ByBut Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.” — Ruth 1:16 NKJV
Decisions are an essential part of our lives. In fact, you are where you are today because of numerous decisions you took some time ago. God knows the importance of decision making, and that’s why He gave man his free will from the beginning, even after placing him in Eden full of multiple choices.
As powerful and essential decision making is in our lives, it can be misused or abused. Sometimes, we make bad decisions because of the inadequate information we have. Other times, we make good decisions because of the availability of enough knowledge about what we want to do.
Let’s look at how the lives of Naomi, Ruth and Orpah in the Bible teach us about decisions. Naomi had two sons, and they all died without having children from their wives. Naomi wanted to leave her residence in her hometown (Bethlehem), but not with her daughters-in-law. She urged Ruth and Orpah several times to go back to their people and their gods. Eventually, Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye and left (Ruth 1:14). But Ruth clung unto Naomi.
Ruth knew she came from an idolatrous background, and it’d be inappropriate to go to Bethlehem with her idols. Nevertheless, she decided firmly in her mind to follow Naomi wherever she goes, even if she doesn’t get another husband to replace her first dead husband.
The last part of Ruth 1:16 tells us what constituted the decision of Ruth — “…your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.”
By saying this, Ruth indirectly cancelled all her associations with her hometown people and also dealt with the negative influence of idolatry. Her expression of her godly decision was so fiercely and determinative that it overrode all the attempts Naomi made to let her go. Furthermore, it produced in her a powerful commitment to God despite life challenges.
Naomi was sad about losing her husband and two sons, but little did she know that Ruth would become connected to the lineage of Jesus after getting married to Boaz, the great grandfather of David.
Some aged people make Christian subordinates waver in godly decisions because of their sad countenance. If you have a witness in your spirit to do something which depends on the consent of another, then be like Ruth, who continued to press on till her mother-in-law accepted her godly decision to follow her.
Life is not a joke. It’s better to hardly follow God than the opinions of people, especially those who are not committed to the faith of Jesus. When God tells you to do something, do it. Be strong in your mind to stick to your godly decisions, even if you have to execute them in pressing conditions. You’ll see progress as you keep obeying the Lord.
Prayer
Oh Jesus, help me stay faithful to my calling in you. Build my tenacity to press on in the changing seasons of my life and the diverse challenges I face in this world. Amen!
Devotional Code: KGD // 2022 – 205
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