Love Determines to go through Tests, Part 1

Scripture: Ruth 1:14-18

And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.  Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”  But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.  “Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.”  When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

Insights:  REAL worship is driven by our love for God.  As we work ourselves through the book of Ruth we are going to see characteristics and attributes about love.  This week we are going to look at a high form of love and a low form of it as well.  The high form is seen in two ways as it pertains to Ruth and can be observed in today’s verses.  These verses are probably the most famous portion of the book of Ruth because they are so often used in wedding services.  These words, are in my opinion Ruth’s conversion experience or testimony.  She is telling Naomi she is willing to go wherever she is called to go.  She is willing to stay wherever she is told to stay.  In many ways this thought pattern is descriptive of the children of Israel’s wilderness journey.  When the cloud or fire moved, the people moved.  When the cloud or fire stopped, the people stopped.  It was a sign of true dependence on the Lord.  We can see this pattern also exemplified by Paul on his missionary journeys.  The true characteristic of conversion is seen in the next two parts of Ruth’s speech to Naomi.  Naomi’s people were to become her people.  This statement is an allegiance to the Israelite nation.  In our conversion we become citizens of heaven.  We are only strangers and sojourners here on earth.  The next sentence declares Yahweh is going to be her God.  When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are saying the very same thing.  The final part of Ruth’s declaration is her willingness to die for this faith.  She will be buried with Naomi.  We must be willing to give our very lives to for our worship to Jesus.  Tomorrow we will look at a second aspect of this high form of love.

Questions:

1.  Have you received the free gift of salvation from our Lord Jesus Christ?

2.  If you have not, what is holding you back from receiving this amazing grace?

Prayer: Father, thank You so much for saving me from my sin.  I long for the day when I will see You face to face and say, “Thank You!”  Amen.