Outta Left Field – Ruth’s Love Story: Part 1 | Ruth 1

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Transcription:

What if you lost everything and got everything back and way more than you could have ever imagined? That is Ruth’s story, and as you and I are going to find out this week on the Bible for Busy People, it is our story too. Hi, I’m Erica, your host, and we are going to be digging into one of the most forgotten love stories in the Bible, and perhaps one of the most beautiful. I actually have two Bible verses from this story hanging on the wall in my bedroom because they are so precious to me. We’re going to get to that in just a moment. But first, I just want to encourage you as we dive in to Ruth’s love story that definitely comes out of left field, you’ll see why in a moment, to picture yourself in Ruth’s shoes, because you are, and I am, and we are so loved. So without further ado, join me in Ruth chapter one beginning in verse one. We’re going to read a whole book of the Bible together this week. It’s going to be awesome. Okay?

In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab…

A foreign country, okay? Not connected to Israel.

…taking his wife and two sons with him. 2 The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. 3 Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. 4 The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband. 6 Then Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah. 8 But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept.

Can you imagine this circle of sadness?

“No,” they said. “We want to go with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi replied, “Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? 12 No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? 13 Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord himself has raised his fist against me.”

You can hear the hurt and anger in Naomi’s words, right?

And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. 15 “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.”16 But Ruth replied,

And by the way, these are the verses I have on the wall in my bedroom.

“Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. 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. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more. 19 So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it really Naomi?” the women asked. 20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?” 22 So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Just when they think my friend, that it is the end of their story, the Lord brings them back home to Bethlehem. Do you notice the city? The city where our savior would one day be born on that first Christmas night? The Lord brings them to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. This is going to be extremely significant. When you and I meet tomorrow, you’re going to understand why the Lord is providing for these women. They can’t see it yet. Ruth in faith goes with Naomi back to husband’s homeland. Her mother-in-law’s homeland. Ruth could have turned back to her foreign country. Her homeland, like her sister-in-law. Orpah did. But she didn’t. She could have gone back to everything and everyone who was familiar, but she didn’t. She chose the road of faith and she walked it with her mother-In-law. Ruth was faithful. Oh, you are going to see so many parallels this week between yourself and Ruth. We are living in a foreign land away from God, before we come to know Jesus. And when we walk on that road of faith, oh, that’s when the love story begins more next time. Can’t wait till then. You are so, so loved.

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