“Don’t plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” — Ruth 1:16-17
Where’s your commitment?
When I was growing up I loved baseball. It was my passion and it was in my blood, at least three generations deep. I had an option once I got to high school to pursue golf or baseball at a higher level. My father was willing to get me lessons, so I chose baseball. I was committed to practicing daily, playing in multiple leagues and going to lessons on the weekends. Baseball was what I decided to go all in on.
A commitment is consistent actions that lead to a greater good. Ruth made a commitment to her mother-in-law, Naomi. Ruth said, “wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” Naomi and Ruth were the only family each other had left. Naomi lost her husband and both her sons, one of which was Ruth’s husband.
I believe we get tempted to take the easy way out in life and in our relationship with God. We make excuses to not make time for His Word, to not serve the Church, or not enjoy the loving relationship we do or could have with Jesus. Ruth did not take the easy way out, she stayed with Naomi instead of staying in Moab.
Ruth ended up marrying a bold man named Boaz and had a son. Ruth 4:13 says, “God enabled her to conceive”. Ruth went from being told to stay in Moab by her mother-in-law after losing her husband to having a son. But listen to what Ruth 4:17 says about the child: “The neighbor women said, ‘A son has been born to Naomi,’ and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.”
God had a plan to use Ruth to bring His Son into the world through the lineage of David. Oh, how God wants to use us in such mighty ways. If only we would commit to Him and His plan.
Today, commit like Ruth, be bold like Boaz and love like Jesus.
— Reid Carper
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