Ruth's story can be found in the book named after her. I hope you'll take the time to read the entire four chapters this week and be blessed!

Hi Girls!

When I began contemplating what lesson I should write on from Naomi and Ruth's story, the Lord reminded me of Ruth's words that He used to teach me a very important lesson, and He wants me to share it with you today.

Thirty years ago, on my 15th wedding anniversary I was quite taken by the fact that we had been very happily married fifteen years already! People don't usually do anything special for just fifteen years, but I thought it was worth celebrating and I found this special poem on marriage written by a wife to her husband that I especially loved, and had it matted and framed to give to John on our anniversary. On the back of the frame I hand wrote the words from Ruth, 

Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.  Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to parts us!” (Ruth 1:16-17)

Only John and I could see these words on the back of the frame, but they truly meant more to both of us than the poem, and we hung the frame in our bedroom. 

Fast-forward seven years...

John had been asked by the owner of the company he worked for to move the company to a more central location of the country. We had no idea at the time where that would be, but John agreed to take on this monumental task. 

Monumental is the largest word I could come up with from my vocabulary, but trust me when I say it doesn't begin to describe all that we were facing at the time. The children were graduating from high school and college and transitioning to their next chapters and so were we. For the first time in my life the stress was so severe that it began to have an impact on my health.

Each week John and I would end our work week by going out to have a quiet dinner together to talk over all the events going on in our lives. By then John had narrowed it down to three major cities to move the company to and I clearly had my heart set on one in particular and John knew it! 

One night he sat me down at our weekly dinner out and broke the news that we would not be moving there because they weren't able to find a building large enough to meet their needs, though he had tried his very best. To which I instantly replied, 

"That's it! I'm not going." 

(Did I ever tell you that I have this tendency to be a brat at times?) I didn't stomp my foot, for after all I was already sitting down, but I did give John a look that completely knocked all the wind out of his sails. 

The look on his face at that moment still haunts me today. He was so crushed. He knew the stress had become almost debilitating and he hated that he was the cause. We had always been best buddies and what he most needed at the moment was my understanding and support. 

We both decided at that moment to change the subject, and neither of us brought the subject up again for the rest of the evening. 

That night, at exactly 2am, The Lord woke me up. 

He and I had already made an agreement long ago that if He ever had anything He needed to tell me, but I hadn't been listening during the day while I was awake, He was free to wake me in the middle of the night and have my complete attention then. And I can highly recommend you make the same agreement with Him as well, for it's been some of our most precious moments together. 

I quickly rose, grabbed my Bible, and went out to our favorite spot in the living room and The Lord got straight to the point with a question. "Did you mean those words you committed to John back on your 15th anniversary?" 

I knew exactly what words He was talking about, but I needed to turn to Ruth 1: 16-17 to refresh my mind to exactly what they said, 

Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.  Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to parts us!” (Ruth 1:16-17)

Hmm...

Lessons I've learned from Ruth's words and story: 

- Doing What is Right often Requires Sacrifices.

It was a sacrifice for Ruth to refuse to return to her family. Her commitment to go on with Naomi was a beautiful, selfless act. 

- Our Faith Must Rest in God Alone and Not in Others.

I believe Ruth could go with Naomi not because of her faith in Naomi to provide for her, for Naomi admitted she had nothing to offer her. Ruth clearly trusted the one thing Naomi had left and might have forgotten; she belonged to God. 

- Make a Commitment/Covenant and Make it Stick!

God takes our commitments/ promises/ covenants (whichever you wish to call it) very seriously. He has never gone back on His word and expects us not to either. However, if you can recall a commitment you once made and failed to keep, confess it and seek His mercy and grace to right it. 

- God uses Our Commitments to Build our Character and Our Story.

Ruth went above and beyond her calling in the way she honored and respected Naomi, and in doing so became known in the city as a “virtuous woman.”  Everything that she did showed her character, and because of that character, she was honored by God. 

- God Honors our Commitments/Covenants

Ruth did what she did with God's help, and so can we. He promises us that the power we need to do far more than we can even dream of rest within us. (Ephesians 3:20-21) BUT, He will not only provide the abilities to keep our commitments He will use them to write our story for future generations. 

There's so much more I could add and I hope you'll add your own thoughts on Ruth as well, but I do want to leave you with this:

When John woke that next morning I wrapped my arms around him, looked into his eyes and shared that I had been reminded the night before of the commitment I made not only when we married, but again on our 15th wedding anniversary and that from that moment on, no matter how hard it could become, he had my full support and help because I trusted God to bless our days ahead. 

And He has!

Blessings, 

sue