
