When I
think about all the pain and sadness Naomi must have felt after losing her two
sons and her husband, I am amazed she found the strength to keep going. Of course, she wasn’t alone. Ruth, the widow
of one of her sons, decided to stay with Naomi instead of leaving her alone.
She basically told Naomi, “No way am I leaving you! I want to be a part of your people and to
worship your God. We’ve got to stick
together!” Ruth’s determination to stay loyal
to God and Naomi ended up changing their lives.
They ended up back in Israel where God gave Ruth an amazing husband,
then a baby, and all that she and Naomi ever needed. In fact, further down the family line came
King David, and eventually Jesus!
Whenever you get tired of doing the right thing or feel like giving up,
think about Ruth. She stayed firm in her
faith even when it was tough and God blessed her so much. Think about some
hardships you or your family has faced. What was the response? Did you appeal
to God for help or mercy? How did those situations end up? Let’s resolve to
trust in God’s plan for our lives and pray for the guidance and vision to see
it through.