Scripture Text: Ruth 1:16-18
But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to abandon you, to turn back from following after you. Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do this to me and more so if even death separates me from you.” When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her about it.
Reflection: God’s Love for Us
Naomi is from Bethlehem and has spent ten years of her life in Moab, a kingdom near the land of Judah. Naomi’s two sons married Orpah and Ruth, but eventually her sons pass away. Because of the inherently male-dominated power structures existing in the ancient world at the time, the three women are forced to make difficult decisions as quickly as possible. Orpah decided to return to her family, but Ruth made a different determination. Ruth made it clear that she will stay with Naomi and return with her to Bethlehem. Ruth’s decision essentially defied the custom of the time period, which would be to return to her parents and get remarried. Despite Naomi’s urgings, Ruth remains committed to staying with her because of the love that Ruth has for her. Ruth’s love is steadfast, it is ever flowing, and it is boundless. She pledges to Naomi that, “Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.” Ruth made a decision to give up her homeland, travel to a strange land, and stay with Naomi. She had no idea what would happen to her; her social standing was not secure, but none of this dissuaded her because of the love that Ruth and Naomi shared. This story is symbolic of the kind of love that God bears for all of us, God’s children. God, like Ruth, does not give up on us. God is with us through thick and thin, through the high points of our lives, to our very darkest moments. God refuses to leave us, just like Ruth refused to leave Naomi. God’s love for us is incredibly hard to quantify, but it is life-changing, boundless, and without end. Psalm 23 states, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.” The Psalmist is reminding us that no matter what we face in life, God is with us, here for us, and guiding us, because God’s love for all of us is so great. This is exactly the kind of love that Ruth and Naomi have for each other. Ruth willingly gave up her life, status, and homeland to move to Bethlehem with Naomi. God’s love for us is emblematic of the love that Ruth and Naomi share for each other. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, and as our text reminds us, not even death can break this love that God has for us.
Prayer
God of Love,
Look with compassion on the whole human family. Take away the arrogance, hatred, and anger that infect our hearts. Break down the barriers that separate us and unite us in bonds of love. Amen.
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