Ruth 1:7
"Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was,
and her two daughters in law with her; and they went
on the way to return unto the land of Judah."
With her two daughters in law she left the place
where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to
the land of Judah. There are three purposes for humanity’s existence in
the world: to learn, to serve God, and to fight the fights of life. In regard
to this third task, we must remember that there isn’t a fighter who doesn’t get
knocked down at one time or another. Every fighter entering the ring knows this
will happen. However, as in the boxing ring, it doesn’t matter how many times
we hit the ground; what matters is that we get up.
In the book of Ruth it tells us that with her two daughters in law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road. This part of the story refers to Ruth’s mother in law, Naomi. Naomi had left Judah with her wealthy husband and two sons for Moab because there was a famine in Judah. Naomi’s husband left Judah because he didn’t want the burden of supporting his people even though he had the capability to do so. As divine retribution, first Naomi’s husband died in Moab. Then, after her sons had married, they, too, died. Naomi found herself penniless and bereft. She was at rock bottom.
Naomi had been knocked down hard. She had gone from a comfortable life as the wife of a wealthy and noble man, to a poor widow who had been married to a man who turned his back on his people. Life knocked her down again when both her sons died leaving her with no means of support. But Naomi got up. She returned to her hometown of Bethlehem in spite of her shame and difficulty. Job’s wife also lost her children, her wealth, and in the process, she nearly lost her husband. But look at how she reacted. Job’s wife said to him, "Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9). She had completely given up and encouraged Job to do so as well.
In the book of Ruth it tells us that with her two daughters in law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road. This part of the story refers to Ruth’s mother in law, Naomi. Naomi had left Judah with her wealthy husband and two sons for Moab because there was a famine in Judah. Naomi’s husband left Judah because he didn’t want the burden of supporting his people even though he had the capability to do so. As divine retribution, first Naomi’s husband died in Moab. Then, after her sons had married, they, too, died. Naomi found herself penniless and bereft. She was at rock bottom.
Naomi had been knocked down hard. She had gone from a comfortable life as the wife of a wealthy and noble man, to a poor widow who had been married to a man who turned his back on his people. Life knocked her down again when both her sons died leaving her with no means of support. But Naomi got up. She returned to her hometown of Bethlehem in spite of her shame and difficulty. Job’s wife also lost her children, her wealth, and in the process, she nearly lost her husband. But look at how she reacted. Job’s wife said to him, "Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9). She had completely given up and encouraged Job to do so as well.
Now
consider the conclusion of each story. Job’s wife remains nameless, and she is
barely mentioned again, even when a happy ending at the end of the book. But
Naomi, she becomes the ancestor of King David! The matriarch of the Messiah!
Naomi’s refusal to give up paved the way to redemption.
I don’t think that it is by accident that the first thing we do every morning is literally "get up" It is as if God reminds us every day that we can get up in every sense of the word. No matter how bad the day before was or how much we have to face today, we must get up, never give up, and move forward in faith.
I don’t think that it is by accident that the first thing we do every morning is literally "get up" It is as if God reminds us every day that we can get up in every sense of the word. No matter how bad the day before was or how much we have to face today, we must get up, never give up, and move forward in faith.
Amen!
Reading: (Ruth 1:1-22)
Ref:(HG SB)
May God Bless You
And Your Family
Minister Robert Lail Sr.
The Cross Life Ministry
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