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The Question

"With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place
where she had been living ,
and they took the road
that would lead them back to Judah." Ruth 1:7
I absolutely love the book of Ruth. There are so many lessons that lie within this short book of the Bible. As I was reading the scripture above one day, a few questions arose in my heart. For instance, what road are we taking as individuals? Will that road lead us to peace or turmoil? Will it position us to receive blessings from God?

Reading the first book of Ruth always gears me to think about if God ever intended for Naomi and her husband to leave Judah. Yes, there was a severe famine that came upon the land but as we read in Chapter 1 of Ruth it never says God told Naomi's husband, Elimelech to leave and live in the country of Moab. He pretty much just took off. It reminds me of how we just do things without consulting God. What would have happened had Elimelech waited to receive instructions from God on what to do regarding the severe famine? As we read along in chapter 1 of Ruth, we learn that they've moved and all these things have come about in Naomi's life. Her husband is gone, her sons are gone, and she's left with only her two daughters-in-law. Ruth 1:6 says, "Then Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland." So Naomi heard that the Lord had blessed his people in Judah. This is interesting to me. When you hear something how many know that it doesn't necessarily make what you heard new news? What I mean by that is, just because you heard something doesn't mean you were the first to hear it. I always say that I'm the last to find out things. It will be weeks that something has happened and I will just be getting wind of the information days, even weeks later. What if the information that Naomi heard of God blessing his people in Judah had just got to her? God could have been blessing His people all along and Naomi and her family never knew it.

So Naomi takes off and arrives back in her homeland. People were so excited to see her coming. But Ruth told them that there was nothing to be happy about. She pretty much told them that she had nothing and she wasn't the same Naomi that she left as. Ruth 1:21 reads, "I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty." That verse puzzled me a bit. If you were full initially why on earth would you leave the place in which you were full? This is why I asked myself the question, "Was it ever God's intention for Naomi and her family to leave?"  Yes, there was a severe famine and it may have been affecting others but it clearly hadn't touched Naomi and her family because she said, "she went away full."

I say all of this to say that its important to make sure we are taking the road that God wants us to take. Its important that we are moved by God's Word instead of our own desires or what we think may be best. I love how God works all things out for our good because even though Naomi went away full and came back empty God had a plan to restore what she and her daughter-in-law had lost. I thank God for His grace because its sufficient just like His love is for us. I want to challenge you to consult with God before you make both minor and life altering decisions. God is waiting for us to run to Him with our cares, desires, and needs. He's a good God and He knows what's best for us. Do you trust Him to lead you along the road He has for you?

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