Lessons from the book of Ruth

Part 1 – Commitment

As I meditate on the four chapters contained in the book of Ruth, the Lord continues to show me truths that apply to what our life and relationship with Christ should look like, now, as we live for His kingdom purposes in this foreign land.

The definition from Oxford Languages explains the word commitment as the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.

Back Story: The book of Ruth opens with a famine in the land of Israel. Preservation in mind, Elimelech gathers his wife Naomi and their two sons and journey to Moab. Moab was a pagan nation birthed from the incestuous relationship the daughters of Lot had with their father after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 19:29-38) The Moabites did not serve Yahweh the God of Israel but instead served the false gods Chemosh and Astarte. In the time span of about 10 years, Naomi’s husband and two sons die, leaving her and her two Moabite daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth widowed. With empty hands and a report that the famine in Israel is over, Naomi releases Orpah and Ruth to return to their families and to the gods of their land as she is resolved to return to Israel. Orpah kisses Naomi goodbye but Ruth clung to her mother-in-law.

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for wither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, if more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. (Ruth 1:16-18 KJV)

What I see with Ruth is that her life was not altered until she made a commitment to Naomi that she would follow her, even to death. However, greater than her commitment to Naomi was her commitment to The One True God, The God of Israel. It was at this moment when she made a commitment to follow Him, that He became her God. Her life was radically altered, and she began to live in the blessings and favor of God.

So, it is with us, we can live a mediocre life with the knowledge of who God is, but it isn’t until we make that full commitment, when we take a stance and say, “You alone God, will I serve. You alone, will I live for. You alone, will be my God,” that our life takes on new form. Once we make a steadfast declaration to God, to live this moment and every future moment dedicated to Him, we enter into a place where spiritually we begin to glean in the fields of The Lord Most High.

I’d like to encourage you to evaluate where you stand before God, right now.

Are you like Orpah, who knows of God but would rather return to the familiar things that this world has to offer, or are you like Ruth, who is ready to forsake all things to pursue the Living God, the True God Jehovah?

As I think back, I can still clearly see the moment that I fully committed my life to the Lord God. When similar to Ruth, I made the decision that I would stand for God alone, that He would be my God. I drew my line in the sand, and nothing has been the same since. He is my All in All, everything else is dust. I implore you today, to make a commitment to the Lord, to pursue Him with every fiber of your being and to serve Him alone. I promise you this, you will never regret selling out for the Kingdom of God.

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 19:29 KJV)